People with disabilities are just like anyone else; they have certain weaknesses, but have strengths as well.

They have a right to live their lives, peruse education, make families and fulfill their dreams like everyone.

Integrating disabled people into the society is crucial in regards to their emotional and mental well-being. Islam encourages us to have empathy and a sense of care for each other and to treat disabled people as being part and parcel of our society.

Be Inspired by Early Muslims

Once, a father came to the second caliph, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab complaining that his son, a blind man, was unable to reach the mosque to offer his prayers in congregation due to his disability. Omar then provided him with housing near the mosque.

Another story belongs to`Umar ibn`Abdul-`Aziz,  the notable Umayyad caliph who “asked rulers of the provinces to send him the names of all those who are blind, crippled, or with a chronic illness that prevented them from establishing their prayers. When they sent him their names, he, in turn, ordered that every blind man should have an employee to guide and look after him, and that every two chronically ill persons — those with special needs — be attended by a servant to serve and care for them.”

Efforts to Help Blind Children

Friends of the Blind is a school that provides education and mental health services for blind kids in the West Bank, Palestine.

The school aims to make up for the lack of resources in the Palestinian education system to help children with disabilities. Many of these children developed vision impairments as a result of being victim to Israeli attacks.

In an effort to provide more help to these blind children, Penny Appeal USA has launched a campaign to raise funds for supporting the school.

Aman Ali, the Popular Muslim comedian  spent a week in Palestine visiting firsthand the work  Penny Appeal USA are doing with #FriendsoftheBlind.

With your support, they can provide each child with the essentials for their emotional, psychological, and physical well-being.

65 children grades 1 to 10 will be sponsored through this project to learn at this school for free and get the education they deserve.

The funds will be used to cover:

•  School registration fees for 65 students.
•  Preparing and printing Braille writing-reading curricula packages.
•  Part of the stationary materials, food, clothing, medical and transportation.
•  Accommodations for 38 blind and poor eyesight students.
•  Special “Quran memorizing and reciting” sessions using Braille writing-reading system.

For more details check their appeal on Launchgood