Inspiration :

My youngest brother is eleven. He cannot read. He cannot write. Unless you have not been around him often, you may find it hard to understand him when he speaks. He has Agenesis of the Corpus Collosum (a part of his brain is missing). He is also on the Spectrum and has Global Developmental Delays.
Now, you’re probably saying (or thinking) “Awww, miskeen.”

But, Hold On!

Why ‘miskeen’?

Yes…my youngest brother is eleven and he cannot read, write, or speak properly. A part of his brain is missing; he’s autistic and has developmental delays. But! He is one of the cleverest little boys I know!
He knows how to make the adhan. He knows when it is time for salat…and can even follow the steps. He knows that as a Muslim he worships Allah. He knows that the masjid is where we go to pray and learn (He loves the masjid by the way). He knows we celebrate Eid and that we fast during Ramadhan. He can even try his best to recite with you when you read the Qur’an.

That’s my youngest brother; an autistic boy who knows he is a Muslim!

I am so proud of him, and proud of the few children I’ve had the chance to meet who have special needs or disabilities but know who they are (even though they may not understand fully).

Unfortunately, within our Muslim community children and individuals with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) have been, and still are, shunned by many. Very rarely will one of us see a child with SEND in the masjid. I know this personally because every time we go there with my brother, he seems to be the only one! For a long time I’ve asked myself, why is it like this? While I may not have the answer, for I’m sure there are many reasons, I have decided to find out why and do something about it In sha Allah.

As an ummah we have to realise that while some of our brothers and sisters may not have the physical or mental capacity to worship Allah in the prescribed manner, they DO have the RIGHT to know who they are as Muslims. To identify themselves as Muslims. To say proudly “I AM A MUSLIM!”

This is the aim of Ana Huna. And this should be the aim of all of us within the Muslim community. For Allah did not create us, except that we worship Him (Alone). And He did not shape us, all of us, except that He made good our shapes!

How do we expect our brothers and sisters with SEND to worship Allah as they grow if we do not even try to make them understand and realise who they are as worshippers of Allah, and followers of Islam?

I don’t know when (or even if) my youngest brother will begin to pray salat properly, or recite and memorise the Qur’an, or fast the whole of Ramadhan. But, all I can say is that my family, we will try our very best to make sure he knows who he is, who Allah is and what it means to be a Muslim. Not only this, but that he becomes a productive member of the ummah. The rest…we have to put our trust in Allah: The All-Mighty, The Compassionate, The Giver of Life, and The Fashioner of Shapes.

This should be our hope, our dream and our goal for our brothers and sisters In sha Allah!