Tadarus Without Voice Via Quran Sign Language App For Hearing-Impaired

Faith knows no boundaries. Thanks to Braille Quran, visually-impaired Muslims have a direct link to the holy book. But is there a ray of hope for the hearing-impaired community to understand the Quran’s teachings?

“For the visually-impaired PWD (People with Disabilities), Braille Quran allows them to independently access and understand the Quran. However, due to an oversight, hearing-impaired Muslims had no access to the Quran,” Dr Norakyairee Mohd Raus, Director of the Ibnu Ummi Maktum Research Centre (UMMI) from the Faculty of Quranic and Sunnah Studies, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) told Bernama in a recent interview.

Sharing the outcome of his meeting with representatives of the Negeri Sembilan Association of the Deaf (NESDA) in 2015, Norakyairee said the group regretted that the hearing-impaired community had no similar access to the Quran as other visually-impaired PWD.

The Quran Sign Language application has enormously benefitted the hearing-impaired PWD community in Malaysia to learn and recite the Quran.

“Following the meeting, the Faculty of Quran and Sunnah Studies embarked on a study (as a final project) involving 15 students from this faculty and succeeded in developing a special software, I-Sign QurANIS, an interactive platform for the hearing-impaired PWD to learn basic Quran and ibadah (acts of worship).

“NESDA later asked us to develop an application to allow them to recite the Quran. Heartened by their request, we took steps to undertake a study to fulfil their needs,” he said, adding that a special application was developed before a group of UMMI researchers took the initiative to introduce the Online Quranic Tadarus Without Voice (OTTS).

 “The OTTS allows Quranic letters to be represented in sign language through hand code signs of the Quran in the Quran Sign Language application,” he added.

Dr Norakyairee Mohd Raus, Director of the Ibnu Ummi Maktum Research Centre (UMMI) from the Faculty of Quranic and Sunnah Studies, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM).

 Established under the USIM Vice Chancellor office on Nov 1, 2023, UMMI serves as a hybrid model (PWD service centre and an inclusive research centre) in managing PWD affairs in line with the Guidelines on the Implementation of the PWD Inclusive Policy at institutions of higher learning which was launched in 2019.

According to Norakyairee, UMMI endeavours to continue with efforts to empower the PWD community to learn the Quran based on their strengths and learning ability.

He said that this is also in line with the Ministry of Higher Education’s mission, “Sustaining a quality higher education ecosystem in order to develop the potential of individuals and meet national aspirations.”

EMPOWERING HEARING-IMPAIRED  

Meanwhile Deputy Dean of Academics (Academic and International) Faculty of Quranic and Sunnah Studies, Assoc Prof Dr Noornajihan Ja’afar said UMMI, which is under the faculty’s administration, introduced the OTTS programme in 2020, the first of such project in Malaysia and the world.

“It has the potential to be a high impact product given the commitment of the university, faculty and UMMI in providing education for all levels of the community,” she added.

Rahmah Hayati Musa (left) and Nur Fairuz Shahirah Abd Rahim were among the participants that exposed to various methods and techniques of reading the Quran through the Quran Sign Language application.

 Without a doubt, the Quran Sign Language application, which was officially launched in 2021, has enormously benefitted the hearing-impaired PWD community in Malaysia to learn and recite the Quran.

The application has also received recognition from the Malaysia Book of Records as the first app for the PWD deaf community as well as approvals from the Quran Printing Control and Licensing Board (LPPPQ) and the Home Ministry. 

Elaborating on the Quran Sign Language application, UMMI Research Officer, who is also an OTTS trainer, Siti Rahmad Ahmad Razman said research, studies and development of the OTTS application kicked off in 2018 and was launched three years later.

 “The application features the sign code, a form of hand gesture representing the letters of the Arabic alphabet used in the writing of the verses of the Quran starting from the first until the 30th juzuk,” she said adding that the use of the font will make it easier for the hearing-impaired to learn and memorise the verses.

 CULTURE OF QURAN RECITATION PRACTICES

Throughout Ramadan this year, USIM through the UMMI secretariat, Sahabat FAQEH USIM (SaF USIM) has organised its fifth OTTS programme beginning March 12.

Unlike previous years, the OTTS programme focused on the tadarus Al-Quran concept covering 30 juzuk of the holy book compared to previous sessions which focused on recital of selected verses.

A visually impaired Malaysian Islamic studies student reading and memorising the Quran from a Braille.

It is also aimed at inculcating the culture of Quran recitation practices among the hearing-impaired PWD community in conjunction with the holy month of Ramadan. At the same time, participants are exposed to various methods and techniques of reading the Quran through the Quran Sign Language application which is specially tailored for the special needs group.

The OTTS programme also trains USIM graduates to focus on PWD-friendly initiatives especially in ensuring the Quran reaches the hearing-impaired community.

The Ramadan programme was conducted by 30 asatizah  (female Islamic religious teachers) and 30 asatizah assistants including 26 USIM alumni, drawing participation from 30 hearing-impaired PWD nationwide.

SaF USIM Deputy Secretary, NorFairuz Shahirah Abd Rahim said the OTTS programme is divided into two sessions, with the first involving the ‘khatam 30 juzuk’ (completion of the Quranic recitation) held daily for an hour while the second focused on narration (story telling) of three selected verses every Saturday.

 “The OTTS programme is divided into small groups.  Each group consists of three members with one hearing-impaired PWD participant, one asatizah and an assistant asatizah from SaF USIM,” she added.

Translated by Salbiah Said