The visually impaired Muslims have what it takes to help in the cause of propagating Islam in the country provided if they are given the required support, Islamic Information Bureau IIB has said.
IIB Coordinator for Limbe Bureau Shiekh Ahmad Chienda made the remarks during an open day organised by the Blantyre based Voice of Muslim Youth Network at Al Noor School for the Blind.
During the event, the visually impaired Muslims demonstrated how they read the holy Quran using Arabic braile among other religious studies which they learn at the country’s only institution that offers Religious studies to these physically challenged Muslims.
“What we have heard and seen here clearly shows that these people are not blind though we regard them as such because they are physically challenged. But in actual sense they are not blind, they have the heart that could see the truth – they have accepted Islam,” he said.
He also commended the institution for providing quality Islamic education which could in turn benefit the whole Muslim community.
“This is very good for our society and it has the potential of making us one day to have a prominent sheikh who is visually impaired just like in other countries. Remember in Egypt they had sheikh Kishk –and we want to have a sheikh of that caliber.”
Sheikh Chienda also hailed the youth organisation for organizing the event which he described as a significant step towards ensuring that our brothers who are visually impaired are loved and taken care of.
He said: “This shows the love and the code of harmony that is there in our society. These are our brothers and for that they really need to be supported and this is one way of supporting them.”
In her remark president for Voice of Muslim Youth Network Ranira Suleiman said her organisation thought of engaging in this project after noting youth groupings were lagging behind in terms of assisting the physically challenged in the Muslim society and the country in general.
“We have learnt here on how these brothers are learning the Quran and other Islamic subjects. It’s really amazing how beautiful they are reciting the holy book – in a way some of us cannot manage. Therefore, it’s been a vital function which gave us an opportunity to share what we as an organisation do and what they do as well,” Ranira said.
Speaking in an interview after the event one of the teachers at the institution Ebrahim Amin hailed the organisation for organizing the event which he said was first of its kind.
“Honestly, am happy with what these youth have done today. It demonstrates the spirit of togetherness existing in our community. I just hope that they will be coming here once in a while to give entertainment and share knowledge as well,” said Amin.
The event was spiced up with live performances of the country’s undisputed best Muslim comedian Abduraham Enock Chitemwe aka anganga ajabiru, Nasheed artists in the name of Jafar Uthman and Nurdeen Qassim including Yusuf Bamusi of the fame ma shia poem.
Reporting by Ali Blessings Idi
