[Macaca]

MB: What was your response to the outpouring of support and concern, the campaigns, petitions, Facebook groups and the messages that you've received since your release – what was your response to this? How do you feel?



AA: Al Hamdulillah, it was very moving to know that there were brothers and sisters out there who were making du'a[v] for me. Al Hamdulillah Rabbil-Alameen[vi]. I believe that I was released due to the du'a of a certain righteous person who was making du'a for me, because RasulAllah (salla Allahu alayhi was-salam)[vii] says that when a person makes du'a for his fellow brother, an angel makes du'a for him, and RasulAllah (salla Allahu alayhi was-salam) says that the du'a for your brother Muslim is an accepted du'a. So I believe that it was due to these people, who were making dua for me, that I have been released, and I would like to thank them very much and say jazaakum Allahu khairan.[viii]



MB: In sha'Allah, and I pray that the du'a that they made for you is also made for all the other Muslim prisoners around the world, in sha'Allah, and that they will all be released.



Could you please give some words of advice, to the other prisoners and the prisoners' families in terms of your experience, and how they might benefit from your words?



AA: My advice to them is the saying of Allah, azza wa jall[ix], "You might dislike something but there is a lot of good in it for you".[x] And the hadith[xi] of RasulAllah (salla Allahu 'alayhi was-salam), Whatever decree Allah has decreed for the believer it is good for him. So if Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala[xii] has decreed that a certain person should be in prison, and that if Allah azza wa jall has decreed for a certain family that one of their members is in prison, we, as believers should believe that this decree is good and there is a hikmah, there is wisdom in it, and we should all have the trust and faith in whatever Allah azza wa jall has destined for us; because RasulAllah (salla Allahu 'alayhi was-salam) used to say, in the du'a, 'As'aluka ridha fil-Qadhaa', I ask You to make me satisfied and happy with what you have decreed for me. This is the first word of advice.



The second word of advice is this is a test for your sabr, patience; and patience is the one deed in which Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has promised an open reward. "Only those who are patient shall receive their reward in full, without reckoning."[xiii] There is no limit on their reward that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala gives for the Sabireen, the patient.



Finally, one should always believe that the strongest weapon that they have is du'a. They should never underestimate the power of du'a. 'Umar ibn Al-Khattab[xiv] used to say, I'm not worried about Allah not accepting my prayers but I am worried about the way I pray to Allah azza wa jall. Allah will accept the du'a, Allah will respond to the it, it's just that we have to do it properly, with sincerity.



MB: SubhanAllah, jazaakAllahu khair. One of the things that we used to do in Guantanamo, one of the things that I learnt, was Surat Yusuf[xv] used to be the most often, the most resonating surah that I used to read, and contemplate on, simply because Yusuf ('alayhis-salam) was thrown in prison for something he didn't do. And when I read that, in prison, it was totally different, my attitude towards it, and I began to cry in a way that I never would have thought was possible. Did you feel any particular verses from the Qur'an, any particular aayaat[xvi] or sahaba[xvii] stories, were relevant to how you were faring your time in prison?



AA: Well, the feeling I had when I was reading Qur'an – every surah, every ayah was totally different when I was reading it in the cell, compared to when I was reading it when I was outside.

MB: Yes, absolutely, ma sha'Allah[xviii].

AA: That was particularly true with Surat Yusuf but I can say that this has been the case with every single ayah and every surah in Qur'an. It was in a totally different light when I was reading it in prison.

MB: It's quite amazing, because in prison, for us, in Guantanamo, they took everything away from us, our clothes, our families, our food, our life, everything and the only thing that we had that was familiar to us was the Qur'an, even though it was a different version or a different print, but it was the only thing that we could look at that was familiar. Everything else - the land, the area, the prisons, even the accents of the people that were speaking were totally unfamiliar except the word of Allah.

AA: Subhan Allah, and because they took everything away and gave the Qur'an, that is why the Qur'an had this different meaning. 'Uthman ibn 'Affan[xix] used to say that if our hearts were clean and pure we would never satisfy our thirst from Qur'an. It is because of the distractions that are going around us, that we don't get the most benefit from Qur'an. But when a person is in that solitary environment, all of the distractions are taken away and his heart is fixed on the word of Allah azza wa jall, the ayaat of Qur'an open into a completely different – they give a completely different meaning.

MB: Absolutely. Do you have or have you had interaction with people who have been in Guantanamo, in prison or after release, have you been able to speak to them or see how they've fared since their release at all?

AA: There were some brothers who were brought from Guantanamo and handed over to the Yemeni government and spent time in the PSL prison where I was but I didn't have a chance to interact with them. I heard that they passed through while I was there. However, I never had a chance to interact with any of them yet.

MB: In sha'Allah may you interact with them in jannah[xx], insha'Allah

AA: In sha'Allah… I would really like to know how it was over there.

MB: In sha'Allah. Finally, I suppose it's a question for Cageprisoners. Do you have any words about your feelings towards organisations like Cageprisoners are; what you think of our work, good or bad?

AA: The brothers and sisters at Cageprisoners are fulfilling the order of RasulAllah (salla Allahu 'alayhi was-salam) which was stated in Bukhari[xxi], 'Seek the release of the prisoner', and they are at the forefront of fulfilling this command of RasulAllah (salla Allahu 'alayhi was-salam) so I ask Allah azza wa jall to reward them and assist them in their efforts.

MB: Barak Allahu feek[xxii]. JazaakAllahu khairan, ya Shaykh.

AA: Wa iyyakum.[xxiii]