Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

Tonight, on Laylatul Qadr,  our sister Leqaa Kordia finally walked out of ICE detention — free, by the mercy of Allah. After more than a year of cruel confinement, uncertainty, and quiet endurance, she stepped into the open air once again. Alhamdulillah.

I have carried Leqaa’s story for a long time now long before anyone knew her name — through judicial hearings, disappointments, medical crises, fear and despondence and long stretches of waiting when it seems no relief or answers were in sight. Tonight, that waiting finally broke.

Prolonged Uncertainty
 

Leqaa’s journey has never been simple. Born in Jerusalem so premature she barely survived, she spent the first few years of her life in Gaza and was separated from her mother for 20 years before finally being reunited in New Jersey.  She was taken into custody in a wave of repression targeting those who spoke up or demonstrated against the Genocide in Gaza, amid a climate where Palestinian and Muslim identity were treated with suspicion and advocacy in defense of Palestinian life punished accordingly. She was amongst the most vulnerable, and still chose to stand up for the more vulnerable of our Ummah. What followed was not just detention, but prolonged unjust confinement and uncertainty, denial of religious freedoms, and inhumane living conditions— days without clarity, months without answers, and a system designed to exhaust and deter rather than resolve.  The most appalling part?  No charges were ever filed against here, and yet she was held for an entire year.  

From the outside, we advocated, documented, and pushed. From the inside, Leqaa suffered but endured. She endured separation from family, the emotional toll of confinement, and the constant waiting and wondering of when. Through it all, she held onto her unwavering faith — even when the weight of the injustice felt too much to bear.

In her own words, the system is designed break the human spirit and silence dissent.  Instead, it increased her resolve to fight injustice wherever it dwells.
 

“Exhausted, But Elated”

When the gates to freedom finally opened, and she asked how she felt, Leqaa was immediate and honest:

“Alhamdulillah — exhausted, but elated.”
 

Exhausted — because detention takes something from you.
Elated — because Allah’s decree always arrives, even when delayed.

By Allah’s mercy, Leqaa will now be able to spend Eid with her family. A simple blessing — and yet one that was denied to her for far too long.

Her legal journey is far from over. But tonight, we pause to acknowledge what this moment means: that patience was not wasted, that du’a were heard, and that oppression, no matter how prolonged, is never permanent.

We ask Allah to grant Leqaa complete safety, strength, and peace.
We ask Allah to protect her in what lies ahead and to reunite her fully with stability and dignity.
We ask Allah to free all those who remain unjustly detained.

With Leqaa’s permission, I set up a campaign so people around the world can show their support and solidarity and to help offset costs associated with her ongoing legal battle to fight deportation outside of detention, as well as to help with her living and health care expenses after a life threatening detention induced medical emergency led to a seizure. Leqaa was waitressing and working multiple jobs to make ends meet and pay her rent. She is also uninsured and may incur high medical expenses. She has sacrificed so much for defending our ummah, let us sacrifice a little to help her get back on her own two feet.

Jazakumullahu khairan to everyone who carried her name, made du’a, and refused to look away.

Wa’alaikumussalam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.