Dhawu al-Ihtiyajat al-Khassa fi Daw al-Quran wa al-Sunna

Dhawu al-Ihtiyajat al-Khassa fi Daw al-Quran wa al-Sunna (People with Special Needs in the Light of the Quran and the Sunnah) is an Islamic studies academic thesis written by Suhayb Fayiz Said Azzam, examining the status, rights, and care of individuals with physical, sensory, and cognitive disabilities in Islamic scripture Dhawu al-Ihtiyajat al-Kha…+1.

Background and Academic Context

The work was presented as a master's thesis in the Department of Usul al-Din at the Faculty of Graduate Studies at An-Najah National University in Nablus, Palestine Dhawu al-Ihtiyajat al-Kha…. It was supervised by Dr. Khidr Sawandak and defended on December 11, 2014, before an examination committee comprising Dr. Sawandak as chair, Dr. Madyan al-Qarm as external examiner, and Dr. Khalid Alwan as internal examiner Dhawu al-Ihtiyajat al-Kha….

The author developed the thesis from two earlier research projects: a 2010 graduation study for his bachelor's degree in Islamic education at Al-Quds Open University titled Ri'ayat al-Islam li-Dhawi al-Hajat al-Khassa ("Islam's Care for People with Special Needs"), supervised by Dr. Ahmad Azzam, and a master's-level paper titled Dhawu al-Hajat al-Khassa mimman Khadamu al-Sunna ("People with Special Needs Among Those Who Served the Sunnah"), supervised by Dr. Khalid Alwan Dhawu al-Ihtiyajat al-Kha….

Scope and Structure

Unlike some earlier studies that broadly included orphans, prisoners, or delinquents under the category of special needs, the thesis restricts its definition to individuals with physical, sensory, cognitive, and communicative impairments Dhawu al-Ihtiyajat al-Kha…+1. The work consists of an introduction, four substantive chapters, and a conclusion Dhawu al-Ihtiyajat al-Kha…:

• Chapter One: Explores the linguistic and terminological definitions of "people with special needs" and related semantic expressions Dhawu al-Ihtiyajat al-Kha….
• Chapter Two: Details the categories of impairments—motor, sensory, cognitive, and communicative—and their causes, including genetics, pregnancy or birth complications, accidents, physical assaults, retributive corporal penalties (qisas), and medical or psychological conditions Dhawu al-Ihtiyajat al-Kha…+1.
• Chapter Three: Analyzes people with special needs in the Quran. It identifies the terminology used in Quranic verses, Quranic guidance on divine decree (qadar) and steadfastness, and specific historical situations preserved in scripture Dhawu al-Ihtiyajat al-Kha…+1. It also examines Quranic exemptions from legal obligations and outlines rights affirmed by the text, including the rights to life, human dignity, freedom, education, employment, financial ownership, zakah support, and marriage Dhawu al-Ihtiyajat al-Kha….
• Chapter Four: Examines people with special needs in the Prophetic Sunnah, covering the Prophet Muhammad's care, mercy, and consideration for the abilities of the vulnerable; Sunnah-based guidance emphasizing inner piety over external physical forms and promoting social integration; and prominent Companions with impairments mentioned in Hadith literature Dhawu al-Ihtiyajat al-Kha…+1.

Key Findings

In its conclusion, the study notes that the Quran employs 18 distinct terms related to people with special needs Dhawu al-Ihtiyajat al-Kha…. It emphasizes that Islamic textual sources mandate respect and comprehensive care for this group, noting that several prophets, Companions, and leading historical figures experienced disabilities Dhawu al-Ihtiyajat al-Kha…. The study also concludes that individuals with special needs possess significant latent potential and often provide moral fortitude to society, while criticizing shortcomings in contemporary Muslim societies in providing adequate support compared to modern Western institutional frameworks Dhawu al-Ihtiyajat al-Kha….