(In particular reference to Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rehmani’s essay on helping the oppressed prisoners in Sham-e-Feroza Column)
We read news items every now and then in various media outlets about the respect acquittal of a number of Muslim who had been charged, tried and ultimately acquitted on the ground of lacking evidence so there is he need of helping the oppressed prisoners. Such cases are numerous in which the police made out false cases sending innocent Indian Muslims behind bar ruining their lives and families because they were lastly found to be not guilty of charges alleged by the police against them. According to some reports, about ten thousand Muslim youth of the country are behind bar, majority of which is educated and they were bread earners of their respective families. We can easily perceive hardships, trauma and uncertainties being faced by their parents, wives, brothers and sisters and their near and dear ones. Hopefully, some Muslim organizations are rendering valuable services in rescuing the innocent victims of the State and other adverse forces and there is a pressing need to organize these efforts into a dedicated campaign so that the maximum number of prisoners victim of the system could be rescued; rehabilitated and the guilty persons could be brought to justice.
Approaching the Judiciary:
Communalism has penetrated deep in the very fabric of the country prevailing in each sector of human activities, which had led to the need of helping the oppressed prisoners and the judiciary in the country still sustains a hope among the people working for helpless prisoners as they get justice though not full justice because of slow trial wasting a considerable part of the victim’s life. Hence, we must take active part in those cases, in which the Muslims are wrongfully charged and subjected to torture approaching courts strongly pleading their stance and innocence:
Helping Prisoners after Acquittal:
In India, judicial system is not so prompt deciding cases within reasonable span of time. Years and decades pass on and the police deliberately cause delay for various reasons and the persons persecuted in the name of law & order and security of the nation loose many precious years of their life in jail facing even torture in some cases, which render them incapable for normal course of existence and they become so notorious due to the undue media coverage that employers do not want to employee them. Therefore, mere acquittal of the innocent prisoners is not enough. There must be an effective system of the State and judiciary to redress injustices meted out on them. Proper compensation, certificate of being a good citizen and suitable employment must be provided and if the Government and judiciary do not do anything in this behalf, the concerned citizens of the country, responsible persons of the community and other kinds of organizations can devise a mechanism for helping unfortunate prisoners victim of false cases and subject to injustices of the state machinery.
Responsibility of the Community in the light of Islam:
The prophet of Islam (PBUH) has vehemently insisted upon helping the oppressed prisoners and victim of injustices in various sayings. It has been stated in one of sayings (Ahadith) that a Muslim is a brother of other Muslims. He neither oppresses his brothers nor does he tolerate his brothers being oppressed.
Steps to be taken for helping the Muslims:
A question arises, what measures and steps can be taken in respect of helping the oppressed prisoners. One of them is rescuing and getting the persons who have been falsely implicated in the fabricated cases to be acquitted and helped for normal life. In the saying narrated by Hazrat Musa Ashari in Bukhari, the Prophet of Islam says: “Feed the hungry, attend the sick and enlarge the prisoner.” Such measures can be summarized as per below:
A. Pressing the politicians and local representatives: All Muslims in the unanimous voice and unity must exert pressure on the local politicians and political agents that they would vote in their favor only if they would extend their cooperation in rescuing the innocent Muslim youth charged falsely reminding them of legislation enacted by the legislature and their local obligations.
B. Peaceful Protests: Peaceful public protests and demonstrations and such other measures have high importance in the countries ruled on the principles of democracy. Therefore, the organized protests must be organized peacefully in every nook and corner of the country in such matters and rallies also must launched adhering rules of the land. Protesting letters be written and every perceivable pressure be exerted to achieve this noble cause.
C. Establishment of Legal Cell: Legal cells should be established on central as well as state level to help the oppressed prisoners and victims of injustices. Muslim advocates must render their free services or on the reduced costs for this great cause. The secularist non-Muslim advocates and persons working in the field of human rights be contacted and convinced to extend their support and services. The Muslims who have wealth at their disposal must support these causes financially. The objectives of such legal remedies must not be limited only to get the victims acquitted but they must aim also at bringing the police responsible for such injustices within the purview of crime and punishment.
D. Proper Care of Victim’s Family: The family of the prisoners must be cared of in daily household chorus, free education of their children in religious or secular educational institutions, marriage arrangement and wedding expenses of their daughters, tackling employment issues of their dependents. It be noted that the vast Muslim population of the country can easily afford it.
E. Establishment of an institute / organization / society / board for achieving such objectives: As to helping the oppressed prisoners, there is a pressing need to establish an institute / organization / society / board on the model of All India Personal Board or other effective such organizations only for seeking the blessings of the Almighty Allah not for fame and fortune.
AN IMPORTANT NOTE
We must take note that numerous communal riots, incidents of expulsions and arrest of innocent Muslim youth in large number is not by chance but by planned conspiracy with objectives in mind to demoralize and dishearten the Muslim Community in India marginalizing, insulting and subjecting them to complex psychological disorder of inferiority complex. They are also a part of campaign to keep the Muslim Community in India poor, illiterate, ashamed of their history and indifferent to their religion. Therefore, if we do not act with wisdom of the believers, courage, endurance, Islamic brotherhood, seeking help from the Almighty Allah, good treatment of the country brethren, we would fail and our future would become bleaker and bleaker with passage of time. Helping the oppressed prisoners is the religious obligation as well.
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