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Why do Black men always turn to Islam in jail and not Christianity?

Hec.

Member
Hundreds upon hundreds of black men i know of have come out of jail as Muslims. I can only think of 1 off the top of my head who became a born again Christian while locked up.

Even though the Nation of Islam is not seen as being a part of the real Islam, a lot of black men actually find their way to Islam via guys like Farrakhan and previously Malcolm X.

Why are black men turning to Islam in times of turmoil and not Christianity?
 

Hec.

Member
This might require some sources and not hearsay.

Well even 2 days ago i saw another black man who got released after doing 9 years for some drug and firearm offenses. And he had a massive beard and he even changed his first name to Abdul-Kareem and had the Qu'ran in his hand and said he was going to the mosque right then. This was a guy who grew up with strict Christian churchgoing parents.I live in the UK and at least 40 black guys that i know even in the last 2 years from memory have all become Muslim while in prison, and hundreds more over the years.

I see it in America too. Half the well known rappers became Muslim while in prison and you often hear black American men saying "Allah" instead of "God" and using Arabic language to greet each other.

I also heard many American blacks saying that Christianity is the religion of the slavemaster and they don't believe in a white Jesus so that's why they like Islam and that Islam is the real black man's religion.
 

YmirGF

Bodhisattva in Recovery
Real Islam, not Farrakhan's type, is color blind and racism is strictly forbidden.
I'm inclined to go with peer group pressure. My guess is that Muslims are the most organized religion in the prison system and so would be quite successful finding new meat.
 

Holdasown

Active Member
Don't they sometimes go for a religion just to get out sooner?

No. You have to have good behavior to earn time or get a quicker parole hearing. Saying one is in a religion and role model in the prison might earn a good mark. That would be for any faith though.
 

Hec.

Member
Real Islam, not Farrakhan's type, is color blind and racism is strictly forbidden.
Yes i know black Muslims married to South East Asian Muslims, Yemenis married to Sudanese, white married to south Asian etc. Racism is not a factor, but i also wouldn't say modern Christianity is racist either though. From a UK perspective it seems like Christianity has been almost watered down and is heavily liberalized. There are gay marriages allowed in Church for instance in England. No mosque would permit that.
 

Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
Many Christians (Whites) in Europe and America also turn to Islam and jails or get martyred in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.
 

Kirran

Premium Member
Yes i know black Muslims married to South East Asian Muslims, Yemenis married to Sudanese, white married to south Asian etc. Racism is not a factor, but i also wouldn't say modern Christianity is racist either though. From a UK perspective it seems like Christianity has been almost watered down and is heavily liberalized. There are gay marriages allowed in Church for instance in England. No mosque would permit that.

While of course there is a massive difference in scale, there are Islamic groups in the UK who are down LGBT stuff. I knew someone in Manchester who was part of Imaan, a specifically LGBT+ Islamic organisation, who would meet for prayers and reading the Qur'an etc. The Muslim Alliance for Gender and Sexual Diversity is also active here in the UK.
 

Nakosis

Non-Binary Physicalist
Premium Member
Hundreds upon hundreds of black men i know of have come out of jail as Muslims. I can only think of 1 off the top of my head who became a born again Christian while locked up.

Even though the Nation of Islam is not seen as being a part of the real Islam, a lot of black men actually find their way to Islam via guys like Farrakhan and previously Malcolm X.

Why are black men turning to Islam in times of turmoil and not Christianity?

Maybe if they elected a Black Pope...
 

Kirran

Premium Member
Source? This is rumor not fact, so there is no way to even go about figuring out why it is happening if we cannot see that it is happening.

Apparently it is a real phenomenon. Although prison officers and former inmates say that often it's because as a Muslim you get "perks", like more breaks, better food during Ramadan and are included within a protective group. Conversion to Islam in prisons - Wikipedia

However, in the UK at least it isn't the religion that gets the most converts in prison. Buddhism the Fastest-growing Religion in Scottish and English Prisons | Buddhistdoor
 

Holdasown

Active Member
Apparently it is a real phenomenon. Although prison officers and former inmates say that often it's because as a Muslim you get "perks", like more breaks, better food during Ramadan and are included within a protective group. Conversion to Islam in prisons - Wikipedia

However, in the UK at least it isn't the religion that gets the most converts in prison. Buddhism the Fastest-growing Religion in Scottish and English Prisons | Buddhistdoor

A guy I work with used to work in the jail. He stated that Krishan/Buddhist is claimed a lot because they get the best food.
 

Nakosis

Non-Binary Physicalist
Premium Member
Apparently it is a real phenomenon. Although prison officers and former inmates say that often it's because as a Muslim you get "perks", like more breaks, better food during Ramadan and are included within a protective group. Conversion to Islam in prisons - Wikipedia

However, in the UK at least it isn't the religion that gets the most converts in prison. Buddhism the Fastest-growing Religion in Scottish and English Prisons | Buddhistdoor

Yeah Buddhism! I mean has anyone ever met a Buddhist they didn't like?

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