Blindness

What's With All the Blind Clerics?

Posted by Billbar from Slate

There is a pattern of the blind leading the not-blind in modern Islam. A traditional Muslim education in some ways favors the blind, since it proceeds largely through the repetition and memorization of sacred texts. Children who can't see may also get pushed toward the clergy by their parents. Muslims have revered blind clerics for over 1,000 years. Today, even blind people without religious training enjoy a certain level of respect in the Muslim world. Another factor in the prevalence of blind clerics may be the high rates of blindness in Arab countries.

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