Preserving the Quran for the Visually Impaired

Every human is born with their own strengths and weaknesses. However, Allah never dims our hopes. Through His words, He says,“So do not weaken and do not grieve, and you will be superior if you are [true] believers.” (QS. Ali Imran: 139).

The verse serves as a reminder, much like how the visually impaired inspire us with their unwavering dedication to memorizing the Quran. The journey they embark on is never easy. However, for them, the Qur'an serves as a compass towards spiritual perfection.

The journey of visually impaired individuals in preserving the sacred verses of Allah has inspired Prof. Taufik Kasturi, S.Psi., M.Si., Ph.D., a lecturer at the Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS), to delve deeper. Through his research titled "Preserving Qur'an Through Blind Eyes: Self-Regulation of Blind People in Memorizing the Qur'an," he identified motivations and examined self-regulation practices among the visually impaired in memorizing and preserving the Qur'an. This research has gained international recognition as it was published in the Journal of Disability and Religion, indexed in Scopus Q2.

We should be grateful for the gift of having complete senses, especially the sense of sight, which enables us to optimize our potential for daily activities.

"Meanwhile, people living with blindness are likely to face some challenges in the activities they are doing. However, there is an extraordinary wisdom that accompanies their blindness, one of which is their ability to protect their eyes from things that lead to sin," explained Prof. Taufik Kasturi on Thursday (26/10).

He explains that the loss of vision, on one hand, limits a person's mobility, but on the other hand, it actually protects them from sinful acts. With fewer temptations, the heart becomes purer and the mind can focus better on memorization. This enables them to concentrate on the memorization activity without the burden of potential sins from sinful acts of the eyes.

"A pure heart is the wellspring of goodness, it is a catalyst for other virtues. It begets admirable qualities like modesty, serenity, joy, and sincerity. When it comes to the Quran, the word of Allah, engaging with it through reading and memorization should be approached with a heart untainted by impurities. Something as sacred as the utterances of the Most Sacred Being deserves nothing less. This is the virtue of a Quran memorizer who is visually impaired; despite their limitations, Allah has endowed them with numerous strengths," he expressed with candor.

He emphasized that for people with normal vision, memorizing the Quran often comes with various challenges related to their sight. The ability to see can be either a weakness or a strength, depending on how we manage it wisely.

"They (the visually impaired individuals) can memorize the sacred verses in two ways, through the senses of touch and hearing," said the Professor in Islamic Psychology.

Visually impaired individuals apply memorization techniques by utilizing self-management and time management. Time management is a system that enables the control and effective use of time, while self-management encompasses methods, skills, and strategies to guide individuals towards goal achievement.

"Managing time requires commitment and readiness, so the implementation of memorization strategies can be pursued earnestly. Each individual has their own optimal time, as we talk with visually impaired individuals who have different characteristics and backgrounds. Some of them have been blind since birth, while others experienced blindness at the ages of 12 or 15. They have diverse professions, including students, teachers, masseurs, and entrepreneurs," he added.

With different professions and stages of blindness, they certainly face different mental challenges. Each visually impaired person acknowledges that they have their own optimal times to interact with the words of Allah.

"Some repeat their memorization after performing sunnah, subuh or maghrib prayer. They prioritize one-third of their day to improve their memorization and review the verses they've memorized. Some even aim to review their memorization every week for those who have memorized the entire 30 juz of the Qur'an," explained Prof. Taufik Kasturi .

According to him, the visually impaired individuals require stronger self-regulation to control their behavior, thoughts, and emotions. They have demonstrated discipline and dedication in memorizing and maintaining their memorization of the Quran.

The conversation with Prof. Taufik Kasturi brings about profound reflection. The findings in the study further solidify the position of the Qur'an as the most comprehensive book because of its capability to drive away diseases, particularly those afflicting the heart. As-Syifa, another name for the Qur'an, is powerful in dispelling anxiety, calming the heart, and even boosting mental well-being.

In the closing moments of our conversation, one of the visually impaired individuals shared a profound insight with Prof. Taufik Kasturi. They expressed, "Allah, in His infinite wisdom, tests each of His servants uniquely. Our blindness is a divine gift. By not being exposed to temptations that could challenge our faith, Insya Allah, our memorization remains steadfast."

"They teach us about the strength of faith, determination, and boundless love for Allah. For the visually impaired, the Quran becomes an illuminating light that fills their souls," expressed the Faculty of Psychology lecturer. 

He also reminded us that whatever knowledge we acquire should serve as a means to increase our piety towards Allah, as stated by Sheikh Ibn Ataillah al-Sakandari in his book Al-Hikam. 

"Sheikh Ibn Ataillah al-Sakandari said that the best knowledge is the knowledge accompanied by fear of Allah, for it will be a source of goodness for you. Whereas knowledge without fear of Him will become a disaster for you."