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Conversion To "Prison Islam" Is Popular

By Howard M. Friedman

An article in Sunday's Everett, Washington Herald discusses the growth of conversion to Islam in U.S. prisons. Vassar professor Lawrence Mamiya estimates that 10% of all prison inmates have converted, though only 20% of those continue in the faith after they are released. Most of the converts are African-Americans. Originally conversion efforts were undertaken by Nation of Islam, but now most converts are Sunni. Some experts say that "Prison Islam" is more like a "prison gang" that gives members some special privileges, though prison chaplains say that the converts are serious. There is a shortage of trained federally approved imams, so that many prison congregations are led by inmates. One Muslim inmate said that conversion changed everything for him. Another, commenting on the attraction of Islam, said: "In Christianity, Jesus Christ died for sins. But in Islam, there's no scapegoat. I can't say that the devil made me do it."

Full post as published by Religion Clause on February 02, 2009 (boomark / email).