# What was Mufti Abu Layth's time in prison like?

*The experience of custody: contrary to expectation, and an insight into another world*

- URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/vzrrlx3livk/s/2/
- Date: 2015-04-06 · Kind: question · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: Unanswered Questions- An interview with Mufti Abu Layth (2:48–5:23)
- Status: general teaching
- Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZRrlX3lIVk&t=168s
- Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/vzrrlx3livk/

**Topics:** Personal stories and reflections; Extremism, crime and justice

**Question as asked:** How was your experience in custody?

**Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** Contrary to expectation it went well, and he is grateful for the insight it gave him into people from all walks of life whom he would never otherwise have met.

## Longer summary

Finishing the account of the case, Mufti Abu Layth says he feels he and his friend were unfairly treated for refusing to help the prosecution. Asked how he found custody, he says the seven weeks were relatively nothing compared with what others spend inside, but enough to give an amazing insight into a world he, like many others, had been oblivious to. Contrary to expectation the time went very well, and he says that however much one thanks Allah it is insufficient, since Allah looked out for them and they almost floated through those weeks. More than anything he is grateful for the insight: being able to share thoughts and stories and listen to the concerns of people from all walks of life whom he would otherwise never have crossed paths with, and to understand their struggles, which he found incredibly insightful.

## Transcript (machine tier, 2:48–5:23)

[2:38] misconduct in a public office uh for which we were imprisoned me my friend as well and we we were given a six-month sentence so I mean that that was the really the gist of what had taken place I don't feel that I actually did anything wrong um I feel that all I simply was trying to do was help a friend uh somebody who was just trying to reconnect with his children and I feel that we were I mean this is my perception and although people may disagree I feel we were unfairly um treated against in a way

[3:18] just because we refused to kind of give add to the case of the prosecution against this person that they were interested in so that was um that was the event that's a uh a good question contrary to to my expectation the time the seven weeks we spent in which considering what people are spending within prison is a very I mean it's it's relatively nothing but it was enough to give an amazing insight to a whole

[3:57] world that I feel I myself and I mean I I feel maybe many others as well are completely oblivious to um I found it that alhamdulillah our time actually within went went very contrary to expectation went very well uh Allah be praised that um no matter how much we thank Allah it is really insufficient Allah subhana tala looked out for us I mean we found we found ourselves being quite almost like like comfortably kind of just floating through those weeks or our

[4:34] time within and alhamdulillah there's um it more than anything I'm apart from just the stay I am actually grateful for having had that insight to seeing people see being able to um I don't know like maybe share thoughts stories uh listen to the concerns of people from all walks of life people who maybe it would have been inconceivable that we would generally have crossed paths so you now have time to come across these people you meet

[5:13] them you talk to them you understand how the struggles of others um it really I I find found that incredibly insightful so you know alh Allah be praised I this is an interesting question uh that what was my some people had been asking what was my uh did I was I involved in the prevent program and if so in what capacity people had been asking and what is my general advice to people who do we feel in my opinion to that we should be engaging or

## Cite

Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment VZRrlX3lIVk/s/2. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/vzrrlx3livk/s/2/

Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.