“I hope I am not forgotten, and I hope that one day soon I will be released.”
Whose words are these?
For over two decades, a mother has sat in a cold, desolate cell in FMC Carswell, a federal women’s prison in Fort Worth, Texas. Not by choice, but by force. Aafia Siddiqui’s story is not just one of imprisonment—it is a tale of unrelenting pain, separation, and the yearning for justice.
Can you imagine going a single day without seeing your child?
Now, multiply that by years—decades. Aafia was torn from her three young children: Sulaiman, just 6 months old, Mariam, barely 3, and Ahmed, a 6-year-old boy. These were children who needed their mother, yet they were left to navigate a world that suddenly became too cruel, too soon.

Aafia Siddiqui, a neuroscientist by profession, is a ‘daughter of Pakistan’ whose ordeal stretches beyond comprehension. She became entangled in a system that subjected her to the notorious US Rendition to Torture program.
A program that left behind invisible scars deeper than any chains ever could. She has been called many things in the media, but at her core, she is simply a human being yearning for freedom.

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Her words echo with despair: “I am… a victim of injustice, pure and simple. Every day is torture… it is not easy.”
And what of her loss? Aafia was not even told of her mother’s passing. She was denied the dignity of mourning, of offering her prayers, or of whispering a final goodbye.

Her lawyer, Clive Stafford Smith, has fought relentlessly, submitting a 67,500-word dossier to President Joe Biden, hoping for a glimmer of mercy before Donald Trump’s inauguration. It is not just a plea for clemency; it is a demand for humanity to prevail.

Religious teachings often remind us of our duty to those who suffer. The Quran emphasizes kindness to captives: “And they give food from their sustenance, in spite of their love for it, to the needy, the orphan, and the captive…” (76:8).
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) reminded us: “No one of you believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.”
Similarly, the Bible urges compassion: “Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” (Hebrews 13:3).

Aafia Siddiqui’s story transcends borders, religions, and politics. It is a human story—a plea for justice and compassion. She is not just a prisoner; she is a mother, a daughter, a woman whose suffering calls out to our collective conscience.
Let us not forget her. Let us pray, advocate, and fight for her release. Because in her freedom lies a test of our humanity.
Aafia the ‘Most oppressed Muslim woman in the world’ holds onto hope: “One day, Inshallah (God-willing), I will be released from this torment.”

PAYF Insights are social media threads by various authors, reproduced here for wider consumption.