Skip to main content

Muslim inmates fed pork during Ramadan: activists

Muslim inmates fed pork during Ramadan: activists


Los Angeles: A federal judge granted a restraining order Thursday forcing prison guards in Alaska to stop giving Muslim inmates pork as they break their fasts during Ramadan, rights campaigners said.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) filed a lawsuit on Tuesday claiming Anchorage Correctional Complex had violated constitutional prohibitions against “cruel and unusual punishment.”

CAIR said the US District Court for Alaska had granted its request for an emergency temporary order requiring guards to provide adequate meals in accordance with government health guidelines.

“CAIR has reported an unprecedented spike in bigotry targeting American Muslims and members of other minority groups since the election of Donald Trump as president,” the Washington-based organization said in a statement.

Muslims are currently marking the holy month of Ramadan, fasting from dawn until sunset, which means going without food for around 18 hours in Anchorage.

Inmates observing the festival are given rations equating to 1,100 calories a day at most, according to the complaint, far short of the recommended daily amount of around 2,500 calories for men.

The packages contain food made of pork, which is forbidden in Islam, rendering the actual nutritional value of the meals even more inadequate.

CAIR said the treatment contravened the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act and violated First and 14th Amendment rights to equal protection and free exercise of religion.

The suit seeks a “balanced nutritional diet” for inmates, as well as policy changes and compensatory and punitive damages.

The Alaska corrections department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Ramadan began on May 16 in the United States and will end on or around June 15.

AFP

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

10 Oldest Manuscripts of The Quran

Allah said in Surah al-Hijr, Ayah 09: Indeed, it is We who sent down the Quran and indeed, We will be its Guardian. And undoubtedly, the present-day Quran is same as the Quran which was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). In this post, we take a look at some of the oldest manuscripts of the Quran, including ones that date back to the days of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the Rightly-Guided Caliphs. 10 Oldest Manuscripts of The Quran 1. Birmingham Quran Manuscript In 2015, at the University of Birmingham, scientists found an old Quranic manuscript on parchment, using clearly legible Arabic Hijazi script. It is said to be one of the oldest manuscripts, and it dates back to sometime between 568 and 645 CE, that is, probably sometime during the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) himself. 2. Sana’a Quran Manuscript The Sana’a Quran manuscript was found in Yemen in 1972 during the restoration of the Great Masjid of Sana’a. The manuscript is written on parchmen...

Duas to stop Masturbation?

Q uestions: Are there any duas to help with stopping masturbation A nswer: Assalamu Alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh Thank you for your question. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to say, “O Allah, I ask You for guidance, piety, dignified restraint, and freedom from need. (Allahumma inni as’aluka’l huda wa’t tuqa wa’l `afafa wa’l ghina)” [Sahih Muslim] (See also: Prophetic Supplication for Guidance, Piety, Restraint, and Freedom from Need Prophetic Example in Our Daily Relations) اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْهُدَى وَالتُّقَى وَالْعَفَافَ وَالْغِنَى The following supplication has been narrated by Qutb al-Din al-Hanafi in his Kitab Ad`iyat al-Hajj wa al-`Umra and is attributed to Hasan al-Basri. “O Allah, I seek Your forgiveness for every sin in which I gave preference to my base desire over Your obedience and my passion over Your command – thus I contented myself with Your wrath and subjected myself to Your...

Dua to recite in second ten days of ramadan

Second Ashra – Days Of Forgiveness Forgiveness is to do Astaghfaar for all sins committed so far by Muslims especially in the second Ashra of Ramadan and to repent unto Allah. Do Astaghfaar, feel sorry, desist from committing it again, and make sure not to fall for the same sin again.Dua for the second Ashra is: Translation:   “I seek forgiveness from Allah, my Lord, from every sin I committed” –     Days Of Maghfirah These are the days of Maghfirah and in the mid of Ramadan Allah’s forgiveness is at peak. He forgives only those who prostrate in front of Him with ashamed spirit and pledge in heart not to do the same again ever. Do Tauba as Allah loves those who repent on their sins, verily He is the only forgiver. –     Be Kind – Forgive All While you are asking for Allah’s forgiveness in this Ashra make sure that you do the same to our fellow Muslims by adopting alike trait of your Lord and let forgive them for all th...