For many prisoners of the Holodnogorsky corrective colony No 18 it became that very place where they reflected on soul rescue. In this corrective colony people who committed grave crimes are imprisoned. The colony management welcomes those who are interested to rethink their life and their criminal conduct and to turn to God with repentance: here for more than ten years functions a small orthodox church, and now there also appeared a small mosque.
In the HCC No18 about four tens of Muslims are imprisoned. The prayer room which they respectfully name a mosque was officially opened on Wednesday, on February, 1st, 2012. This date is twice significant for Muslim prisoners; this day is the 9th of Rabi-al-aawwal of 1433 year on Muslim chronology. On the 9th of Rabi-al-awwal the Prophet Muhammad was born, peace and blessings be upon him.
What is between you and your repentance?
In the solemn opening participated the head of the HCC No 18, Sergey Ivanov, the deputy chief of the department on execution of punishments of the Kharkov region, Andrey Lapinsky, the chairman and the vice-president of the social organization "Al-Manar" which is a part of the AUASO "Alraid", Otman Shadi and Bilal Hamza, the chairman of the religious community "Mercy" ("Milost'"), Sergey Putilin, and parishioners of the mosque.
Sergey Putilin, in particular, emphasized: if people found themselves in this correctional colony owing to some events which took place in their lives, it does not mean that the gate of pardon of the Almighty is forever shut in front of them. After all, the main thing is that this stay in the colony will further affect their lives and how they will rethink their lives.
The room is completely repaired, laid by a carpet; the place for ablution and a toilet are equipped there, too. Each of parishioners can freely use copies of the Holy Quran available on book shelves and translation of its meanings, and also theological and moral-developing literature not only during their stay in the mosque, but also temporarily take it with them.
Muslims pray five times a day, however, stay in a colony introduces corrective amendments in possibility of their collective realization. The mosque is visited regularly by 8-9 persons; among them just five can pray there daily without additional complexities as the mosque is located in their local zone and they do not need escort support. They submit to the internal schedule of the penal institution; however, they find possibility to perform collectively at least three daily prayers.
It is more complicated with carrying out of the Friday sermon: unfortunately, the level of religious knowledge of the prisoners does not allow any of them to carry out the function of the Imam-preacher, and at present representatives of Muslim social organizations carry out negotiations with the colony administration to have an opportunity that at least a short Friday sermon would be carried out by the Imam "from outside".
Improvement of conditions of religious practice of prisoners - is their work
Nevertheless, the imprisoned are not completely left to themselves: every Thursday three-hour visit of Muslims by representatives of aforementioned social organizations is provided. They conduct lectures, lessons, teach reading of the Holy Quran, performing prayers and other instructions of their religion.
Before the imprisoned could pray in a former “a red corner”; however, the colony management, seeing positive changes in behavior of the prisoners, observance by them of the regime and mutual relations with the associates, allocated a separate premise. Repair work was carried out by the prisoners.
Religious Administration of Muslims of Ukraine "Ummah" supports 173 prisoners from Ukraine and the countries of the nearest abroad - the Russian Federation, Belarus, the Czech Republic. Each of these people expressed initiative in due time and started correspondence with the Religious Administration which address they could find on the literature dispatched to prisons. They are encouraged in personal correspondence and sent literature, rugs for prayer; those who out of prison walls have no relatives who can help them, if necessary, get clothes, footwear and food stuffs.
The head of the RAMU "Ummah", Igor Karpishen, emphasized that expansion of possibilities of prisoners depends exclusively on them; no anyone from the outside can arrange their life and give conditions for realization of religious practice if they under the influence of occurring in them on the basis of work on themselves deep changes do not show aspiration to develop in themselves those personal qualities for which Islam calls. At the given stage it was reached by the Kharkov prisoners, and we ask the Almighty to strengthen them on an uneasy way of self-improvement and correction of their lacks, and to help them to return subsequently to the society as full and productive members.
Staff reporter.
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