(Tampa, Fla.; 1/27/2022) CAIR-Florida is spearheading the work in civil rights and advocacy for incarcerated Muslims in Florida. Our Muslim Inmate Advocacy (MIA) program coordinator Hiba Rahim and our Public Service Fellow Salma Abdelraham were invited as guest speakers and participants for the Texas Prison Dawah & Reentry Symposium that took place this past Saturday.

Upon her participation, Hiba Rahim stated “It was so wonderful to see men and women of all backgrounds coming together to learn more about the needs and rights of incarcerated Muslims. This is an incredibly underserved community trying to learn and practice their deen—and they need support. The tide is turning, and these events encourage a sense of hope for the future.” (Watch Hiba Rahim's recorded Symposium presentation in this video.)

Following her presentations at the Prison Dawah & Reentry Symposium, CAIR-FL's Salma Abdelrahman said: "Being able to connect with members of the Muslim community from across the United States working to support and advocate for the needs of incarcerated Muslims at the Salaam Reentry Conference was an honor and privilege. We were able to hear from advocates, formerly incarcerated Muslims, Imams, and other community leaders all calling our Ummah to action." Sr. Salma added, "We are returning empowered to continue our progress in the Muslim Inmates Advocacy programs. We all feel excited and positive about the shifts we are seeing across the nation.”

Historically, incarcerated brothers and sisters have reported discrimination, name-calling, and denial of religious practices. The most regular request CAIR-Florida gets from the incarcerated Muslims is for volunteers to visit their communities. Many of the estimated 10,000 Muslims in the system feel forgotten. Signing up to volunteer is a great way to fulfill our obligation to those whom Allah (SWT) has guided in prison.

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