Education

They Learnt to Sign… (Part 2; The Return)

Published

August 5, 2008

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They Learnt to Sign… (Part 3; The Finale)

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They Learnt to Sign… (Part 1; The Beginning)

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13 Comments

MR

August 5, 2008 at 11:41 AM

Where are the Americans! Too many Europeans!!!

Reply
Musa Maguire

August 5, 2008 at 12:01 PM

Americans don’t speak other languages…duh.

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A Nightingale

August 5, 2008 at 12:01 PM

I went to a breakout session at ISNA last year that was focused on hearing impaired Muslims. One of the… well not speakers, but I guess signers, made us reflect on the fact that most of these people have never once heard beautiful recitation of Qur’an, cannot feel powerful emotions during salaah, and week after week can not hear khutbahs, and yet… they still have imaan. Subhan’ullah!

May Allah increase them in their imaan, and ease their burdens. And may He make it easy for us to come closer to our brothers who cannot hear.

Reply
ibnkhalil

August 5, 2008 at 1:05 PM

This is getting really boring…..

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Smee

August 5, 2008 at 6:36 PM

Ibnkhalil, your ignorance is amazing.

No intitiative like this has been launched ever before and I’m on my seats edge waiting for more.
I suggect you sit and think for 5 minutes about the severe impact any kind of sensory impairment would have on your life, and then make shukr for the blessings of Allah SWT upon you.
Imagine if you were deaf, where would you gain BASIC knowledge of the deen from? Is it from scholars who cannot communicate with you? Is it from text that is non-sensicle to someone in your position? Is it from the people around you who persist in speaking AT you instead of learning a mode of communication which is easier for you?
So many of our brothers and sisters are turning away from Islam because they are deaf (and yes, this is VERY common in the British Muslim community) and there is no one teaching them the fundamentals of faith, let alone anything else.
We worry about dawah to the non-Muslims but neglet our duties to those born into this faith that are being led astray due to OUR neglect.

Reply
bint Ashfaq

August 5, 2008 at 7:03 PM

Subhan’Allah, y’nw this video is actually motivating me to learn how to sign.

Masha’Allah, so how do i learn how to say my name?

Reply
ibnkhalil

August 5, 2008 at 7:43 PM

Are you blaming me for being ignorant? I didnt know! JazakAllah khair for throwing light on this! I am not from UK and I did not understand the message. What do you expect?

Reply
Manaar

August 5, 2008 at 9:34 PM

When you sign your name in sign language, you finger spell it. I’m learning ASL-American Sign Language, so whenever I sign my name, it’s with the ASL alphabet. You can learn the letters from books, websites, tons of resources. If you are interested in learning ASL, I recommend aslpro.com

To learn the alphabet for ASL, BSL, or any other sign language, get books from your local library or just search for “ASL alphabet” under Google images.

Smee,
you’re absolutely right. Deaf Muslims are always getting left out of dawah. That’s why it’s SO important for us as hearing Muslims to reach out to our brothers and sisters. And you can do this through groups like Global Deaf Muslim. They have a facebook group, and here’s their website. http://www.globaldeafmuslim.org/
inshaAllah when we get enough funds, we will have our first conference in the US.

Reply
H. Ahmed

August 5, 2008 at 10:02 PM

Mashallah…. im looking forward to part 3.

Like MR, i too am wondering where the American Muslims are at????

Reply
ibnabeeomar

August 6, 2008 at 2:14 AM

the fiqh of whether a khutbah can be given in sign language was actually covered at ilmsummit today

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mkhalifa

August 6, 2008 at 5:16 AM

Can we look forward to a write-up on it as part of this series? ;)

Reply
umA

August 6, 2008 at 8:15 AM

I remember attending a Muslim camp in England in the 80’s and being fascinated by the sign language interpreter who had been brought there for the benefit of a small group of deaf Muslims, they included Khurram Murad’s son who was very actively involved in da’wah. Alhamdulillah the interpreter embraced Islam later on. It’s great to see serious intiatives for deaf Muslims.

Reply
MR

August 6, 2008 at 9:53 AM

ibnabeeomar, shaykh google and imam wikipedia are waiting for your daleel in order for them to formulate their fatwa on sign language khutbah.
jazakAllah khair!

Reply