Need advice on muslim friend in prison

[velvet]

Ok.. here's the deal. A refugee from West-Africa came to my country two years ago to seek asylum, but got rejected. After that he lived on the streets untill he was arrested by the foreignpolice three weeks ago. He is in 'foreigners detention' now and they are going to try sending him back to the country where he got his trauma's in the first place. Knowing the situation with the embassy, this probably won't work since they don't really cooperate with giving out papers, so that means he'll probably stay in prison here for up to 9 months or even more, after which he'll be ditched on the streets again.

So.. he's going to be in prison for a LONG time for doing nothing wrong but having no papers.

He's a very religious muslim and he really has a lot of benefit from his faith, it helps him to keep strong even though he is treated very inhumanely. He's young (23) but he has suffered for such a long time.. I'm afraid his strengths is running out.

I'd like to give or send him something to help him keep strong and I'm wondering if there is anything specific to his religion that I could give. He can't read (not at all), so giving him a qu'ran (sp?) wouldn't help much I guess.. and neither would other religious texts. Maybe something a bit more symbolic?

Also, because he's a black muslim, african, his faith might be slightely different from the arab muslims? I know he felt discriminated in the local mosque sometimes by the arabs..

So.. I dunno.. not really familiar with the religion but I really love him and want to support him and all so... any suggestions, ideas.. anything?

[jonny2mad]

are you sure hes a religous muslim, if he is why did he pick on holland a kafir country why not go and live in another islamic country .

if he is a religous muslim coming and living in holland could he have some bad plan for hollands future,like bringing sheria .

could it be possible that he may be like cat stevens who appears nice but who plans on killing people who write things about islam he doesnt like when there are enough muslims in the country.

if you have two groups of people in one country one that think its a good idea to lampoon religion and another that think its a good idea to kill them like theo van gogh was killed, wont you create the seeds for a civil war like you had recently in yugoslavia .

if that happens that you have a civil war who will be responsible

my advice would be to buy him some books that help him with his critical thinking

[velvet]

are you sure hes a religous muslim, if he is why did he pick on holland a kafir country why not go and live in another islamic country .

if he is a religous muslim coming and living in holland could he have some bad plan for hollands future,like bringing sheria .

could it be possible that he may be like cat stevens who appears nice but who plans on killing people who write things about islam he doesnt like when there are enough muslims in the country.

if you have two groups of people in one country one that think its a good idea to lampoon religion and another that think its a good idea to kill them like theo van gogh was killed, wont you create the seeds for a civil war like you had recently in yugoslavia .

if that happens that you have a civil war who will be responsible

my advice would be to buy him some books that help him with his critical thinking

.... oh my... did you even READ my post?

He is a young refugee... which means that he didn't have a lot of choice in which country he went to when he fled his homeland, scared to death. He didn't even know he was in the Netherlands untill someone told him, he never heard of it before.

And second.. you advice me to buy him some books? I thought I stated pretty clearly that he can't read..

Is this about the whole bombing thing in the UK that you are so paranoid? Seriously.. you response is almost insulting. I would totally vouch for my friend, trust him with my life.

[jonny2mad]

I read your post but missed the not able to read,and its not just about this bombing thing I am cynical about muslims coming to europe in general, Ive been cynical about the future since I saw the protests against salman rushdie .

if hes fleeing west africa how did he come to holland first ? and you could get him tapes of the quran it would depend what they would allow him in the dentention center

[velvet]

I read your post but missed the not able to read,and its not just about this bombing thing I am cynical about muslims coming to europe in general, Ive been cynical about the future since I saw the protests against salman rushdie .

if hes fleeing west africa how did he come to holland first ? and you could get him tapes of the quran it would depend what they would allow him in the dentention center
I'm not going to discuss/defend the how/why of refugees here.

I get the sad feeling that the Islam forum is not for muslim people, but for people who want to bash the Islam. Too bad that there isn't more respect towards people with different faiths.

I hereby close the thread because it was not my intend to give room for bashing. If you have suggestions for what I can give my friend, please feel free to PM me anytime!