AMMAN: A Jordanian girl with Down syndrome is making waves as she has become the first female with this genetic disorder, to memorize the Holy Quran.
The mother of the Rawan, Awatef Jaber, narrated the time-consuming journey of her daughter as she allegedly holds the title of world’s first Hafiza with Down syndrome – a term used by female Muslims who completely memorized the central religious text of Islam.
Her mother revealed how her daughter succeeded in accomplishing a difficult yet noble task while having a special health condition.
"روان دويك" من الأردن، أتمت حفظ كتاب الله، لتصبح بذلك أول حافظة للقرآن الكريم من متلازمة داون" pic.twitter.com/0Ps4Y4BP8h
— المركز الفلسطيني للإعلام (@PalinfoAr) June 8, 2021
Speaking with an Arabic news publication, her mother also revealed that the father of Rawan passed away. Adding that, she noted the intelligence of her daughter from her early years, and she realized that she has the ability to memorize the Holy Quran.
Her mother also added that she felt sad when she came to know about the birth of a child with Down syndrome – much like any other mother. Narrating her experience, she added that I felt miserable and upset in the starting months, but then I started loving her and I promised Allah SWT that I would teach her to read the Qur’an.
Rawan Dweik ( روان دويك) penderita down syndrome
pertama di Yordania yang berhasil menuntaskan hafalan 30 Juz ( hafizoh), barakallahu fiha.Semoga kita yang diberi Allah kesehatan bisa lebih semangat untuk menghafal Al-Qur'an. pic.twitter.com/rVihHVyhtx
— Nurjanah KPIQP (@NHulwani) June 13, 2021
The process of memorizing the Holy book started in the early years, and her mother began to teach her the shortest of the surahs, and she memorized in a short time which makes her mother more certain about her dream.
‘I enrolled her in school when she was only 6 years old, and she excelled in it in the preliminary phase. Rawan then left the school in seventh grade and later continued the whole learning on her own, the mother of the special child said.
Telling an anecdote from her impressive journey, her mother said she has memorized the Surat al-Baqarah, the second and longest chapter of the Quran, within a year and a half. She secured full marks in her test, later she bowed before Allah SWT – in a move of expressing gratitude.
Sharing her strategy about memorizing the Holy Quran, her mother also revealed that she memorized the verses through writing. She used to write to memorize it for a longer period of time.
Let it be known that the world’s first Hafiza continued to memorize the Qur’an at a regular pace for around 7 years, and she completed it on the 29th of Ramadan this year.
About Down syndrome
This syndrome is one of the most common chromosome-related genetic conditions. In this condition, the babies born with an extra chromosome which changes the development of their brain and body.
People born with this syndrome face physical and mental challenges, also they carry distinctive body and facial features. There are three known types of Down syndrome including the most common Trisomy. This type makes up around 95 percent of the total cases. Translocation is the second type that accounts for 4 percent of the cases while the rarest is the Mosaicism which only 1 percent of babies carry.
The syndrome causes some physical, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms. Stocky physical size, poor muscle tone, flattened facial features, small ears, undersized hands, and feet are some of the physical features while delays in speech, attention problems, sleeping difficulties, delays in cognition, and delayed toilet training are other symptoms.
Let it be known that the risk of giving birth to a child with Down syndrome increases as women turns older. A report cited that women aged 35 and older are more likely to get babies affected by this syndrome.
Researchers also believe that symptoms and their severity are different from person to person.
