New hope for autistic children to learn the Quran

KUALA LUMPUR: Sending children to Tahfiz centres to memorise the Quran seems to have become a trend for parents today, but it is not so easy for those who have children with autism.
Autistic children usually have a rebellious behaviour, and often like to keep to themselves and may be overactive, making it difficult to teach them something over the table.
However, the Ar Rayyan Quran Academy in Sentul plans to change the fate of these children, by helping them learn and even memorise verses from the Holy Book.
The centre's founder, Aidil Fadzli Mesran, 35, said children at the academy were taught the Quran and worship rituals using a specially designed Al-Quran Syaqira system as well as proper techniques to perform the 'wudu' (ablution).
"Al-Quran Syaqira is a special tool for reading (the Quran) and is equipped with an audio system to assist with smooth recitation, while we have also created a pictorial chart for these special children showing the steps on how to take wudu," he told Bernama after coming on as a guest on the Nine11 programme over the Bernama News Channel.
The Ar Rayyan Quran Academy was set up on Jan 1 this year, and so far has 20 students and seven instructors.
"Although it is tough to teach them, we do not consider it a barrier because these children are not 'outcasts' who do not have a right to learn the Quran. As Muslims, they have the right," said Aidil Fadzli.
On the performance of the students, he said they showed a significant increase in their ability to read Quranic verses and communicate well since registering at the academy.
"There was a mother who cried after seeing emotional development in her child, whereby before going to the academy, it was as if he had no emotion, but after, he could even cry," he added.
Aidil Fadzli, a father of four, said he was inspired to set up the academy after the birth of his third child, Ar Rayyan, six, who is autistic.

He said that after having 10 years of teaching the Quran to normal children, Ar Rayyan's birth opened his eyes to set up a special academy for these special children because it was very important for them to learn to read the Holy Book.
Aidil Fadzli said he was grateful for the encouraging response that the academy had received, adding that new registrations were temporarily on hold, however, as he plans to open a second branch in Shah Alam as well as in other states in the near future.
"The new branches can be opened. However, it is not easy to find instructors to teach autistic children because they need to have enough patience," he said.
He said he hoped that people with autistic children would not feel they were being burdened but be proud of their children as they were invaluable gifts from God. — Bernama