How Embracing Islam Shifts Core Values and Changes Trajectory of Life
By Romy Sharieff
Jul/Aug 25
A member from the Umrah (pilgrimage similar to Hajj) group adjusted Abdur Raqiyb Mutawakil Rashaad’s ihram (pilgrimage attire) before heading to the Kaaba, the Haram ash-Sharif. At 79, this was his first Umrah. He had often dreamed of this moment while serving his prison sentence – life without parole – which began in 1980 under the Maryland Three Strikes (habitual offender) law.
Rashaad is an articulate, intelligent man. There is no remnant of his prior life as he carries himself with an air of humbleness and integrity. He possesses what so many of us are searching for: the heart of a believer.
His story is not unique. Street life enticed him as a teenager which led to confinement in various detention centers. In prison, he rose to second in command of an infamous prison gang. He commanded respect by his willingness to act. But after six years as leader, he left gang life when he was introduced to the Sunni school of Islam. It transformed his life and now, had performed one of the most sacred religious rituals in all of Islam.
The American Experience
His story reflects the ingrained systemic factors that drive inequality in America. Muslims are keenly aware of racial and ethnic profiling, especially after the events of 9/11. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People reported that one in three Black men can expect to be sentenced for an offence sometime in their lifetime, and they are five times more likely to be incarcerated than their white counterparts. 47% of inmates wrongfully convicted are Black.
Furthermore, Black Americans are 11.5 times more likely to be a victim of homicide than white Americans. Each of these statistics represents a real person with a tragic story that could be very different according to Rashaad. He opened up about his life in order to help young people make better decisions since the illusion of glory that the streets portray continues to destroy lives.
Rashaad’s father was a cook in the U.S. Navy and would often be away at sea. “I saw him maybe three times in four years,” Rashaad told Islamic Horizons. That absence impacted him deeply. Street life gave him a sense of belonging and respect. Street rules governed life. “You don’t betray people. Loyalty is important. You take your guidance from the street. Someone might suggest something, and that seed gets planted. The streets were my apprenticeship to crime.”
At 15, Rashaad was detained at the National Training School for Boys in Washington D.C. from which he escaped. After six months as a fugitive, he was picked up in a grocery store on mistaken identity. Rather than betray his acquaintance, street code returned him back to the correctional facility, but this time to solitary confinement. “It’s a bare room with a hole to urinate and defecate in. No flush. They would bring a mattress from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m.,” he said, noting that being isolated impacted him psychologically.
Can Islam Reduce Recidivism Rates?
Rashaad said the reason why the recidivism rate is so high and why inmates get increased sentences while in prison is imminent danger. “Prison is a revolving door,” he explained. Convicts who have an upcoming release date act differently from ones who don’t. “There is a lot of mental [illness] in prison and it’s a real possibility that at any time, you can get stabbed. Gangs give you some protection and there is a lot of recruitment. It’s a terrible thing not to be in one. You need to have the mindset to be willing to kill, otherwise you will be preyed upon.”
That same mindset stays with inmates as they attempt to reintegrate into a society that plays by different rules, and as a result, many return to prison. Except a select few. Rashaad believes Islam is the only way to truly rehabilitate someone.
“Islam is a different guidance system, and it transforms how you think and act,” he said. That navigation system led him to leave gang life which redirected the path of his life. “You can’t be in a gang and be Muslim.”
Amin Anderson, an instructor at the Tayba Foundation who served 33 years before being released on parole, elaborated that Muslims in prison have a reputation for using non-violent approaches to solve issues. “Prison leadership will engage Muslims to negotiate disputes between gangs because of our credibility and ability to bring forth peaceful solutions,” he said. “There is remedy through some means in accordance with Islamic principles. Muslims are congruent with actions and words. We don’t do drugs or engage in haram practices. Muslims are respected for that.”
Anderson reflected on his own internal transformation. “Before I accepted Islam, I had lost my humanity,” he said. “I came to understand what real loyalty, trust, honesty, and self-restraint was through the model of the Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). No matter what people did to him, he always gave back something beautiful. His model of true love for Allah changed my outlook. It restored my love for humanity and all of creation. I began to understand that I didn’t have to choose between the streets or my family if I put Islam first.”
Rashaad first joined the Nation of Islam in the 1960s. He said that street rules still applied and violence was part of the culture. The doctrine didn’t require any internal shift. His curiosity about Sunni Islam began after reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X. “I respected him as a man and he was talking about how he was praying with white people and how Sunni Islam opened his heart. I started reading books about real Islam in the prison library,” he said.
Anderson said the ideology of the white man being the devil that the Nation preached was appealing to young Black men because it gave them someone else to blame. ”Islam requires personal responsibility and accountability. Each of us has a choice of how we operate in life regardless of circumstances.”
Rehabilitation through Islam
Rashaad witnessed the impact of Islam on his life shortly after his release when a man cut the line at the grocery store. “That level of disrespect in prison may have led to a different ending, even a homicide. Islam taught me patience and gave me a different way to look at life.”
Rashaad questioned how this transformation can occur before street life entraps boys and captures them into the cycle of the prison industrial complex. He believes it takes a multifaceted approach. “The street is more powerful than family or anything else other than real Islam. You are impressionable; someone suggests you go do something to prove yourself and you want to be accepted and respected,” he said. “You need to show them what the alternative is.”
Acknowledging that it is a monumental feat, he continued, “Kids need consistency and presence. Building stability and creating trust so they feel safe takes time and commitment. If you can get the kids to the masjid, that’s a good start.”
Having regularly scheduled youth events that children enjoy creates an opportunity to be exposed to the core values of Islam. Local masjids in Richmond, Va., offer events like soccer, basketball nights, and scouts. But how can at-risk kids get there if parents are absent or are working? That is one of the challenges that requires community engagement.
“It takes a tribe to raise a child, but it starts with changing the framework of thought. Someone recognizes your potential and lets you see that in yourself,” said Anderson. That is what Shaykh Rami, founder of the Tayba Foundation, did for him. “I was willing to do anything to earn someone’s trust. Once I accepted Islam, trust was freely given to me. It’s an incredible feeling and something that you want to protect.”
Parents today compete against a range of enemies. Rashaad stressed the importance of monitoring kids’ acquaintances because the influence of peers outweighs the family. Al Hasan al-Basri phrased it as, “Associate yourself with many believing friends. Certainly, they will be able to intercede for you on the Day of Judgement” (Tafseer al-Baghawi, 3/473).
Shaykh Abu Abdillah Yunus Ibn Mahmoud, founder of the Beacons of Light programme in London, UK, goes even further. He warns that social media, online content, and exposure to the entertainment industry are far more insidious. His advice is to be judicious about what content we consume.
Islamic Outreach and the Tayba Foundation
Incarcerated individuals need Islamic outreach. The Tayba Foundation is filling that gap. “Our curriculum incorporates self-development exercises that challenge students to reflect internally,” Anderson said. “Without reaching in, the mindset won’t change.” The organization also prioritizes providing a compassionate support system through different communication methods.
The foundation is also working on expanding their recorded classes to reach students through the prison education system. Anderson said the state systems are moving faster with computer literacy than federal and there is always the challenge of getting materials into institutions. Tayba welcomes collaborating with local prisons and dawah groups to increase their success.
Finally, individuals who have been wrongfully sentenced need help. The Innocence Project gives hope for a life beyond the wall to a subset of those incarcerated. But others are left to rely on an overstretched public defender’s office. Rashaad had a fortuitous opening. “Merle Unger [from Unger Vs. State of Maryland] slept on my tier. When he won his case for erroneous instructions given to the jury, the public defender’s office was instructed to seek out all offenders that this decision affected. Once I filed a Post Conviction Petition, the public defender office got involved.” Rashaad was released on unconditional parole in 2013.
Rashaad spent more time in prison than the law allowed. This stole his family life and his ability to contribute to society. After performing Umrah he felt it was time to seek legal help to rectify the injustice.
Having just celebrated his 80th birthday in July, Rashaad reflected on how Islam changed his life by bringing peace to his heart. He now imagines a brighter future for young people today. With an Islamic framework, he is sure each child can live up to their full potential.
The Umrah group called him Shaykh out of respect and love. As Rashaad settled into a wheelchair and began his Umrah, the transformative power of Islam was fully evident and present.
Romy Sharieff is a licensed midwife and founding contributor of the Bryan J Westfield Scholarship. romysharieff@yahoo.com.
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