by Dr Abdulhak Hamiche
On December 13, Arab countries celebrated the Arab Day for Persons with Special Needs. On this occasion it is relevant to highlight the perspective of Islam towards persons with special needs, and how Islam accorded them great attention and care which makes them normal people practicing their lives like all other members of the society.
Disability has since ancient times attracted people’s attention, and different people expressed different attitudes towards it depending on their social systems. Therefore, persons with special needs have encountered different treatments since ancient times, varying from execution, disdain, exile, and negligence.
Islamic Shariah presents attitudes from the sublime sources– Holy Quran and Sunnah – towards humanity and life. Therefore, Islamic Shariah was first in giving persons with special needs the appropriate status as humans with the same rights as normal people, and carry similar duties complying with their abilities given to them by Allah.
Islam did not view persons with special needs as other societies did, it did not consider them gods and honor and glorify them, it did not consider them monsters and mock, and didn’t ride roughshod over them. Islam did not consider them to be disabling elements for the society; neither had it considered them dependants. It also did not deem them as animals and nobodies that can be easily disposed them off without any guilt feelings because they are just worthless scum.
Islam’s perspective of persons with special needs is a part of its perspective of humans:
Human beings in Islam are honoured. “We have honoured the sons of Adam; provided them with transport on land and sea; given them for sustenance things good and pure; and conferred on them special favours, above a great part of our creation.” (Al Isra Verse 70). This honour appears in the status that human beings hold in Islam and in the responsibility tasked to them in a way that there is no status that compares to it, except the visions and faiths of Islam. The whole universe was created for mankind, and human beings are assigned to rule the earth. It is worth mentioning that this honour and position given to human beings is linked to the supreme characteristics that distinguish human beings from other creatures. In addition this favouring was based on piety. Allah the Almighty says: “Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you.”
(Al Hujurat: 13).
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: No Arab shall be favoured above any Non-Arab except by righteousness. The Prophet added: Allah doesn’t look at your features nor at your wealth but at your hearts and deeds.
As for the point of view of Islam towards the incidence of disability is based on considering it as a trial and test from Allah, life in Islam is all trial and test. “He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days - and His Throne was over the waters - that He might try you, which of you is best in conduct.” (Hud: 7).
Allah almighty says: “He Who created Death and Life, that He may try which of you is best in deed” (Al Mulk: 2).
For that, all scholars of Islamic civilisation agree that humanity is one of the special characteristics of Islam in the manner in which they deal with others on all levels, being social, political etc.
Islam expressed great care towards this group of society, and it granted them special provisions. What’s more, Islam cared for their feelings, where if Allah took away one of their senses, the religious duties in relation to the disability are dropped. For example, the crippled and paralysed are not obliged to participate in war and jihad. Persons with special needs are defiantly in a better religious situation than normal people with arms and legs who used them to commit sins. There are many verses in the Quran that prove the great reward to those who suffer from disability.
Based on the above, it is possible to specify the basis of Islam’s point of view towards persons with special needs, as per the following:
1. Respecting the dignity of persons with special needs, given that they are honoured creations of Allah, whom he created willingly. For that Allah requires Muslims to not mock each other. “O ye who believe! Let not some men among you laugh at others: It may be that the latter are better than the former”. (Al Hujurat, verse 11).
2. Specifying grounds to differentiate between people through piety, because a person is valued by their piety and not their health and the wellness of their body parts. That is because Allah does not consider the way people look, rather he considers their hearts and deeds. “Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is he who is the most righteous of you.” (Al Hujurat: 13).
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “You all belong to Adam and Adam is created of soil”
3. Stating the full rights of persons with special needs in equality and justice through leveling between their rights and duties in accordance with Shariah of Allah.
4. The nation is obliged to care for the disabled, on the basis that the ruler is the guardian of those with no guardians.
5. Assigning work in accordance to the ability and preparation of the person whether disabled or not. “Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear” (Al Baqara, verse 286).
6. Finally, Islam demands consideration of reasons and depending on Allah, then having patience and no regrets for negligence and what it may cause. “And bear with patient constancy whatever betide thee” (Luqman, verse 17).
The rule of guardianship and care for persons with special needs in Islam:
Caring for the disabled is an obligation if done by some is dropped from others, and if no member of the society does it, then the whole society is sinned.
The guardianship of the blind, deaf, paralysed and all other disabled persons is the responsibility of the society as a whole, like their responsibility towards the poor and needy. Similar to how the nation is responsible for covering the needs of poor people, they are also responsible for the needs of the disabled, or else the whole society is sinned.
There is no doubt that the responsibility of caring for the disabled falls first on their guardians who are their assets and branches, being that the parents are the guardians of their children because they are their branches and the children are the guardians of their parents because they are their assets. In addition, family members are each other’s guardians because as they inherit from each other, then they must be each other’s guardians.
Each Muslim is obliged to follow the commands of Allah in that regard, and the Muslim people and nation should help the guardians of persons with special needs, especially if they were unable to provide to for them. Especially those who totally depend on others, for example, the fully paralyzed who need others to eat, drink, wash get dressed, and all other personal matters, which is a great burden on the people surrounding them.
Islam’s interest in persons with special needs derives from the following:
First: Considering their humanity, since Allah The Almighty honoured them. “We have honoured the sons of Adam” (Al Isra, verse 70).
And the mercy of Allah is for all humans: “But My mercy extendeth to all things” (Al Aa’raf, verse 156.) In addition, Allah sent the last messenger in mercy for all humanity. “We sent thee not, but as a Mercy for all creatures.” (Al Anbiya 107).
Second: All humans are siblings from your father – Adam – and one mother – Eve (Hawa) – “O mankind! We created you from a single pair of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other not that ye may despise each other. Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is he who is the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted with all things.”
(Al Hujurat: 13).
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “All people belong to Adam and Adam is created from the soil.”
Fraternity has a humanitarian and soulful meaning that derives from the heart of genuine human beings. One of the evidence of this meaning is giving for nothing in return. A brother gives to his brother even if he does not get anything in return, he helps him even if he doesn’t need help, and he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.
Third: In consideration of the fraternity of faith and its consequences: Allah says: “The Believers are but a single Brotherhood” (Al Hujurat: 10).
The fraternity of faith requires loyalty, support and cooperation. “The Believers, men and women, are protectors one of another” (Al Tawba: 71).
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) objects to those who neglect this bond and its obligations. He said: “None of you shall have faith until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself”.
Fourth: From the point of charity and righteousness Allah Almighty says: Allah enjointh justice and kindness and giving to kinsfolk (Chapter on Ants: 90)
Allah also says: “Help ye one another in righteousness and piety.” (Al Ma’ida: 2). The Prophet said: “Allah ordained kindness in all things”
Since charity and righteousness are required from all humans, then they are even more required with people who need them, such as ones with disabilities. The reward of being kind with them is much greater than being kind with others.
Fifth: The Islamic society is a single connected unit, and the members of this society live in solidarity and harmony. Societies thrive and progress by social solidarity, and societies also overcome problems and difficulties they face. Social solidarity creates equality for the disabled in order to enable them to live a dignified life. Islamic history is filled with evidence proving the achievements of social solidarity in making the members of society more linked and connected.
Sixth: Islam has encouraged people to cover the needs of others. There are many Hadiths that proves this.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: Allah loveth two conducts and abhorth two conducts. The two He loveth are generosity and forbearing and the two He abhors are ill temper and misery and if Allah wills a good for one of his servants he engages him in serving people’s needs”.
The Prophet also said: “There is no servant on whom Allah bestowth His favours but He makes some of peoples’ needs in his hands, if he frets with them he thus exposes that favour for diminishing”.
In another Hadith Prophet said: “The creatures are in need of Allah and the most beloved by Allah is the one who is more beneficent to the creatures of Allah”
Islam obliged capable Muslims to support their needy relatives, whether their need was due to being poor or whether it was incidental. Islam also set severe penalties for the members of every town or city who are negligent towards the needy. Imam Ahmad said:” There is no place wherein a person among them slept in hunger but Allah is free from their pledges”. the peninsula
