الأخبار

By Fachri Mirza(IIUM Today)

GOMBAK--  A talk session on disability on the theme ”Al-Qur’an dan Anak-Anak Syurga: Satu Anugerah” conducted recently shared virtues of the disability among the people where the disabled should be seen as fitrah, not a defect.

The session saw the presence of Mohammad Qayyim Nizar, a winner of international Quranic recitation in Iran, and Syar Meeze Mohd Rasyid from Akademi Faqeh.

Held at IIUM library’s Main Auditorium last Friday (10 May), the event was a collaborative effort between the training unit of Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah (SHAS) Mosque and the university’s Disability Services Unit.

Akademi Faqeh is a Foundation of Quranic Education for Special Children, located at Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, that was established to assist children with disability to learn Quran and ibadah.

Allah SWT does not create disability as a damaged or a defect thing and there is no difference between disability and typical people, as narrated from Abu Hurairah Abdirrahman bin Syahrin Radhiyallahu‘ anhu, ‘The Prophet sallallaahu Alaihi wa Sallam said, “Surely Allah does not look at your body nor your likeness, but He looks at your heart.”

“Surely Allah looks at the heart of his people, not the body or his or her wealth.”

In his session on the disabled and autism, Syar Meeze Mohd Rashid highlighted, “Every child should be taught Islamic education because it will help to shape their emotion, spiritual and heart. Al Qur’an is a syifa or healer to all illness.”

He also stated, “We should acknowledge and be aware of how to handle the disability. We should change our perception on the disability and help them on moral support. Our help will be counted as a good deed.”

The creation of disability is a fitrah, not a disaster, where Allah SWT creates them to make His people ponder on His creation so that people would take care of them happily and carefully, Syar Meeze further elaborated.

Meanwhile, Ustadz Syarimi, the father of Muhammad Qayyim, winner of international Quranic recitation in Iran, shared his experience on his disabled son who was diagnosed of eye nerve defect where he cannot see clearly.

However, Syarimi said that he was surprised when he discovered that his son, Muhammad Qayyim, was able to figure out and imitate the Qur’anic recitation and azan in several mosques that he attended.

He stated that his son became well known for his recitation of the Al-Qur’an and azan only from hearing them once or twice.

“As a Moslem, what sets us apart is our heart. We should equip ourselves with a prosperous heart, otherwise, we will face problems in our life and the Hereafter. To create a prosperous heart we should intensify our faith (iman), gaze, justice and effort,” Syarimi added. ***