This work was supported by a grant from Shalem Fund

The purpose of this study is to trace and analyze the history of non-physical disabilities throughout the Classical Sunni Islamic period. The heart of the research is in the processing of data which comes from original sources written at the time of the research period, and which relate to non-physical disabilities.

This study shows that the history of the non-physical disabilities in Classical Sunni Islam is not aligned with the negative descriptions as portrayed in Western history. However, it is possible to see the influence of negative points of view as well, which represent superiority, humiliation and ridicule in Islamic texts.

This study serves as testimony that the history of the disabled in classic Islam points to religion as a central factor, both in its influence on core cultural values as well as the ability to steer the moral compass towards including people with disabilities.

For the Full text in Hebrew press here

For the English Abstract press here

Key words:

History, Mental Disabilitied/Disorders, Intellectual Disabilities, Islam, Majnun, Ma’tuh, Divine Justice, Suffering, Shalem Fund study