David Ali v. Nathaniel Quarterman

EDWARD C. PRADO, Circüit Judge:

Plaintiff-Appellee David Rasheed Ali is an observant Muslim and in the custody of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (“TDCJ”). This appeal concerns his suit seeking permission to grow a “fist-length” (i.e., four-inch) beard and wear a kufi, a knit skullcap, as required by his religious beliefs. Ali alleges that, as applied to him, TDCJ’s grooming policy, which bans four-inch beards, and religious headwear policy, which prohibits kufis to be worn outside of an inmate’s cell or religious services, violate the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons…