Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News, 2013-12-05

Prisons are no leisure resorts. Behind the menacing walls and electrified fences lined with barbed wire are criminals that are paying their dues to society.

Some of the inmates waste their time away nonchalantly forming gangs and causing more mischief while others use the time to reflect the wrongs they have inflicted upon society.

It’s these other prisoners that don’t procrastinate but rather take the time and initiative to reconstruct their lives and become an inspiration for others who have given up all hope.

One such person is Zulu speaking Moulana Saeed Ncane.

Moulana Ncane was born in a Christian home and lived in Umlazi Township in Durban. Both his parents are very strong Christians with his father being a pastor and having a church in their yard.

From an early age Moulana Ncane was exposed to the ugly side of life delving in substance abuse and had gangsters as role models and mentors. “Like myself personally as I grew up, I wanted to become one big robber because of the environment we grew up in,” he said.

Being constantly on the wrong-side of the law, his parents had had enough and fearing for their lives or being killed by their sons shadowy friends, they kicked him out of their home forcing him to go and live with the gangsters he idolized.

Moulana Ncane was also exposed to Islam during his schooling years in Chatsworth by his very close Muslim friend. He mentions his friends used to take him to the masjid to learn about Islam.

Jokingly he says he also wanted to enjoy the privilege of leaving early on Friday when Muslims attend the Jumu’ah salaah (Friday prayer). “So I acted as if though I am also a Muslim so I went to his (friends) Imam (one who leads prayer)… who said for me to get permission, I have to become a Muslim…so the principal allowed me, that okay now you say you are a Muslim, every Friday you can go early,” said Moulana Ncane.

“But I used that opportunity to go and do crime. I never actually went to the masjid. I never understood what Islam was basically about,” added Moulana Ncane.

In the year 2000 Moulana Ncane was arrested for hijacking and armed robbery and sentenced to 15 years behind bars at the Westville Medium B Correctional Centre in Durban.

“It was like a dream. I thought I was dreaming. I never believed that like in a spur of the moment I was a church boy who grew up with strong Christian values and all of a sudden I am behind bars,” said Moulana Ncane

While in prison Moulana Ncane had time to reflect on his life, the wrongs he committed and the perilous path he had traversed on.

Because of his lengthy sentence, Moulana Ncane asked a fellow prisoner if he could borrow his “thick book” which just happened to be a copy of the translation of the holy Quraan.

“The most striking thing about the Quraan when I was reading it, was the poetic format of the Quraan, the style of the Quraan and the message of Tauhid (pure belief)…Because the Bible has got stories whereby it says you have to get to God through Jesus or you must worship Jesus.”

“But the Quraan had this unique message that you only have to worship Allah Ta’ala,” added Moulana Ncane.

With great fervor, effort and tenacity to reform his life, Moulana Ncane took a new path towards spirituality.

In 2003 under the auspices of an Ameer (leader) who is in prison for 45 years, Moulana Ncane reverted to Islam.

The number of renowned scholars like Moulana Asmal, Sheikh Tauheed , Moulana Yunus Patel and Mufti Menk that visited the prison to render Targhib (encouragement) and Da'wah (propagation) inspired the Moulana Ncane and the other Muslim prisoners.

“Until one day I had this feeling within myself, I would like to become like these people. They became a role model to us. Instead of becoming a gangster now, I wanted to become an Imam (a person who leads prayer) or maybe a Moulana (Islamic scholar) and Allah made it such,” said Moulana Ncane.

Moulana Ncane was released on parole in 2008 and then studied an Imamat (person who leads prayer) course at Madressa Talimuddeen in Isipingo.

Returning to Harding and delving into a small business, Moulana Ncane discovered Madressa Miftahul Falaah (Islamic school) in the town and started studying an Aalim (Islamic sciences) course under the consultation of the scholars of the Muslim Prison Board who assisted him with his fees and other needs.

Moulana Ncane’s final year was completed at Darul Uloom Nuamaaniya in Chatsworth on Thursday 27th November 2013. “But Alhamdulillah (Glory be to Allah) the ulama (scholars) of the prison board and the ulama in madressa, they’re very helpful and they guided (me) till this far,” he said.

Currently Moulana Ncane will be working with the Muslim Prison Board under the mentorship of Moulana Shabier Asmal and the scholars of the Muslim Prison board.

“And I will be going to prison Insha'Allah (if Allah) wills working with the intention of inspiring inmates that there is life even after you have been sentenced,” said Moulana Ncane.

Moulana Shabeer Asmal told Radio Islam, this is one success story and there are many others. “There are male and females, there are sisters also studying and Insha'Allah  working within the next one and half year we should have our first hafiz ul Quraan (one who memorizes the Quraan) coming out.”

“We request for duas, we request for moral support, we request for advice and we take the mashura (consultation) of our Akabirreen (seniors)…May Allah  give us Qabuliat (acceptance) and may this be Sadaqaah e Jaariyah (continuous reward) for us Inshallah.

The dynamism of Islam has seen many prisoners revert to Islam

Currently there are an estimated 6500 to 7000 Muslim inmates and offenders in South Africa.

 (Twitter: @Faizie143 )