Supporting Those with Special Needs

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  Questioning Elderly Women (Part II)
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  Questioning Elderly Women (Part I)
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  Becoming an Elderly
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  Elderly in the Qur’an Perspective (Part 2)

Friday, July 18, 2014 06:15 Nur Achmad, MA

Islam is a religion which upholds the principle of Tawhid (Oneness of God). Tawhid is the deepest awareness to the oneness of god which necessitates the principle of justice in life (QS. 16:90), respects for humanity (QS. 17:70), equality and brotherhood of mankind (QS. 49: 10-13), help and love each other in virtue and piety (QS. 5: 2). In Islam, the standard to select human capacity and to determine the best of you in the sight of Allah is a piety which manifests into good attitudes and behaviors in life. The differences in tribe, nation, language, skin color, hair type and color, and so on that show diversity or physical differences, can not be used as the basic standard to judge someone whether he is good or bad and believer or infidel. 

Similarly, the person’s physical limitations, whether due to congenital or certain accident he experienced that cause physical limitation, should not be used as assessment standard of right or wrong, good or bad, noble or despicable. Instead, humans are assessed based on their morality, praiseworthy or disgraceful, as the prophet Muhammad asserted: “Akmalul-mu’miniina iimaanan ahsanuhum khuluqaa wa khiyaarukum khiyaarukum li nisaa’ihim” (The believers who have the most perfect faith are those who have the best morality and the best among you are those who behave the best upon women, HR. Tirmizi, in Riyadhus-Shlihin, no. 628).

More specifically, regarding the equality, Allah says: 

The prophet Muhammad further explained that the physical differences are not assessment standard in the sight of Allah, because all human beings are descendants of Adam and Adam was created from soil, as he said: 

In another narration, Rasulullah added that the properties are also not the criterion of someone’s piety, although they can also lead to a social piety:

So it is obvious that any kind of racial, social, and economic discrimination is not justified. On the contrary, appraising humans by looking at their heart attributes and behavior or performance is justified. For example, when an organization wants to rejuvenate the leadership, so moral integrity, intellectuality, and capability of a person should be considered.

The Prophet Respects Those with Special Needs.

The following hadith become a real example on how Islam really respects humanity, not physical, position, or socio-cultural status. The prophet had a cousin from Siti Khadijah r.a., namely Waraqa ibn Nawfal who had limited vision when he was old. But he had a distinction in understanding the Bibles and writing in Hebrew. When the prophet received the first revelation, he ever consulted with him. It shows that the limited vision does not reduce the prophet’s respect unto him and make him as the colleague to consult.  It is stated in the preface of Sahih Bukhari Hadith.

It was narrated from ‘Aishah Ummul–mukminin (The mother of believers) r.a., that when the prophet received the first revelation in the Cave of Hira’, he felt so heavy and scared. Then he was entertained by his wife, Khadija r.a., In the narration of Imam Bukhari, it was stated: 

Furthermore, it is explained that Khadija asked the prophet visited the house of Waraqah bin Naufal bin Asad bin ‘Abd al-‘Uzza, son of Khadija’s uncle who was skillful in writing of holy book in Hebrew. Waraqah wrote some part of the Gospel in accordance with the will of Allah he wrote. But in fact, he was an elderly and had limited vision or blind. After the prophet told him the occasion how the first revelation came down in the Cave of Hira, Waraqah strengthened the prophet while saying: 

In the aforesaid hadith, it is stated that Waraqa bin Naufal who had expertise in writing and understanding the Scriptures, thought he had visual and physical limitations, was visited by the prophet and his wife (Khadija) to seek advice. It can be concluded how the prophet wanted to respect and was willing to hear the opinions of man who had earlier knowledge. 

Except Waraqa, one of the prayer callers (Muazzin) of the prophet who specifically exclaimed the call to prayer of dawn prayer (Subuh) was ‘Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum who had limited vision due to blindness. It was explained in the following hadith: 

The aforementioned hadith confirms that the prophet did not discriminate, did not differentiate based on physical limitations, racial, and so on. The Prophet was well known to have two prayer callers (Muazzin), namely Bilal bin Rabah and Abdullah bin Ummi Maktum. The first was former black slave who has been freed by Abu Bakr al-Siddiq r.a and then became the respected and noble man to do the noble work that was to call people for praying. The latter was ‘Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum who did not have a clear vision or blind but honored by the prophet and the Companions. Even, the prophet has ever been warned by Allah to give attention related to the arrival of ‘Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum who wanted to convert to Islam, while the prophet was chatting with the prominent of Quraish, as stated in the occasions of revelation (asbabun-nuzul) Shurah ‘Abasa. So, if the Prophet was not the man who used to discriminate, his followers also do not merit to do it. 

Supporting the Widow and the Poor

In terms of empowerment, the prophet also gave a good example whether in actions or in statements. In many hadiths, it can be known clearly. One of them, the prophet affirmed that the assistance also should be undertaken ​​to those who are socially and economically weak:

The widows, either because of husband death or divorce, are group of society who need to be considered by the system of state and social. Usually, the widows are the head of families who take care of orphans and ensure the need of their families. Similarly with the poor, there are many verses and hadith that talk about the importance to defend and to accompany them. 

Even in the Shurah al-Ma’un: 1-7, confirmed that the man who does not care about the poor and the orphans’ condition is regarded as a liar against al-din (which means Day of Judgment or religion). Both of these meanings can be accepted since one of the pillars of Islamic faith is to believe in the Hereafter. If you do not believe in the end of the day, means you are unbeliever or betray religion. 

In the context of Indonesian, in the 1945 Constitution Article 28H, it also has been regulated in such a way that the impoverished person, the abandoned children have the right for social security. Therefore, the state needs to manage and ensure the implementation of social security in order to run well. 

Reflection questions

If the equality of human beings becomes the principle of life, any kind of discriminations comprise racial discriminations, physical-weaknesses discriminations, socio-economic discriminations, and political discriminations are not justified. Social services, educational services, job access, transportation, and public facilities should be provided to all citizens, without differentiating them. We can see on the street. Are our brothers who use wheelchair, imitative legs or stick because of elderly or blind able to access public services (roads, pedestrian bridges, and so on) well and comfortable? Are there sidewalks that can be enjoyed by pedestrians who do not drive? Can the stairs in the office be accessed by our brother who can not walk on stairs, except with the wheelchair? Is there an access for our brothers with special needs to be able to take the train, public bus, and so on safely, comfortably, and reasonably? When we recruit employees or staffs, do we still regard physical limitations and so on as the benchmark to pass or not to pass the applicants?    When we see our brothers with special needs or limitations, do we tend to discriminate or despise them? These questions can be forwarded again and again.  

Those are the basic teachings of the prophet regarding the support and assistance to those all who have special needs, physical limitation, and socio-economic problem for the dignity, prosperity, and happiness of human life in the world and in the hereafter. Then, as human beings we have to follow him in any condition and our ability. Hopefully thereby we have become his loyal followers. Wallahu a’lam {}

*The lecturer of Islamic Studies STIEAD Jakarta

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