Inclusion and participation of people with disabilities: Examples from the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)

Unlike several world religions that attribute disability to past sins (Hammell, 2006), Islam does not blame or isolate people for their disabilities. Rather, Islam recognizes that people with disabilities play an integral role in society and have economic, civic and social rights that are well established in revelation from God and the actions, sayings and recommendations of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). There are several stories of the companions of the Prophet that illustrate how he interacted with and supported people with physical and mental disabilities.

The story of Abdullah Ibn Umm Maktum (may God be pleased with him) is a famous example of the Prophet’s treatment of a person who was born blind. Abdullah, eager to memorize the words of God (Al-Qur’an), approached the Prophet while he was discussing Islam with elite non-Muslims. Engrossed in his discussion, the Prophet frowned and turned away from Abdullah. Shortly thereafter, the Prophet was corrected for his actions through a revelation from God (Surah Abasa, Ayah 1-16). This revelation illustrated that the rights of a Muslim man with a disability are equal and potentially greater than those of influential and able-bodied non-Muslims. In following years, the Prophet sought Abdullah’s council, appointed him to important tasks, and gave him a high rank among his companions. For example, Abdullah was partially responsible for calling people to prayer (Adhan and Iqamah) in Medina.

To digress, Bilal Ibn Ribah (may God be pleased with him) was given the primary role of calling people to prayer. Although Bilal had a speech impediment that made it difficult for him to pronounce some letters in Arabic, the Prophet appointed him as the first official muezzin in Islam. Bilal’s disability did not prevent him from adopting such an important role in the Muslim community.

To continue with our story of Abdullah, he was appointed the leader of Medina during the Prophet’s absence on more than ten occasions. To this end, the Prophet removed institutional barriers that blocked Abdullah from participating as a leader of the Muslim community. When the Prophet received revelation that elevated the status of martyrs; Abdullah became distraught and inquired about his personal inactivity during military engagements. In this famous incident, another clause was added to the revelation that gave special consideration to people with disabilities with respect to their civic responsibility (e.g., joining military campaigns) (Surah An-Nisa, Ayah 95). However, the Prophet and the righteous caliphs that followed did not prevent people with disabilities from participating in the military. Indeed, the Prophet allowed Amr Ibn Jumuh (may God be pleased with him), a man with a leg impairment, to participate in warfare because he sought martyrdom. Similarly, Abdullah joined a battle against the Persians and died a martyr. This beautiful story suggests that the Prophet promoted equality and the rights of an individual who was blind. However, even before revelation reinforced the importance of equality, the Prophet challenged the Meccans’ discriminatory attitudes and behaviours toward people with mental and physical disabilities. For example, the Prophet said of another companion that his “[addiction to alcohol] did not put [him] outside the community” (Prophet Muhammad quoted in Hamid, 1985).

The story of Julaybib (may God be pleased with him) provides another example of how the Prophet accepted and included a person with a disability in society. Julaybib was a little person and the literature suggests that he was also physically deformed in some ways. Furthermore, he did not know his ancestral history or lineage; which constituted a significant disability in his society. This point highlights how disability can be viewed as a socially defined construct – people are disabled if society does not accommodate their condition, impairment or needs (Hammell, 2006). The prejudiced mind-set and behaviours of the Arabs created an environment in which Julaybib was mocked and marginalized by his male counterparts. However, the Prophet, in his wisdom, arranged a marriage for Julaybib to a woman from among the Ansar (may God be pleased with her). Through this marital arrangement, the Prophet helped Julaybib create a positive self-identity. Julaybib died in a heroic display of military prowess. After instructing the remaining companions to search for him, the Prophet held Julaybib as he would a dear friend and said, “he is of me and I am of him” (Prophet Muhammad quoted in Hamid, 1985). The Prophet’s words sent a message of equity.

One of the ways in which Islam continued to spread and evolve was through military campaigns. It is expected that survivors of the battles returned home with numerous injuries and debilitating conditions. However, there is limited information on how veterans were accommodated upon their return. Therefore, it is likely that veterans continued to act as functional and integrated members of society.

The Prophet and his followers recognized people for their abilities and helped create an environment that met the needs of all Muslims. In this way, companions that had disabilities were accommodated and were able to play great roles in military, social and civic spheres of the community. This short paper did not address the scholarly world; however, it is widely acknowledged that descendents of the companions of the Prophet who had varying abilities (e.g., Abaan ibn ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan [may God be pleased with him] who had a hearing impairment and leprosy; and Imam Al-Bukhari [may God be pleased with him] who was blind) excelled as great scholars of Islam.

By Hammell, K.W. (2006). Perspectives on disability & rehabilitation. Toronto: Elsevier.

References

• Hamid, A.W. (1985) Companions of the Prophet: Volume one. London: Muslim Education & Literary Services.