NILAI, March 3, 2018 – Disabled people with hearing problems can perform their daily religious obligations with ease and comfort. The standard language used in Muslims daily ibadah uses the Malaysian Sign Language also as known Bahasa Isyarat Malaysia (BIM) only caters to 30 meanings in reference to the religion of Islam. The newly improvised BMI Ibadah was pre launched at USIM’s Chancellery Gallery.

Researchers from USIM took the initiative to develop Bahasa Isyarat Malaysia (BIM) Ibadah to help the end users which are the disabled people. The Head of the research group Dr Nurul Asiah Fasehah Muhammad from the Faculty of Quranic and Sunnah Studies added that the study was a collaboration effort with the Negeri Sembilan Association of the Deaf (NESDA) to insert more terminologies focusing on religious obligations. The availability of these terminologies would assist the deaf to use a standard sign for them to perform their daily ibadah as a Muslim.

Based on a research in 2017, data showed that there were 240 references of a new word for the whole year and 30 of the words were carefully selected and improvised. The development of the words were catered to categories i.e syara’, syahadah, taharah, prayers, fasting, zakat and hajj. The redundancy of words with its actual meaning led the research group to filter and update the newly coined words.

“An example of a term that is used in the same context was to represent feaces and dirty, results from this research has made standardization between the two terms to avoid confusion from the masses using the BIM”.

In addition, BIM will be portrayed in a video format complete with sign language and will be developed with android application to so that it is practical for users at any time or situation.

BIM application will be launched with another product called the OKU Street. The team is at its final stages of research and the BIM evaluation is currently conducted by professional panelist by the Malaysian Deaf Muslim Association (PRISMA), Malaysian Sign Language and Deaf Studies Association (MY BIM), Malaysia Federation of the Deaf (MFD) and Society for the Deaf in Selangor (POPS).

The Pre-Launching and Appreciation Ceremony of BIM Ibadah was launched by Profesor Madya Dr Adnan Mohammed Yussoff, Dean of Quranic and Sunnah Studies. Dr Nurul Asiah Fasehah Muhammad expressed her hopes for BIM Ibadah to be used widely by targeted users in providing them a chance to perform religious obligations similar to normal Muslims.

Prepared by:
Shahrul Naim Tokiman
Pusat Komunikasi Strategik (StraComm)
Aras 1, Canselori Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM)
71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan
Tel : 06-798 8026/8027/6284 Faks : 06-798 8204