Jammu Kashmir witnessed a landmark event with its first Braille Qur’an conference, aimed at empowering the region’s 75,000 visually impaired individuals.
Held at Banihal, this two-day conference was jointly organized by the J-K Handicapped Association, Madrasah Noorul Qur’an from Maharashtra.
The event underscored the pressing need for educational upliftment among J-K’s visually impaired population, who have had limited access to both religious and secular education.
Maulana Fareed from Madrasah Noor-ul-Qur’an highlighted the increase in the visually impaired population from 58,000 in 2011 to 75,000 in 2016, stressing that many remain uneducated and unemployed.
Maulana Muzamil, a teacher at the same institution, lamented the lack of initiatives in J&K for Qur’anic education through Braille, noting that such efforts could be transformative, enabling the visually impaired to become self-reliant.
Muzamil emphasized that Braille is a vital tool for giving these individuals a new lease on life and expressed hope for the establishment of a madrassa specifically for the visually impaired.
The conference featured 150 participants, including 60 from Jammu Kashmir, and highlighted the success stories of individuals like Mohammad Saqib, a Braille Qur’an proofreader from Bihar, who shared how education has empowered him and others in his community.
Advocate Khursheed Ramzan, a civil society member, was moved by the participants’ determination and abilities, challenging the perception of disability as a burden.
The event also included notable figures like Irfan Ahmed, Kashmir’s first para-athlete, who shared his experiences of overcoming stigma and achieving success in sports despite his visual impairment.
Mufti Zulfiqar Ahmed, the head of Darul Uloom Noomaniya, urged parents to ensure their children receive both religious and worldly education, marking this conference as a significant step toward the empowerment of J&K’s visually impaired community.