Muslims of Oz
Encyclopedia
The Muslims are a black militant
group on the television series Oz
.
and the prophet Muhammad
. Although the group consists of several Muslim African-American inmates across all units and blocks of Oz, their leadership and main operations is shown throughout the series as being based in Emerald City.
Throughout the duration of the show, they are led mainly by Kareem Said
, with Zahir Arif
and Hamid Khan
assuming leadership roles in between internal disputes. The Muslims tend to remain on good terms with Oz's several inmates as they believe the system is unjust to everyone who is incarcerated, and mostly stay neutral in the face of other Oz prisoner groups and their long standing conflicts. Their few allies are attributed to Said's personal friendships, which include Tobias Beecher
, Augustus Hill
and Omar White
.
Throughout the series, the Muslims primarily feud with the Aryan Brotherhood
, whose extreme racial ideologies and violent practices go against everything that the Muslims believes in, and who also constantly harass Said's friend, Beecher. Their mutual hatred for each other eventually escalates into a dangerous war instigated by Said and Vernon Schillinger
, due to a long-running personal violent vendetta in the latter half of the series. The Muslims also rotate between enemy and ally with the Homeboys
, as the latter's violent ways and drug use go against the Muslim's religion and personal values, with the two groups only being brought together on the basis of shared skin color, as a few occasions came about when racial tensions caused prison-wide violence.
Despite the lack of control of anything legal or illegal in Oz, the Muslims are feared under Said's leadership as he proves himself through sheer cunning, charisma and perseverance to be one of the most powerful and feared inmates within Oz. Said also undergoes a fluctuating transformation throughout the series regarding violence, self-defense and suppressing his own aggressive tendencies, eventually cultivating in active hostilities with the Aryans and effectively influencing the Muslim's pacifist ways. Throughout the series, the Muslims work detail is in Receiving and Discharge.
As the Muslims are a main group, they are featured prominently in many more episodes as well.
Militant
The word militant, which is both an adjective and a noun, usually is used to mean vigorously active, combative and aggressive, especially in support of a cause, as in 'militant reformers'. It comes from the 15th century Latin "militare" meaning "to serve as a soldier"...
group on the television series Oz
Oz (TV series)
Oz is an American television drama series created by Tom Fontana, who also wrote or co-wrote all of the series' 56 episodes . It was the first one-hour dramatic television series to be produced by premium cable network HBO. Oz premiered on July 12, 1997 and ran for six seasons...
.
Overview
The Muslims are a group of prisoners who actively work to salvage the African-American prisoners within Oz and rise up against the racial injustices of the criminal justice system. The group is made up of primarily African-American Sunni Muslims following the teachings of the Qur'anQur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
and the prophet Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
. Although the group consists of several Muslim African-American inmates across all units and blocks of Oz, their leadership and main operations is shown throughout the series as being based in Emerald City.
Throughout the duration of the show, they are led mainly by Kareem Said
Kareem Said
Kareem Saïd is a character played by British actor Eamonn Walker on the American television show Oz.-Character overview:Prisoner #97S444. Convicted June 6, 1997 - Arson in the second degree. Sentence: 18 years, eligible for parole in five...
, with Zahir Arif
Zahir Arif
Zahir Arif aka Jerome Van Dyke is a fictional character on the HBO series Oz, played by Granville Adams.-Character overview:Arif is a former drug addict in prison apparently for possession of stolen goods. In prison, he undergoes a spiritual transformation into one of the most well-behaved and...
and Hamid Khan
Hamid Khan
Hamid Khan, played by Ernie Hudson Jr., is a fictional character in the HBO series Oz.- Character overview :Prisoner #99K515. Convicted March 6, 1999 - Aggravated assault. Sentence: 10 years, eligible for parole in five....
assuming leadership roles in between internal disputes. The Muslims tend to remain on good terms with Oz's several inmates as they believe the system is unjust to everyone who is incarcerated, and mostly stay neutral in the face of other Oz prisoner groups and their long standing conflicts. Their few allies are attributed to Said's personal friendships, which include Tobias Beecher
Tobias Beecher
Tobias Beecher is a main character on the television show Oz, played by Lee Tergesen. He is one of only eight regular characters to survive the entire run of the show...
, Augustus Hill
Augustus Hill
Augustus Hill is a fictional character, played by Harold Perrineau on the American television show Oz, serving as the show's narrator.-Character overview:...
and Omar White
Omar White
Omar White is a fictional character on the HBO drama Oz played by Michael Wright.-Character overview:Prisoner 01W711. Convicted January 4, 2001 - Murder in the first degree...
.
Throughout the series, the Muslims primarily feud with the Aryan Brotherhood
The Aryan Brotherhood in Oz
The Aryan Brotherhood in the TV series Oz is a gang of white supremacist inmates led by Vernon Schillinger.-Overview:The Aryans of Oz are a loosely organized gang of white supremacist inmates. As a minority, the Caucasian-American prisoners of the gang mostly come from criminal backgrounds already...
, whose extreme racial ideologies and violent practices go against everything that the Muslims believes in, and who also constantly harass Said's friend, Beecher. Their mutual hatred for each other eventually escalates into a dangerous war instigated by Said and Vernon Schillinger
Vernon Schillinger
Vernon Schillinger is a fictional character, played by American actor J. K. Simmons, on the HBO series Oz.-Character overview:Prisoner #92S110. Convicted October 21, 1992 – Aggravated assault in the first degree. Sentence: Eight years, eligible for parole in five...
, due to a long-running personal violent vendetta in the latter half of the series. The Muslims also rotate between enemy and ally with the Homeboys
Homeboys of Oz
The Homeboys are a gang of black prisoners in Oz involved in the prison drug trade. As 78% of Oz's prisoners are black , their membership is larger than any other prison gang in Oz.-Overview:...
, as the latter's violent ways and drug use go against the Muslim's religion and personal values, with the two groups only being brought together on the basis of shared skin color, as a few occasions came about when racial tensions caused prison-wide violence.
Despite the lack of control of anything legal or illegal in Oz, the Muslims are feared under Said's leadership as he proves himself through sheer cunning, charisma and perseverance to be one of the most powerful and feared inmates within Oz. Said also undergoes a fluctuating transformation throughout the series regarding violence, self-defense and suppressing his own aggressive tendencies, eventually cultivating in active hostilities with the Aryans and effectively influencing the Muslim's pacifist ways. Throughout the series, the Muslims work detail is in Receiving and Discharge.
Episodes Pertaining to The Muslims
Episodes that center around the Muslim Inmates of Oz include the following:Season 1
- Episode 1.1 "The Routine" - Kareem SaidKareem SaidKareem Saïd is a character played by British actor Eamonn Walker on the American television show Oz.-Character overview:Prisoner #97S444. Convicted June 6, 1997 - Arson in the second degree. Sentence: 18 years, eligible for parole in five...
arrives, takes charge and lets his presence throughout Oz be known. - Episode 1.5 "Straight Life" - Said begins to experience hypertension at dangerous levels. McManus asks Kareem to help in stopping the drug trade where he then suggests the COs are dealing drugs in Oz.
- Episode 1.6 "To Your Health" - New inmate Huseni MershahHuseni MershahHuseni Mershah, aka James Monroe Madison, is a Muslim inmate on the HBO drama Oz played by Roger Guenveur Smith.-Character overview:Prisoner #97M688. Convicted August 11, 1997 - Attempted murder, first degree assault...
arrives and challenges Said's leadership. Kareem then has a heart attack after refusing to take his medication where Mershah refuses to help him. - Episode 1.7 "Plan B" - Mershah is excommunicated for letting Kareem nearly die, Said receives a gun from new CO Gordon Wood, riot tension builds.
- Episode 1.8 "A Game of Checkers" - A riot breaks out in Emerald City and Said has the Muslims organize the other inmates to take over the cell block. They send out a list of demands which Oz's administration actually view as reasonable but Governor Devlin orders the SORT team to recapture the cell block. All the inmates are moved to Gen Pop except for Said and the riot leaders who are moved to Ad Seg
Season 2
- Episode 2.1 "The Tip" - As Alvah Case interrogates and accuses Said of Riot conspiracy, Kareem along with the other inmates successfully convince Case that the riot was the direct result of Governor Devlin's administration.
- Episode 2.2 "Ancient Tribes" - Em City is reopened where the Muslims initially refuse to take part in the new inmate council.
- Episode 2.4 "Losing Your Appeal" - After seeing that Augustus HillAugustus HillAugustus Hill is a fictional character, played by Harold Perrineau on the American television show Oz, serving as the show's narrator.-Character overview:...
's judge was imprisoned for accepting bribes, Said represents Hill to get a new trial but is unsuccessful as corruption evidence was not present at Augustus' trial - Episode 2.5 "Family Bizness" - To get rid of a conspiracy to commit murder charge, Aryan leader Vern Schillinger asks Said to represent him as his lawyer as a means of truly crippling the criminal justice system.
- Episode 2.6 "Strange Bedfellows" - Said relinquishes himself as Schillinger's attorney when it is discovered he is indeed guilty. Kareem then supports fellow inmate Jiggy WalkerJiggy WalkerJiggy Walker is a fictional character in the HBO series Oz, played by American hip hop artist and actor LL Cool J.-Character Overview:Prisoner 98W504, Jiggy Walker. Convicted on July 12, 1998 for murder in second degree. Sentence of 28 years, up for parole in 20.Walker was arrested for killing a...
's claim that Governor Devlin bought Crack which turns out to be a lie. - Episode 2.8 "Escape From Oz" - During the month of Ramadan, Governor James DevlinGovernor James DevlinGovernor James Devlin is a fictional character on the HBO drama Oz, played by Željko Ivanek.-Character overview:Devlin, the governor of the state, is hated by most of the inmates and some of the staff members at the Oswald State Correctional facilities as he proposes several anti-prisoner acts of...
selects a Muslim inmate to be pardoned, Said is selected but publicly refuses, suspecting the Governor is using it to his political advantage.
Season 3
- Episode 3.1 "The Truth and Nothing But..." - Attorney Arnold Zelman leads a class-action lawsuit against the state for the deaths caused during the Season 1 riot and Said begins a hunger strike when Tim McManusTim McManusTim McManus is a fictional character on HBO's prison drama Oz, played by Terry Kinney.-Character overview:McManus, the idealistic manager of Emerald City, is unlike the rest of the staff members at Oz as he has never been a CO, has a college education, and generally believes in the inmates as...
refuses to let the Muslims eat during night time in the month of Ramadan. - Episode 3.5 "U.S. Male" - Said is revoked of his leadership when his sexual thoughts about a white woman are revealed and inmate Hamid KhanHamid KhanHamid Khan, played by Ernie Hudson Jr., is a fictional character in the HBO series Oz.- Character overview :Prisoner #99K515. Convicted March 6, 1999 - Aggravated assault. Sentence: 10 years, eligible for parole in five....
takes lead. - Episode 3.7 "Secret Identities" - As Beecher's new cellmate, Kareem helps him resolve and forgive several problems with inmates he has previously had trouble with. This makes Said a target of the Aryans as they see he is not around the Muslims anymore but he and Beecher are saved by the Muslims when a fight breaks out between them, Keller, and the Aryans.
- Episode 3.8 "Out o' Time" - Racial Tension inspired by Homeboy Simon AdebisiSimon AdebisiSimon Adebisi is a fictional character played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje on the HBO dramatic series Oz, set in an experimental prison unit.-Character overview:Prisoner #93A234. Convicted May 2, 1993 - Murder in the first degree...
brews after Hamid KhanHamid KhanHamid Khan, played by Ernie Hudson Jr., is a fictional character in the HBO series Oz.- Character overview :Prisoner #99K515. Convicted March 6, 1999 - Aggravated assault. Sentence: 10 years, eligible for parole in five....
goes braindead in a boxing match, Zahir ArifZahir ArifZahir Arif aka Jerome Van Dyke is a fictional character on the HBO series Oz, played by Granville Adams.-Character overview:Arif is a former drug addict in prison apparently for possession of stolen goods. In prison, he undergoes a spiritual transformation into one of the most well-behaved and...
takes charge of the Muslims and a race riot nearly erupts.
Season 4 Part I
- Episode 4.2 "Obituaries" - The Muslims and Homeboys pressure Warden Glynn to fire Tim McManusTim McManusTim McManus is a fictional character on HBO's prison drama Oz, played by Terry Kinney.-Character overview:McManus, the idealistic manager of Emerald City, is unlike the rest of the staff members at Oz as he has never been a CO, has a college education, and generally believes in the inmates as...
and hire an African AmericanAfrican AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
Unit Manager, Said is asked by gay inmate Jason CramerJason CramerJason Cramer is a fictional character on the HBO drama Oz played by Robert Bogue.-Character overview:Prisoner #98C931. Convicted September 6, 1998 - Murder in the first degree, Kidnapping, Assault with a dangerous instrument. Sentence: Life imprisonment without parole...
to help him get a new trial. - Episode 4.3 "The Bill of Wrongs" - The civil trial against the state is victorious, African AmericanAfrican AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
community leaders led by Said's sister request that Glynn hire an African AmericanAfrican AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
Unit Manager. - Episode 4.5 "Gray Matter" - New inmate Supreme AllahSupreme AllahSupreme Allah is a fictional character of the HBO drama Oz. He is portrayed by Lord Jamar of hip hop group Brand Nubian.-Character overview:Prisoner #00K251. Convicted March 22, 2000 - Second degree murder...
, a Five Percenter challenges both the Muslims and Homeboys leadership while new Unit Manager Martin QuernsMartin QuernsWarden Martin Querns is a fictional character on the HBO drama Oz, played by Reg E. Cathey.-Character overview:He is an African American prison unit manager who has a vast experience of handling various prison units. He is hired by Warden Leo Glynn after he is asked to find a competent black unit...
shows favoritism to Adebisi and disdain for the Muslims. - Episode 4.7 "A Town Without Pity" - Sickened by the way in which Emerald City is ran under Adebisi and Querns, Arif asks Said to lead the Muslims once again, Said then goes to Tim McManusTim McManusTim McManus is a fictional character on HBO's prison drama Oz, played by Terry Kinney.-Character overview:McManus, the idealistic manager of Emerald City, is unlike the rest of the staff members at Oz as he has never been a CO, has a college education, and generally believes in the inmates as...
asking for help to bring down Adebisi. - Episode 4.8 "You Bet Your Life" - Said finds videotapes pertaining to the corruption inside of Emerald City done by Adebisi and his followers, as a result Glynn fires Querns and rehires McManus. Angered, Adebisi attempts to murder Said but is killed by him in self-defense
Season 4 Part II
- Episode 4.10 "Conversions" - Homeboy Leroy TiddLeroy TiddLeroy Tidd is a fictional character on the series Oz, an African American inmate played by Jacques Smith.-Character overview:Prisoner #00T255. Convicted May 10, 2000 - Armed robbery, reckless endangerment. Sentence: 20 years, eligible for parole in 12.Imprisoned for armed robbery and running over a...
attempts to convert to Islam but is rejected by Said and a new war begins to brew between the Muslims and Aryans. McManus also has Said try to be on peaceful terms with new Homeboy leader Burr ReddingBurr ReddingBurr Redding is one of Oz's oldest inmates.-Character overview:Prisoner #01R289. Convicted January 11, 2001 - Murder in the first degree, seven counts of attempted murder...
. - Episode 4.13 "The Blizzard Of '01" - Tidd now converted as Salah Udeen confesses his plot to murder Said that Kareem somehow knew about the whole time. A murder attempt made by Carl JenkinsCarl Jenkins (Oz)Carl Jenkins, played by Joshua Harto, is an inmate on the HBO drama Oz.-Season 4 Part II:A young white inmate, he is told that he will be let into the Aryan Brotherhood by his current protector James Robson if he kills Muslim inmate Kareem Said. Robson also tells him that if he fails, the Aryans...
results in Tidd's death angering Said to convict Robson. - Episode 4.15 "Even the Score" - Angered by Tidd's death and a lack of evidence to convict James Robson, Said hospitalizes Robson and a threat of lockdown is issued against both the Aryan and Muslim inmates.
- Episode 4.16 "Famous Last Words" - Supreme AllahSupreme AllahSupreme Allah is a fictional character of the HBO drama Oz. He is portrayed by Lord Jamar of hip hop group Brand Nubian.-Character overview:Prisoner #00K251. Convicted March 22, 2000 - Second degree murder...
dies, Said warns Vern Schillinger not to interfere with Tobias BeecherTobias BeecherTobias Beecher is a main character on the television show Oz, played by Lee Tergesen. He is one of only eight regular characters to survive the entire run of the show...
's parole and then is charged with attempted murder in a stabbing of Schillinger and Robson.
Season 5
- Episode 5.1 "Visitation" - Said pleads guilty to attempted murder charges, Arif's wife dies in a bus accident, and Said is brought into interaction sessions by Sister Pete with Beecher and Schillinger.
- Episode 5.2 "Laws of Gravity" - Said at the request of McManus sponsors troubled inmate Omar WhiteOmar WhiteOmar White is a fictional character on the HBO drama Oz played by Michael Wright.-Character overview:Prisoner 01W711. Convicted January 4, 2001 - Murder in the first degree...
helping him become rehabilitated while in Oz. - Episode 5.4 "Next Stop: Valhalla" - Arif and the other Muslims complain about White's troublesome behavior, Said turns down a request to protect an acquaintance of Tobias BeecherTobias BeecherTobias Beecher is a main character on the television show Oz, played by Lee Tergesen. He is one of only eight regular characters to survive the entire run of the show...
, Said accuses Schillinger of raping various inmates in an interaction session, and Aryan inmate James Robson murders new Muslim inmate Ahmad LalarAhmad LalarAhmad Lalar is a Muslim inmate on the HBO drama Oz played by Chris Gardner.-Character overview:A young convert, he is seen as one of their weaker members and eventually targeted for execution by Aryan Brotherhood member James Robson.-Season 5:...
. - Episode 5.5 "Wheel of Fortune" - Angered by a lack of evidence to convict Robson, Said assures the Muslims that Robson's day of reckoning is approaching. Said's leadership is then questioned when Robson reveals to Omar WhiteOmar WhiteOmar White is a fictional character on the HBO drama Oz played by Michael Wright.-Character overview:Prisoner 01W711. Convicted January 4, 2001 - Murder in the first degree...
that African Muslims support slavery. Said then beats down White when he finds him selling drugs to Reggie RawlsReggie RawlsReggie Rawls is a fictional character in the HBO series Oz, played by Mtume Gant.-Character overview:Prisoner 01R934. Convicted January 10, 2001 - Aggreviated assault. Sentence: 12 years, up for parole in four....
for Burr ReddingBurr ReddingBurr Redding is one of Oz's oldest inmates.-Character overview:Prisoner #01R289. Convicted January 11, 2001 - Murder in the first degree, seven counts of attempted murder...
only to end up in solitary. Arif then has the other Muslims ignore White who is now targeted for execution by every Em City inmate. - Episode 5.6 "Variety" - Omar WhiteOmar WhiteOmar White is a fictional character on the HBO drama Oz played by Michael Wright.-Character overview:Prisoner 01W711. Convicted January 4, 2001 - Murder in the first degree...
comes through in the singing program and Said then tells the other Muslims that he has ignored telling them about African slavery as it did not fit their ideal description of Blue Eyed White Christians enslaving Blacks. He then claims he is a violent man and this was made present murdering Simon AdebisiSimon AdebisiSimon Adebisi is a fictional character played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje on the HBO dramatic series Oz, set in an experimental prison unit.-Character overview:Prisoner #93A234. Convicted May 2, 1993 - Murder in the first degree...
, an African man who mocked everything Said wanted a Black man to be. - Episode 5.8 "Impotence" - Amused by Robson being kicked out of the Brotherhood for receiving a Black Man's gums, Arif leads the Muslims in mocking him. Omar WhiteOmar WhiteOmar White is a fictional character on the HBO drama Oz played by Michael Wright.-Character overview:Prisoner 01W711. Convicted January 4, 2001 - Murder in the first degree...
goes to solitary then after protecting Said by attacking Wolfgang CutlerWolfgang CutlerWolfgang Cutler is a fictional character on the television show Oz, played by Brendan Kelly.-Character overview:Prisoner #02C773. Convicted February 20, 2003 - Murder in the first degree. Sentence: Life imprisonment without the possibility of parole....
who agreed to kill Said to earn Aryan membership.
Season 6
- Episode 6.3 "Sonata da Oz" - Said helps Burr ReddingBurr ReddingBurr Redding is one of Oz's oldest inmates.-Character overview:Prisoner #01R289. Convicted January 11, 2001 - Murder in the first degree, seven counts of attempted murder...
get started in a telemarketing business, then helps publish deceased inmate Augustus HillAugustus HillAugustus Hill is a fictional character, played by Harold Perrineau on the American television show Oz, serving as the show's narrator.-Character overview:...
's journal in Oz and then dies at the hands of a reporter named Lemuel IdzikLemuel IdzikLemuel Idzik is a character, played by Joel Grey, on the American television show Oz.-Character overview:Prisoner 03I462. Convicted February 2, 2003 - Murder in the second degree. Sentence: Life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Convicted later that year of first degree murder and...
in the visiting room. - Episode 6.6 "A Day in the Death..." - The printing press operation does not go well under Arif's leadership and is destroyed courtesy of Burr ReddingBurr ReddingBurr Redding is one of Oz's oldest inmates.-Character overview:Prisoner #01R289. Convicted January 11, 2001 - Murder in the first degree, seven counts of attempted murder...
. - Episode 6.8 "Exeunt Omnes" - Arif confesses to his part in the destruction of the printing press and is excommunicated from the Muslims.
As the Muslims are a main group, they are featured prominently in many more episodes as well.