In late November, a visually impaired sister from New York began her first online Braille Primer session with us. She has been diligently participating in a weekly, one-hour session. An active advocate for the blind community in her area, she was introduced to the Qur'anic Braille Primer published by Al Fitrah Foundation by a fellow student of Brother Majid. Motivated to learn the Arabic alphabet, she aspires to eventually read the Braille Qur'an. Inshaa Allah.
The Al Fitrah Foundation, in collaboration with the Braille Resource Foundation Pakistan, distributed 163 Braille Qurans across Pakistan between May and July 2024. The second phase of the program, running from August to December 2024, aims to distribute an additional 326 copies, with nearly 200 already delivered. Maulana Waqar Younus, President of the Braille Resource Foundation, praised the program, noting that for the first time in 10 years, 60 Qurans were ready ahead of schedule. The initiative has been positively received by visually impaired individuals, providing them with greater access to the Holy Quran and spiritual knowledge.
Since late August, Sister Em in Maine, USA, has been teaching visually impaired sisters in her community using the Arabic Braille Primer. A third student has recently joined, and one sister even acquired her own Braille cell, making the learning process easier. After completing the Primer, they will begin studying from the Braille Quran provided by Al Fitrah Foundation. The goal is for the sisters to achieve proficiency in Tajweed, pronunciation, and beautiful recitation. Braille books have also been sent to recipients in Malaysia and India, as Al Fitrah Foundation continues to expand its collection of Braille books for the visually impaired.
Sister Zaharah S. Ali, who is visually impaired, visited the Al Fitrah Foundation today to select Braille books. She had previously received a Braille Quran through the foundation's home distribution program. During her visit, she chose five Islamic books in Bahasa Melayu, including guides on Sunnah prayers (Solat Tasbih, Tawbah, Dhuha) and Du'a books. Inshaa Allah, she will be back for more books in the future.
The team conducts weekly Tazkirah sessions every Friday, led by Brother Majid. The session includes in-depth discussions of selected Surahs from the Quran, hadiths, and stories about the Prophet (PBUH) and the Sahabahs. These sessions promote bonding and deepen the team's understanding of Islam.
Recently, they recited Surah Al-Ikhlas, highlighting the concept of tawhid— Allah's oneness and our total dependence on Him.
On November 8, the discussion focused on the benefits of silence, avoiding verbal sin, demonstrating wisdom, calming the heart, building patience, strengthening relationships, adhering to the Sunnah, and encouraging deep thinking.