On Sunday, 28th March 2010, close to 300 Muslims gathered at the IslamBradford centre, to learn about the case of Dr Aafia Siddiqui, as part of a national campaign organised by The Justice for Aafia Coalition.
Dr Aaifa Siddiqui, a PHD from the prestigious MIT university, the only neurologist ever to have a honorary PHD from the world’s most respected university, the University of Harvard, a Hafizah of Quran, has spent the last four years being raped, tortured, and psychologically abused and currently resides in a prison in the USA, awaiting sentencing for a crime she didn’t commit, on 6th May 2010.
The Messenger of Allah, Upon Whom Be Peace, said,
"A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. He does not oppress him, nor does he leave him at the mercy of others." (Sahih Muslim)
And this hadith was at the centre of the lecture that was delivered, and the presentation that followed explored how the congregation should seek to respond to the oppression being exerted on their sister Aafia.
As the questions echoed through the centre;
Are we lobbying for her release?
Are we writing her letters?
Are we giving money to help her family fight her case?
Are we lending our skills to mature her case?
Those that gathered, recognised and affirmed their commitment to their sister, and sought to at the very least supplicate to Allah, for her release and for Allah to have mercy on all those in her situation, the victims of kidnap and torture, known in our time as extraordinary rendition.
