Disability - Our Vision
We have a vision to create a global village that includes full access for people with disabilities by promoting principles of accessibility.
- To ensure that people with disabilities have access to spiritual and social activities, events, and programs in their place of worship.
- To resource and facilitate physical accessibility, alternative communication or sign language interpretation as well as alternative print formats for faith-based institutions.
- To research and promote information about faith, spirituality, and culture through the living experiences of people with disabilities and their families.
Time and time again, Muslims with disabilities and their families state that there are no support mechanisms within the Muslim community; that they do not know about their entitlements. Mainstream services do not respond adequately to their individual religious needs as Muslims.
Parents of children with disabilities are constantly looking for the opportunity for their children to learn how to read the Qur'an; however, there are no accessible programs available to assist them. A deaf Muslim stated that his only option to learn about Islam was to be the first one in the mosque and to sit right in front of the imam, from where he would struggle to read the imam's lips during the khutbah.
With an air of cynicism our community is thinking about elevators to accommodate the able-bodied to carry coffins for funeral services after having ignored individuals with disabilities for years.
Allah Guides Whom He wills, people with disabilities need to appreciate what Allah gave them, and they need to be reminded that they could always experience circumstances that are less desirable. Al hamdu Lillah I cannot see, but I can hear.
A person with a disability should live life to the fullest. They should insist on participating in all aspects of society, after all, what is the gift of life for? One of the basic Islamic duties is to have mercy on others and us. One way that would help us to have more compassion would be to reflect on ourselves. If we were to have a disability how would we want to be treated?
Ashif Sindhi