All Praises are due to Allah (SWT) The Lord of the world and Peace and Salutations be upon our Beloved Nabi Muhammad (PBUH)

Madrassa An-Noor for the Blind was invited by the MAB (Muslim Association of the Blind) of Hatyai Songkhla province, Thailand, to conduct Quraanic Braille classes for adult Blind persons at their centre between the 3rd and 20th of April 2012

Moulana Muhammed Islah who is a graduate of our institute, headed the classes. Our principal Moulana Hasaan Murchie was invited from South Africa to assist and observe.

Alhamdullilah, there were a total of 6 female and 9 male students, all above the age of 20, who attended.

One of the biggest challenges that awaited us upon meeting with our students was that only a few of them were acquainted with Braille (A special system of reading and writing for the blind using embossed dots).It is more difficult for elderly persons with no pre Braille skills to read Braille as a person’s sense of touch naturally weakens due to aging.

However, after the majority of the class passed their local Thai Bhat money identification tests and impressed us with their cell-phone skills, we took the plunge by pushing them directly into the deep end of reading Braille. They started reading the first letters of the alphabet Alif, Baa, Taa etc. Moulana Murchie facilitated the first few lessons till the students started to read a few words of the Quraan.

Moulana Muhammed Islah, together with his wife who is also an Alimah, then carried on for the remaining days to teach the students the Braille Primer (Qaida). Brother Luqmaan was one of the first students who successfully completed the ‘Qaida’ and began reading Aayats of the Quraan.

Sister Asma who travelled over 70 km everyday from her home situated high in the mountains near the Malaysian border, also completed the ‘Qaaida’ successfully. The other students progressed with different levels of success. The majority of our male students including the chairman Mr Lasi Sanu of MAB (Muslim Association of the Blind) are qualified Masseurs .They are so gifted that you will discover the numb nerves and muscles of your body being rejuvenated and eventually fall off into a relaxed sleep.

The South African produced ‘Tasheel Series Syllabus’ is being converted into Thai Braille and we hope that with the help of Allah our Blind friends will be able to access Islamic teachings like their sighted colleagues in Thailand. May Allah (SWT) reward everyone in this world and the hereafter for their assistance and sacrifice with Jannat.