Historically, people with disabilities have been prey to society’s misconceptions, stereotypes, labeling, and prejudices in many different ways. Such attitudes have led to exclusion, mistreatment, and deprivation of their rights to equal opportunities for education, jobs, and essential services. It is also a fact that the low participation rate of people with disabilities in society and the workforce is linked to their exclusion from the educational system. Many positive measures have been taken and research carried out in various countries recently to develop methods and strategies for welcoming and including people with disabilities into schools and communities. These concepts accord with Islamic principles of inclusion. To illustrate Islamic attitudes towards people with disabilities, we will refer to the Qur’an, and the life example of Prophet Muhammad and his sayings, which are called hadith.

In the dictionary, the term “inclusion” is defined as “the act of including or the state of being included.” (1) Miller and Katz (2002) presents a common definition: “Inclusion is a sense of belonging: feeling respected, valued for who you are; feeling a level of supportive energy and commitment from others so that you can do your best work.” In special education, inclusion is the practice of placing children with disabilities (be these physical, emotional or other) into the general classrooms either all or most of the time and educating them with their non-disabled peers by using special teaching approaches, equipment, and care. In a broader sense, inclusion means being included in life and participating using one’s abilities in day to day activities as a member of the community. It is being a part of what everyone else is, and being welcomed and embraced as a member who belongs. Inclusion can occur in schools, communities, religious activities, playgrounds, work, and recreation.

Islam opposes prejudice against and exclusion of any group of people. The Qur’an addresses all of humanity in this way: “O mankind, We created you from a single [pair] of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other [not that you may despise each other]. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is [he who is] the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted [with all things]” (49:13). In this revelation God is telling us that He created us from one man and one woman meaning then that we are all equal and that all human beings are created through the same process, not in a manner in which some are created better than others.

The scholar Fethullah Gulen says, “Islam promotes equality as the will of God Almighty and requires mutual respect of fellow human beings. Islam embraces every individual and every group with the same equality and warmth. It responds to the expectations and the needs of everyone in the same way. As if shouting at the top of its lungs that no one is superior to another human being, it frequently emphasizes equality and equal opportunities.”(2) Islam teaches us that everyone deserves love, care, and respect, and this fact does not change when a person is impaired. What really matters is his or her heart and conduct. We are enjoined to be accepting of all people regardless of their disability and include them amongst us and support them by addressing their needs. In one of the hadith, our Prophet said, “God the Merciful shows mercy to merciful people. Show mercy to those on earth so that God shows mercy on you” (Abu Dawud). It is the duty and responsibility of everyone to serve the needs of others, and Divine mercy and blessings will be showered on us.

Islamic history has a shining record of many examples of people who, while having some kind of disability, were included and had prominent status in society. Abdullah ibn umm Maktum, who was blind, was among the first to accept Islam. He was devoted to the Prophet and extremely eager to memorize the Qur’an. When the Prophet arrived in Medina, he appointed Abdullah to be one of the muezzins (calling the Muslims to prayer five times a day). On several occasions, the Prophet placed Abdullah in charge of Medina in his absence. This is a remarkable example of inclusion that shows how people with disabilities are looked upon and treated in Islam. What we learn from this outstanding act of our prophet is that we should not belittle disabled people or make superficial judgments because although people have certain disabilities they might be capable of doing great deeds, and it is also important to delegate leadership responsibilities to disabled people when they are capable of such duties.

The story of Julaybib, one of the contemporaries of the Prophet, is another vivid example of inclusion. In addition to being poor, Julaybib had an unpleasant physical appearance and nobody wished to let their daughter marry him. Upon the Prophet’s request, a noble family gave him their daughter in marriage. Later on, when Julaybib was martyred in a battle, the Prophet put his hand on his knee and said: “This one is of me and I am of him.” This humane gesture of the Prophet was a powerful demonstration of the principle of inclusion. It was a dramatic act of advocacy, in word and action, on the part of a community leader to educate his people about the importance of accepting others for what they are. (3)

On another occasion, God’s Messenger met a woman who complained that she suffered from epileptic fits. She expressed concern that her body would become exposed during such episodes. Prophet Muhammad offered the woman two choices. He could either pray to God that she could have access to paradise if she patiently resigned herself to her condition, or he could ask God to heal her. She opted to continue to bear her condition with patience but also asked the Prophet to pray that her body might no longer become exposed to the view of strangers. This story brings out three important points. First, it illustrates the value of forbearance on the part of the person with the disability. More importantly, it affirms the right of individuals to draw attention to their special needs and to speak out for their rights as a matter of social justice. Finally, the story points to the important role of advocacy and the support which the wider community is expected to provide to the individual. (4)

Also, during the high centuries of Islamic civilization a significant number of blind, deaf or physically disabled people played notable roles as philologists, transmitters of the law, teachers, poets, and social commentators, outstanding among whom were Abu’l Ala al-Ma’arri, Abu Uthman Amr bin Bahr (Al-Jahiz), Bashshar ibn Burd, Ibn-Sirin, Qatada ibn Di’ama al-Sadusi, Muwaffaq al-Din Muzaffar, and Thalab. Atta Ibn Abi Rabah, who was black, lame and partially paralyzed, was known as the greatest Mufti in Mecca.

Later, at the Ottoman court in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, deaf servants taught their sign language to courtiers and sultans when it became a recognized means of communication; this was during a period when Western Europeans were still debating whether deaf people were capable of learning anything or thinking as rational beings. (5)

Contemporary attitudes to people with disabilities

It is very pleasing to see global efforts and mobilization to protect the rights of people with disabilities nowadays. In many developed nations, where the concept of inclusion is almost new, many efforts are being made to ensure that disabled people have full access in education and other life activities. A lot of research and practices which accord with Islamic teachings have been carried out in recent years to provide an inclusive education and environment for children with different special needs. In response to the ongoing disability rights and parents’ movements through which disabled people have claimed their human rights, many economically strong governments have taken great steps to promote social and educational inclusion with legislation to protect the rights of the disabled, development agencies, health organizations, and service providers. In Western Europe, North America, Canada, and Australia extensive educational systems are in place for most individuals with disabilities. Some nations integrate these students in general classrooms and others provide specialized classrooms or schools. In the USA, for instance, due to the continuous demand of people with disabilities and their advocates for equal access to education, federal legislators enacted the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (Public Law 94-142) in 1975. This law was to make sure that all children with disabilities had the opportunity to receive a free appropriate public education in the “least restrictive environment.” (6) The law has since been revised many times over the years and the most recent amendments were passed by Congress in December 2004, with final regulations published in August 2006.

The following is one of the findings of the American Congress held in 2004: “Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of individuals to participate in or contribute to society. Improving educational results for children with disabilities is an essential element of our national policy of ensuring equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities.”(7) To sum up the other findings of this Congress, education of children with disabilities can be done more effectively by providing special education and other necessary services for such children in the regular classroom by using assistive technology, training parents and teachers about disabilities, implementing adaptations and modifications to support them in the regular classrooms, and writing individual education plans to meet their needs in the “least restrictive environment,” (8) defined by the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2004) as “to the maximum extent appropriate, handicapped children are educated with children who are not handicapped, and, that special classes, separate schooling or other removal of handicapped children from the regular education environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the handicap is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services can not be achieved satisfactorily.” (9)

Conclusion

Islam gives guidance and knowledge to mankind in all aspects of life, and research-based findings in different fields of life are proving this day by day. According to the Islamic teachings which have their source in the Qur’an and life examples of Prophet Muhammad, we are to respect and support all human life, however it presents itself and to value the potential of every individual. Centuries ago God’s Messenger showed us how to deal with this important social issue. People with disabilities are part of our society and have their rights to participate fully and equally in all kinds of activities. Education is the best place we can start because children who have been separated at school tend to be kept separate as adults through work and all fields of life. Through an inclusive education children with disabilities remain on a route that leads to an adult life as an active member of society. Meeting all their needs together increases their ability to achieve academic and physical growth to their potential, and it improves their overall quality of life and social status.

Hurisa Guvecin is a Special Education and ESL teacher in Dallas, Texas.

References

1. http://dictionary.reference.com/

2. http://www.fethullahgulen.org/content/view/1983/14/ (Fethullah Gulen, Theme: Islam and dialogue, a message addressed to International conference of Islam April,29–30, 2005)

3. http://www.icv.org.au/news.shtml (Disability and Islamic Insight by Sheikh Isse A. Musse)

4. Ibid.

5. http://www.independentliving.org/docs7/miles200701.html#c25

6. Anne M. Beninghof, Ideas for Inclusion, pg 3 (“What’s happening?”) 1993.

7. http://www.nichcy.org/reauth/PL108-446.pdf

8. Ibid.

9. Anne M. Beninghof, Ideas for Inclusion, pg 8. 1993

For the care of baby Zero, the numbers decided to take turns. Each number would hold the baby beside it. As the days passed, the numbers realized a puzzling fact. Those numbers who gave care in the right manner saw a never-seen abundance at home; everything would increase tenfold. The numbers who passed their turns superficially did not see any difference in their living. Was it a sign from God that the numbers could not grasp?

Days passed, and the numbers were expecting to see some developments in the newborn. It was supposed to make facial expressions, start uttering some meaningful sounds, make purposeful movements with its arms, and so on. But zero did not exhibit any of the expected qualities. The numbers thought, “Maybe it’s a late-developer.” But soon they understood that this number was disabled in many respects. It would not give any known response to any of the stimuli. It would not make a difference when used in summation or subtraction games. In the multiplication game, it would give a deep silence as the result, no matter how big a number it played with. And in the division game, no matter what number divided Zero, the result would be a hopeless reluctance to change. The numbers could not reconcile in their minds the miraculous abundance upon the proper care for Zero with its extraordinary disability. What was the deal with this baby?

Years flew by like a stream, and Zero entered adolescence. Now its body was not only growing very fast but was also assuming a more rounded shape, leaving its primitive seed-like dot form. With the rebellious instincts of adolescence, Zero discovered its ability to roll, instead of the step-by-step walk of the others. And soon it discovered that it was able to move much faster than the others by rolling. This unexpected burst of motor skills from Zero made the numbers very happy. They did not have to put burden themselves anymore to move Zero. Once a totally disabled baby, Zero was now the new roller in the numbers kingdom that even the wealthiest numbers could not catch up with.

The downside of this was that Zero was not able to stop. It had to hit another number for that, just like in the multiplication game. Maybe part of the wisdom of the apparent disability of Zero at the beginning of its life was that it needed to gain wisdom to control its super ability to move. However, especially within the first months of the discovery of its new skill, Zero just rolled, rolled and rolled. Even some accidents did not scare Zero from its attempts to roll farther and faster. After all, it had a proper justification for it, considering its long years of immobility.

As Zero grew even more, and as the numbers watched it closely, they realized it had another interesting feature. It possessed an enthralling beauty due to its perfect symmetry. How was it possible that such unparalleled elegance emerged in a number that was initially thought to be disabled? The numbers decided to consult the Savant One. One was the oldest among the numbers, was held noble among all others, and knew history very well. As knowledgeable and noble as it was, One was humble as well, as it would bend its torso to talk with children, instead of distinguishing itself among everybody by raising its head straight up.

Savant One said, “I have been looking at the ancient books about the signs of this number. As told, it was born disabled, and it was raised by its relatives; it then surpassed everyone else by its speed of motion and its perfect rotational symmetry. More than that, as Zero grows, it is assuming the shape that we observe in all heavenly objects. This young member of our community has more to teach us. We need to wait and see.”

After the numbers had left the house of One, Prime Minister Two could not hold back its words and raised its voice: “Could it be that the old guy is mixing things up due to its age? I mean, how do we know that the things written in those books are authentic? Zero is not totally different from us; it is just another number, anyway. Why are we bothering ourselves with something that no one has seen before? Are we going to leave the greatest numbers for the sake of this fledgling egg?” And then, Two burst into laughter. Some of the numbers joined it in laughing, and some others said, “We’ll see!”

As the years passed, Zero started questioning its existence, and contemplating its character as a number. It had heard the words of both the Savant One and the Prime Minister Two, but it could not come to an exact conclusion about itself. Maybe Two was right. Even if the ancient books did actually talk about someone, who said that it was Zero that was expected, anyway? So, with this mindset, Zero preferred a midway between that of Savant One and that of Prime Minister Two.

As Zero was leaving adolescence, something started bothering Zero from inside again. It was as if somebody were periodically disturbing its comfortable life by triggering emotions that were not satisfied with the daily stuff that Zero did. So, Zero started reflecting again. This time, it considered the things it had experienced so far in its unusual life story: its initial disability in life and the consequent burst of motor skill, its initial negligible size and the unparalleled beauty it exhibited as it grew, the words of the Savant One and those of Prime Minister Two, and so on.

It was one of those times that Zero felt a sudden shiver with the coolness of an inspiration that penetrated its whole body. Zero felt that its life was full of opposites, so that, by pondering over the respective non-existence and existence of its qualities, it might understand infinity. These thoughts motivated Zero to investigate infinity by talking to other numbers.

The answer that best resonated with what Zero felt was from Savant One: “I have not seen infinity, but I do know that I was the first one to exist among numbers. I feel that I could not have come to be out of nothing. And seeing all these numbers that came after me, I better understand that what made me is infinity. And, oh my little one, if you ask what one step before me was, the ancient books say that it is you who is going to reveal that.” And the answer that Zero did not like much was from the Prime Minister Two: “There is no such thing as infinity. No matter how great a number you imagine, by adding one, you can always obtain a greater number.

And, this is all there is about it; there is no one who has actually seen infinity, anyway; it is no more than a figment of our imagination.”

When alone, Zero thought, “I can understand Two because when it came to the world, it saw One already there; so, Two cannot comprehend coming to existence without an ancestor. But what I feel inside is more like what One tells me. One can realize the existence of something that triggered its existence because when it came to the world, there was none other than One.” After a silence, Zero mumbled, “If I exist, then you exist. But where are you? If only I could see you…”

Life had been very turbulent for Zero. First, disabilities that burdened it, then a sudden explosion of skills and emotions, then the painful questioning it went through without satisfactory answers, and finally a conclusion that brought peace along with a wish for homecoming. Soon after, not being able to stand the harshness of such turbulence, Zero fell sick. It started losing weight to the point that it almost returned to its initial state at birth. With this final sickness at such a young age, Zero had had enough of it here. Although everybody was sad about what was going on, at the same time they thought that the best thing for this unique number was to die.

And Zero died. They buried it under the quotient line. Roses grew on its grave, as beautiful as Zero, as noble as One. Thus commemorated was the phrase “one over zero,” in order to refer to this beauty. It was then that the numbers understood what Zero felt inside. And the numbers visited Zero from time to time, whenever they needed a glimpse of beauty stretching from infinity. As powerless as it was, Zero helped others understand infinity not by its existence among them, but by lying below them.