Completed Research 

The Rights of Handicapped in Islam

  i.        Primary Investigator: Mohammed Mostafa Mohammed I. Ghaly , Ph.D

 ii.        Co-Investigator:

iii.        Source of Support:

iv.        Project Aims: Exploring the status of the handicapped and their main rights as viewed in Islam as contribution for a better understanding of the needs of and provisions for the handicapped in the norms of Islamic religion.

 v.        Duration: 5 years

vi.        Start Date: September 2002

vii.        Completion Date: 31 August 2007

viii.        Summary:

ix.        Research Outcome:

This project was funded for a PhD thesis. It tackles one of the novel topics viz., disability in Islam, in one of the promising fields of research, namely religion and disability. Academic studies in this field in general are still scarce and concerning the religion of Islam in particular, they are almost absent. Every part of this dissertation represents a new scholarly contribution in this field.

On 23 August 2007, the PI submitted the final draft, consisting of 322 pages, to the promoter. Below, you find a synopsis of the main contents of this draft along with the main results and conclusions. The study consists of three main parts, Part I (Introductory Part), Part II (Perspectives in Islamic Theology) and Part III (Perspectives in Islamic Jurisprudence).  

Introductory Part

Part I (51 pages) tackles six main points. The first point reviews the interest in the topic of disability within the documents of the United Nations Organizations. The second point traces this interest within literature on religion in the broad sense. By the third point, the study focuses on Islam in particular by giving an analytical presentation about the modern studies, written in Arabic or foreign languages, on the position of people with disabilities in the Islamic normative sources. In this presentation, showing the main and unique additions of this PhD dissertation is also clearly stated. The fourth point of this part gives an overview of the research question, methodological approach and main focus. The main question raised in this study is; what is the status of people with disabilities in Islam as viewed by Islamic Theology and Islamic Jurisprudence? To answer this question, the systematic constructive methodology was adopted in order to fathom out the position and main rights of people with disabilities as depicted in the early and modern theological and juristic literature in Islam. The fifth point elaborates the structure and organization of the present study. The last point is dedicated to an insightful investigation of terminology used in the field of disability whether in modern studies or in the early normative Islamic sources.

Perspectives in Islamic Theology

Part II (59 pages) examines the disability issues related to Muslim beliefs as handled in Islamic Theology. Despite the importance of the theological dimension in this topic, no previous study is known to have handled it before. Thus all information and analyses given in this part are unique, novel and unprecedented. To my mind, relevant discussions available in theological sources of Islam fall also within the human-rights approach. To a believing person afflicted with disabilities, answering the ontological and theological questions about the existence of disability in life and how to deal with according to the norms of one’s religion is by no means less important or less urgent than answering his financial and medical needs.

This part, dedicated to studying people with disabilities in Islamic Theology, handles two main questions, viz., “Why does disability exist as long as Allah is the Omnipotent, All-Just and All-Merciful?” and “What should be done if someone got afflicted with disability?” Theological discussions on the first question can be classified under the theme of “Speculative Theology” whereas discussions on the second questions under the theme of “Practical Theology”. The former represents a bid to explain the ontology of disabilities and sufferings. The latter investigates how to live with such disabilities and misfortunes. These two arguments were respectively the topics of section I and II of this part.

Section I (Speculative Theology), handles the theological clarifications and justifications advanced by Muslim scholars in response to the existence of disabilities and evil in general. As a theistic religion, a belief in the perfect image and spotless character of God was always a central point. The existence of disabilities, pains or evils in general should not cast doubts on the perfect character of God. This was a strict guideline or red line that should not be transgressed and different groups, despite their discrepancies, stuck to this line. Two main trends can be traced among Muslim scholars who tried to solve the apparent paradox of believing in a powerful and merciful God on one hand and living this life which is full of pains and evils on the other. These two trends are elaborated in chapter I and II of this section, respectively.

Chapter I studies the first trend, termed in this study as the No-Problem Trend. The advocates of this trend opined that it was irrelevant to raise the question, “How to understand or justify the presence of nasty and painful things in the light of the fact that God the Compassionate, the Merciful is the Supreme Power and that He has control over this universe?” To them, the existence of disabilities and different forms of pains and sufferings do not cause theological or ontological problems.

Chapter II elaborated the second trend, termed in this study as Problem-Oriented Trend. The proponents of this trend conceded that the existence of disabilities and other forms of pains and sufferings represented a theological problem that should be handled. However, attempts to explain or solve this problem should not be at the cost of God’s perfect character.

Section II (Practical Theology) handles the question, “What should be done if someone got afflicted with disability?” In their bids to explain the existence of disabilities in the light of the powerful and merciful God, Muslim scholars were aware that their rational arguments may not bring full relief to all questioners nor would they bring these questions to an end. Restoring relief and maintaining peaceful relations with God in such intriguing issues, as sources indicated, one is in need of both mental satisfaction and spiritual serenity. The aforementioned theological arguments could create a sort of mental satisfaction but not necessarily spiritual serenity. Methods of attaining spiritual serenity were the main focus of this section.

Perspectives in Islamic Jurisprudence

Part III (155 pages) is again a new scholarly contribution in this field. Most studies written up to this moment just sum up the juristic rules related to people with disabilities as recorded in the classical juristic sources. This part tackles the issue of people with disabilities in Islamic Jurisprudence in broader perspective.

This part focuses on what can be termed in our present time as the rights of people with disabilities. The main question can be formulated as, “what is the social and financial position of people with disabilities as recorded in juristic sources of Islam?” Aspects chosen to fathom out this position were mainly based on availability of relevant information in juristic sources on one hand and their centrality for making the life of people with disabilities more tolerable on the other. It will be noticed also that the different aspects of the social and financial position of people with disabilities as discussed in this part are also central in modern discussions on people with disabilities especially as reflected in the UN documents in this respect. The two main aspects of the position of people with disabilities are studied in two main sections, the first focused on the social position whereas the second on the financial one.

Section I (Social Position) fathoms out whether disabilities would injure, harm or diminish the dignity guaranteed in Islam for human beings in general. Dignity of people with disabilities is very central at the moment in discussions on the rights of people with disabilities. This section shows that discussions, which were sometimes heated ones, took place on the dignity of people with disabilities in particular. This dignity is tackled on the theoretical and practical level each of which is studied in a separate chapter.

Chapter I studies physiognomy whose main purport was that a physical defect or deformity reflects a similar one in one’s soul. In other words, people with bad or ugly outlook bear also a likewise character. In this framework, people with physical disabilities can be easily discriminated and offended because of their apparent physical abnormality. Beyond the cursory references to juristic sources in a few number of studies, combining between physiognomy on one hand and the image of people with disabilities in juristic circles was a completely unstudied topic before this dissertation. This chapter studied the standpoints of Muslim jurists towards physiognomy and its influence on the dignity of people with disabilities within two main legal schools, namely, the Shâfi‘î and the Hanbalî schools. It was just the available information that has imposed this choice. Outside these two schools, pertinent information was scanty and almost absent. However, a note in passing was given at the end of the chapter to clarify the standpoints of other schools in the light of available information.

Chapter II attempts to give the issue of the dignity of people with disabilities a practical touch. For instance, would writing a book enumerating prominent figures with disabilities throughout history be seen by a jurist as breaching the dignity of those people? If so, what would be his reaction? A 16^th century book entitled Al-Nukat al-Zirâf fî man Ibtuliya bi al-‘Âhât min al-Ashrâf (The Cute Anecdotes on Luminaries Afflicted with Disabilities), which is still in a manuscript form, answered these questions in reality.

Section II (Financial Position) focuses on the financial position of people with disabilities by elaborating a number of aspects each of them occupied a separate chapter. These aspects are deemed financial in the sense that enjoying them would bring or cost money in the normal course of events. Keeping in view that work is the main financial revenue which brings money; juristic discussions on the employability of people with disabilities were the starting point in this regard. Because disability is, normally speaking, the main obstacle to find a suitable job, possibilities of medical treatment for people with disabilities were fathomed out from a juristic perspective in the second chapter. The last and longest chapter in this section discusses the overall theme of financial security in the case of being unable to achieve any of the first two rights. In other words, how can such a person with disability still enjoy financial security if he/she cannot work and disability cannot be treated? Jurists’ discussions around this question are the main focus of this chapter.

By discussing employment, Chapter I handles one of the fundamental rights of people with disabilities. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), work of decent quality is the most effective means of escaping the vicious circle of marginalization, poverty and social exclusion. The two chapters entitled “ijâra” and “ji‘âla” represent the main door to trace relevant juristic discussions on employability of people with disabilities. After a general introduction about these two terms, the chapters reviews the juristic discussions on employing people with disabilities for four jobs which are always associated with high prestige especially in religious milieus. The list included the positions of muezzin (one who makes call or adhân for prayer), imâm (one who leads the ritual prayer), judge and the chief leader of the state.

Chapter II reviews the juristic sources searching for viewpoints and attitudes towards treating disabilities. Two main methods are traced. The first method, termed in juristic sources as “physical medicine”, is based on using medicines and drugs as known within the realms of the science of medicine at the present time. The second method, called “spiritual medicine”, makes use of specific religious formulae including texts from the Qur’ân, words ascribed to the Prophet of Islam, etc. This chapter gave a detailed overview of these two methods within Islamic jurisprudence, the attitudes of Muslim jurists towards these two methods and finally “treatments” developed within each method to prevent the occurrence of disability or to cure it. The present chapter, by studying the opinions within early and modern Islamic jurisprudence on different methods of treating disabilities, tackles an almost non-trodden field in modern literature.

Bearing in mind the possibility of being neither able to find a paid job nor to cure the disability, Chapter III focuses on the means of achieving financial security for this group of people. Surveying the juristic sources showed that if disability was a barrier to find job and if this disability could not be cured, ending up in a miserable destituteness should not be the third option. These sources presented a number of financial revenues through which this group of people can afford their needs. In this chapter, five main financial revenues are in focus. As a form of social solidarity among the family members, maintenance (nafaqa) is incumbent upon the well-off members in order to support the poor members of the family. People with disabilities as parents, children, wives and relatives are entitled to receive nafaqa from the rich members of the family. As family members, people with disabilities can still enjoy financial support from bequest (wasiyya) and family endowment (waqf ahlî). Detailed juristic discussions on the regulations of these three financial revenues are elaborated focusing on those with relevance to people with disabilities. Failing to fulfill the financial needs of a person with disability within the family circle, society and state still have their own roles in securing financial security for people with disabilities. Two main financial revenues are in order in this respect, viz., welfare endowment (waqf khayrî) and Zakâh. These two financial revenues are supposed to fulfill the financial needs of people with disabilities. In case they are not sufficient, jurists discussed whether extra financial obligations can be imposed on the rich to fill in this financial gap. All these discussions are elaborated in detail in this chapter.

Bibliography (54 pages) the dissertation includes an extended bibliography of more than 940 Arabic sources and manuscripts and works published in foreign languages.

 x.        Publications :

-          "Islam en Handicap: Theologisch Perspectieven", in Theologisch Dagbald, vol. 2, issue 3, September 2005, Netherlands, pp. 20-23. (A copy is already sent to the Center).

-          “Writings on Disability in Islam: the 16^th-Century Polemic on Ibn Fahd’s al-Nukat al-Zirâf”, in Arab Studies Journal, Faal2005/spring 2006, vol. XIII no. 2/vol. XIV no. 1, pp. 9-38. (A copy is already sent to the Center).

-          “Islam en handicap: praktijk thema’s and Islamitische ethische opvattingen”, Tijdschrift voor Gezondheidszorg en Ethiek, jaargang 17, no. 2, 2007, pp.40-45 (A copy is already sent to the center).

-          “Physiognomy: A Forgotten Chapter of Disability in Islam: The Discussions of Muslim Jurists”, Biliotheca Orientalis, (submitted and waiting for approval. Once it is accepted for publication, I will send you the final version).

-          “Physical and Spiritual Treatment of Disability in Islam: Perspectives of Early and Modern Jurists” in Journal of Religion, Disability and Health (submitted and approved by one reviewer. Once it is approved by the other reviewers and accepted for publication, I will send you the final version).

Hunting For One of the Autism Genes That Might Be Linked To Osteopetrosis with Renal Tubular Acidosis

  i.        Primary Investigator: Namik Kaya, Ph.D. (Previously Pinar T. Ozand, Ph.D)

 ii.        Co-Investigator(s): Nadia Sakati, MD, Pinar Ozand, MD, PhD, Brian Meyer, Phd, Ali Al-Odaib, PhD, Dilek Colak, PhD, Michael Nester, PhD

iii.        Source of Support:

iv.        Project Aims: The main goal of this project is to investigate around 30 patients with osteopetrosis and renal tubular acidosis (OPRTA) patients some of them were also found to be autistic. A region of 180 Kb where carbonic anhydrase II, the deficient protein in osteopetrosis and renal tubular acidosis is centered, will be studied for (1) polymorphic markers, (2) carbonic anhydrase II gene mutations; (3) inversion within the region or (4) possible micro-deletion in the region and 5) the microarray gene expression studies will be performed to identify relevant pathways. It is anticipated that a gene or genes linked to autism will be thus identified and should contribute to the research on autism-associated gene markers.

 v.        Duration: 5 years

vi.        Start Date: January 2003

vii.        Completion Date: March 2008

viii.        Summary:

ix.        Research Outcome:

1)     The blood samples were collected from 31 subjects and performed mutation analysis on the patients.

2)     Previously we have performed microarray based gene expression studies on the collected blood samples from the 31 subjects using Affymetrix GeneChip System. We finalized this part of the project but the data analysis was ongoing. During the current progress period, high level gene expression analysis was finalized by Dr. Dilek Colak. Currently, Dr. Colak is performing pathway analysis on the data. In this report we present the results of the high level gene expression analysis as well as preliminary data from the pathway analysis.

3)     We performed copy number analysis and linkage analysis on one family with three affected individuals with OPRTA and autism, and reported showed our aCGH results. This was the only family we had with three affected individuals with autism.

4)     After consulting with Dr. Sakati, we understand that there are more OPRTA families having three or more affected individuals with either autism or mental retardation. Including these families with autism and mental retardation to the study is critical to complete our linkage and copy number studies. This will help us to improve the study as well as increase the power of our linkage and copy number studies. Therefore, we need an extension of one year to finalize our linkage and copy number based studies.

 x.        Publications

The Effect of Using Technology-Based Teaching to Remedy Dyslexic Saudi Elementary Stage Pupils

  i.        Primary Investigator: Abdullah Al-Amry, Ph.D.

 ii.        Co-Investigator:

iii.        Source of Support:

iv.        Project Aims: The study attempts to achieve the following aims:-

1.     Identifying the common characteristics of Primary Stage Saudi dyslexic pupils who have learning difficulties related to dyslexia.

2.     Determining the extent to which those learning difficulties are spread among a sample of Saudi Primary Stage pupils via surveying five different Regions within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

3.     Diagnosing the difficulties which dyslexic pupils encounter on studying primary curricula particularly Arabic, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies in Aseer Region.

4.     Devising appropriate educational programs for the dyslexic pupils in which modern educational technologies (computer and interactive video) would be employed so as to remedy learning difficulties due to dyslexia, in addition to the supplementary guidance programs for teachers.

5.     Applying the technology based programs onto the dyslexic pupils on one hand and on teachers the other hand to measure the effect of using educational technology upon dyslexic pupils. This will be achieved via employing achievement tests in Arabic, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies which will help determine the effectiveness of technology based programs, if there is any.

 v.        Duration: 3 years 6 months

vi.        Start Date: March 2004

vii.        Completion Date: August 2007

viii.        Summary:

Learning difficulties which pupils encounter and may have a negative impact on their achievement, especially in their early educational years, are numerous.  This research aims at identifying the effect of using some modern educational technologies such as computer and interactive video to remedy one of the learning difficulties i.e., Dyslexia.

In order to diagnose dyslexic students, some appropriate already made tools will be used as well as new tools that will be standardized to fit into the Saudi context.  A comprehensive survey for a large sample of Saudi elementary stage pupils (9 to 12 years old) from five different regions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, (about 3000 pupils) will be conducted to identify the dyslexic pupils in terms of: frequency, degree of dyslexia they suffer from, symptoms, causes and effects.

To remedy dyslexia, some educational programs will be designed with the aid of modern educational technologies to be used with dyslexic pupils who find difficulty in studying and learning concepts in Arabic, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies at the Southern Region of Aseer in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.   Some guidance programs for teachers and parents will also be devised and used alongside with those technologically based educational programs.  The effect of those programs on the pupils’ achievement of concepts, which were difficult for them to learn, will be measured using some criterion -referenced tests, prepared particularly for this purpose. Recommendations, suggestions and mechanisms for implementing the programs to fully make use of the modern educational technologies to remedy the learning difficulties will be determined accordingly.

ix.        Research Outcome:

Investigating and testing the hypotheses of the study using the appropriate statistical technique, the results of the study can be summed in the following:

Regarding the first hypothesis, the results revealed that the ratio of dyslexia spread differs according to the region and the students' grades. The results showed that the big ratio of dyslexia spread was in Riyadh region (30.6%) and in the sixth grade (14.2%). Generally, the results of this hypothesis refer to the fact that dyslexia spread in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia copes with the international rate.

Regarding the second hypothesis, results revealed that dyslexics are characterized with incompetence in many of the behavioral characteristics and the basic reading skills compared with their ordinary peers.

The results of the third hypothesis showed that dyslexics suffer from clear incompetence in the auditory perception, word analysis, word meaning, sentence comprehension, paragraph and text understanding compared to their ordinary peers.

The results of the fourth hypothesis refer to the effectiveness of the study programs, especially the dyslexia remedial program, in curing reading difficulties of dyslexics (the study sample). The results of this hypothesis showed that there were significant differences favoring the post assessment as well as an effect volume ranging from 0.59 to 1.8, which clearly proves the accuracy, well planning and application of the program.

Mitochondrial DNA Genotyping in Arab Patients with Various Optic Neuropathies

  i.        Primary Investigator: Brian Meyer , Ph.D (Previously Khaled Abu Amero)

 ii.        Co-Investigator: Thomas M. Bosley, MD,Jose Morales, MD

iii.        Source of Support:

iv.        Project Aims:

1.     Determine the possible association between different types of optic nerve injury and mitochondrial DNA mutations and/or mitochondrial respiratory dysfunction [Our preliminary work showed an association of mtDNA mutations and NAION.  Please see attached article, which was recently published in Neurology].  Since we are the first investigators to report such an association, there is a possibility that this association is ethnically based (i.e. exists in only the Saudi population). This highlights the importance of identifying mutations that may be specific to our population. Our next step is to determine the possible link between mtDNA mutations and other optic nerve diseases, including glaucoma, optic neuritis, radiation optic neuropathy and toxic optic neuropathy.

2.     Determine the spectrum of mitochondrial mutations in the Saudi population associated with various optic nerve diseases. Preliminary data for LHON indicates that the Saudi population possesses a different spectrum of mitochondrial mutations from other world populations and that at least two of the three common primary LHON mutation, present in 90% of LHON cases worldwide, are rare in the Saudi LHON patients. Identification of novel mutations in our population may help to confirm the clinical diagnosis for these disorders, particularly for LHON and NAION, and possibly for other disorders as well.

3.     The results obtained from the Objectives 1 and 2 will help us to design a NanochipÒ (electronic microarray) specific for Saudi patients with various optic neuropathies.  NanochipsÒ are tiny silicon plates capable of rapid identification of 100 different DNA sequence variants in a patient’s DNA. The process is fast and accurate and the system was recently acquired by the Department of Genetics, Research Center, King Faisal Specialist Hospital. Once we identify mtDNA mutations common to our patient group, a NanochipÒ will be designed accordingly and offered for future use as a diagnostic services. Such a chip will greatly help in diagnosing mtDNA mutation in Saudi patients with various optic neuropathies. Note that this chip will be specific for the Saudi population.

4.     It is now clear that mitochondrial DNA mutations are associated with at least LHON and NAION, but the reason for this association between mitochondria and optic nerve injury is still not clear.  Elucidating this link is the ultimate goal of our research.  When the link between mitochondrial DNA mutation, mitochondrial functional disturbance, and optic nerve injury is better understood, we will begin to assess possible treatment options.  This may be particularly important in glaucoma, where tens of thousands of Saudi’s are affected and current treatment is frequently inadequate to prevent profound visual loss

 v.        Duration: 12 months

vi.        Start Date: 1 July 2006

vii.        Completion Date: 30 June 2007

Summary: This project is in progress and will result in an evaluation of mtDNA mutations and their respiratory effect in patients with Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON), congenital optic neuropathy, glaucoma, and other types of optic nerve injury.  To date, we have shown that non-arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) is commonly associated with intermediate and secondary LHON mutations and with a number of novel mtDNA mutations. So far, we screened 78 patients with clinical LHON and the results are awaiting analysis. We also screened 19 patients with NAION with very interesting findings (A copy of our recent publication is attached).  We are evaluating mtDNA results in patients with clinically defined LHON and optic neuritis.  As a result of these preliminary findings, which mainly indicate a possible association of Mitochondrial DNA mutations and optic nerve injuries in LHON and NAION, we would like to extend this project to include more patients and with different optic nerve injuries