Islam gives a great deal of attention to all groups within society; each has its own rights, including individuals with a disability. We live in a world in which we are increasingly facing many various challenges, trials and tribulations, a number of them concern our well-being and the way we live. Sadly, Muslims that are faced with disabilities and special needs are times faced with a greater challenge which is their own Muslim communities. As Muslims, we must understand that Allah says:
وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ ۖ وَلَا تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا
“Keep yourself patient with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance. Let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life.” (Surah Al-Kahf 18:28)
Islam requires submission to the will of Allah. The presence of a disabled child is seen to be a test of faith. Parents who are shocked at having a child with a disability may resort to their religion to explain the problem away, using it as a form of protection from social stigma. Disability is a test for the person affected by it as much as it is a test for the entire society. The Quran and the Hadith not only declared the existence of disabilities as a natural part of human nature. Allah says:
إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّـهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ
Indeed, the noblest of you in the sight of God is the most pious of you. (Al-Hujurat: 13)
Islamic has a positive attitude towards needy individuals and those who are in a disadvantaged situation. They are to be engaged in every aspect of society. Islam asserts equal opportunities for people with special needs. Out of mercy towards such servants with disabilities and excuses, God forgives the offence they may commit and remove the hardship they may encounter as a result of their failure to get out for jihad given their inability to do, considering the disability they have.
Caring for People with Special Needs in Islam:
- Islam stand to help one individual can make a small change
- Islam makes helps in relieving stress and depression
- Islam help a poor community fight against diseases
- Islam help and comfort those who lost their loved
- Islam force us to evacuate during any calamities
- Islam has a message to all people at all times
- Islam promotes educate the deserved people
- Islam stress help them through direct action
- Islam weight someone who wants to work
- Islam help them moral support, show love
- Islam accepts personal morality and values
- Islam respects all human being’s innocence
- Islam promotes positive behaviours in teen
- Islam attention to help and think about needy
- Islam sponsor a consistent voice of the needy
- Islam emphasizes one should not harm others
- Islam eek your provision only by fair endeavour
- Islam trend to a believer to trust and hope in God
- Islam help through financial, emotional, and physical
- Islam emphasis to help them moral support, showing love
We should make extra efforts to provide facilitation to our brothers and sisters by ensuring not only their physical comfort through appropriate measures but their mental and emotional ease as well. Every disabled person should be patient and look for Allah’s reward. The soul rests and finds peace only when having trust in God, and, therefore, feeling satisfied with whatever God has decreed for them. Allah says:
وَمَا بِكُم مِّن نِّعْمَةٍۢ فَمِنَ ٱللَّهِ ۖ ثُمَّ إِذَا مَسَّكُمُ ٱلضُّرُّ فَإِلَيْهِ تَجْـَٔرُونَ
“And whatever favour is bestowed on you it is from Allah; then when evil afflicts you, to Him do you cry for aid.” (An-Nahl 16:53)
A Muslim’s general attitude towards disability is generated from their faith and their beliefs in Allah. In fact, there are general principles found in the basic principles of faith that frame the Muslim’s attitudes towards disability. Piety is the standard of preference in the sight of God, the Almighty, for both healthy and handicapped people according to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Allah says:
فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَارًا يُرِيدُ أَن يَنقَضَّ فَأَقَامَهُ قَالَ لَوْ شِئْتَ لَتَّخَذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا
“Then they found in it a wall which was on the point of falling, so he put it into the right state.” (Surah, Al-Kahf, 18:77)
This dream can be shattered when one has a special needs child. Regardless of the disability, the task is challenging. Not just because the parent needs to pay more attention to the child, help them more physically and emotionally, but now they also have to protect them from society. They have to think about the future of their child when they are no longer there to be able to help and support them. Allah says:
وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا أَنفَقُوا لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا وَلَمْ يَقْتُرُوا وَكَانَ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ قَوَامًا
“who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor miserly but keep the golden mean between the two (extremes).” (Surah Al-Furqan 25:67)
it’s a great deal of responsibility as well. Being a special needs child’s caretaker takes a special person; a dedicated person who is open-minded, driven by love, faith and knowledge. As one scholar once put it, “These are children from Jannah – they will have no accountability in this life and so Allah has placed a person destined for Jannah in your care. Never forget that honour.”
Allah Almighty says in The Holy Quran:
- “Call upon your Lord humbly and in secret.” (Quran 7:55)
- “Remembrance of Allah indeed is the greatest virtue.” ( Quran 29:46)
- “…Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.” ( Quran 13:28)
- “Seek forgiveness of your Lord and then turn to Him in repentance.” (Hud : 3)
- “But they plan and Allah plans and Allah is the best of planners.” (Quran 8:30)
- “O you who believe! Fear Allah and be with those who are truthful.” (At-Taubah 9:119)
- “Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the ignorant.” (Quran 7:199)
- “Only those who hear will respond. But the dead – Allah will resurrect them; then to Him, they will be returned.” (Al-Anam 6:36)
We experience the process of grieving, but we must go on and never give up. The parent or close caretaker is the only advocate for these children, and if we do not stand up for these kids’ rights, no one will. Our special needs children need our special attention and our unconditional love, regardless of their mental or physical status, so do not take it away from them because they are not what you imagined or hoped for. Allah says:
إِنَّهُمْ لَن يُغْنُوا عَنكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا وَإِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ وَاللَّهُ وَلِيُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ
“Indeed, they never will avail you against Allah (in) anything. And indeed, the wrongdoers some of them (are) allies (of) others, and Allah (is the) Protector (of) the righteous.” (Surah Al-Jathiyah 45:19)
As always we encounter a feeling of loss; a loss of our imagination and dreams for their future. Caring for any child is hard work. It is a big responsibility to shape the future generation. This is the task that we have to take very seriously. Caring for a special needs child will take more effort, more energy and it will require working together with our family and community. Allah says:
وَأَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُۥٓ أَنِّى مَسَّنِىَ ٱلضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ ٱلرَّحِمِينَ
“Indeed, adversity has touched me, and you are the Most Merciful of the merciful.” (Qur’an, 21:83)
Families with special needs children need to reach out and take advantage of resources, and they must educate themselves about their child’s condition so they can make informed decisions regarding their care, their education, and their future. Educating ourselves about their disability will enable us to help our kids to have a better life, understand what they might feel, experience, what their fears or struggles may be. This knowledge will consequently make our work as a caretaker much easier, and we will be able to connect with our special needs children better. Allah says:
وَاٰ تُوا الۡيَتٰمٰٓى اَمۡوَالَهُمۡ وَلَا تَتَبَدَّلُوا الۡخَبِيۡثَ بِالطَّيِّبِ وَلَا تَاۡكُلُوۡۤا اَمۡوَالَهُمۡ اِلٰٓى اَمۡوَالِكُمۡؕ اِنَّهٗ كَانَ حُوۡبًا كَبِيۡرًا
“Give orphans their property,2 and do not exchange the bad for the good,3 and do not eat up their property by mixing it with your own. This surely is a mighty sin.” (Surah An-Nisa 4:2)
Moreover, a typical healthy sibling needs a lot of support as well in the family of a special needs child. I often refer to these kids as “silent victims”, needing a lot of reassurance. Parents need to make sure that each has some alone time with the typical sibling, to discuss issues, watch a movie or just play a game with them so they know they are important too and so they don’t resent their sibling. Allah says:
قُلْ إِنَّمَآ أُنذِرُكُم بِٱلْوَحْىِ ۚ وَلَا يَسْمَعُ ٱلصُّمُّ ٱلدُّعَآءَ إِذَا مَا يُنذَرُونَ
“Say, “I only warn you by revelation.” But the deaf do not hear the call when they are warned.” (Al-Anbiya’ 21:45)
Having to take care of a special needs child is not the end of our dreams, and it is not a nightmare as many may think. We must look at the good in everything we experience. Indeed, Allah has said in the Quran that His Mercy encompasses everything and it is from our belief as Muslims that everything that He does is best for us. Allah says:
لَن تَنَالُوا الْبِرَّ حَتَّىٰ تُنفِقُوا مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ وَمَا تُنفِقُوا مِن شَيْءٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ
“You shall not attain righteousness until you spend out of what you love (in the way of Allah). Allah knows whatever you spend.” (Surah Al-Imran 3:92)
There is a common misconception that associates a disability with failure, breakdowns, or despair. Some people prefer death over a disabled existence. If you are in sound health, there is a high chance that you may think around the same lines. Unfortunately, this sort of thinking has not only created a feeling of difference towards disability, but also the disabled. Allah says:
وَإِذَا أَرَدْنَا أَن نُّهْلِكَ قَرْيَةً أَمَرْنَا مُتْرَفِيهَا فَفَسَقُوا فِيهَا فَحَقَّ عَلَيْهَا الْقَوْلُ فَدَمَّرْنَاهَا تَدْمِيرًا
“And when We intend that We destroy a town, We order its wealthy people but they defiantly disobey therein; so (is) proved true against it the word, and We destroy it (with) destruction.” (Surah Al-Isra` 17:16)
Disability is not a grave issue. Once they cope with the initial shock, they learn to adapt. They change their attitude and achieve a lot more than people expect from them. Many with disabilities believe that success lies in a positive attitude. It is safe to say that with a cheerful approach, disability does not remain a drawback. Disabilities have been proven to be a catalyzing force for higher achievements. Allah says:
وَنُرِيدُ أَن نَّمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً وَنَجْعَلَهُمُ الْوَارِثِينَ
“And We wanted to bestow a favour upon those who were oppressed in the land and make them leaders and make them the inheritors,” (Surah Al-Qasas 28:5)
For things to change, there needs to be a marked change in the attitude of how the government, institutions, society, corporate organizations and even non-profits look at people with disabilities. Instead of disability, the focus needs to be on their potential and what society can do, to get the best out of them. Allah says:
وَإِمَّا تُعْرِضَنَّ عَنْهُمُ ابْتِغَاءَ رَحْمَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكَ تَرْجُوهَا فَقُل لَّهُمْ قَوْلًا مَّيْسُورًا
“And if you turn away from them seeking mercy from your Lord, which you expect then say to them a word gentle.” (Surah Al-Isra` 17:28)
Disabled people require better facilities and a friendlier attitude towards the disabled and greater awareness in society about the care and respect that they deserve. These great souls climbed the heights of their obstacles to show the rest of us that human determination and willpower can win any battle. In fact, Islam has provided vivid examples of equality in the Quran and Sunnah. Allah says:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْكَبِيرُ
“Verily, those who had faith and had done righteous deeds will have gardens beneath which rivers flow. That is a great achievement.” (Surat Al-Buruj 85:11)
In general, handicapped people face the challenge of normalizing their lives with patience, strength and courage. Many of them accomplish this with such flair that they no longer see themselves as “different.” May God facilitate them in their adversity and enable others of us to become a supportive force for them.
