Ableism is haram in Islam

Ableism or 'able-centrism' is prejudice towards disabled people. A person who holds such a prejudice is called an 'able-centrist', which is prohibited (haram) in Islam. Ableism can be intentional or unintentional. Sometimes ableism is done in a way that it's supposed to be hurtful.

Other times people are ableist while they are only trying to be nice. Disabled people can be ableist too, to other disabled people or to themselves, which is called internalized ableism. Discrimination and abuse against people with mental disorder are referred to as 'mentalism' rather than ableism.

The people who abuse disabled people are usually without disabilities. Sometimes a disabled person is abused just because they are disabled. This is called 'disability hate crime'. A common way that disabled people are abused is through 'disability bullying'.

Studies show that bullying happens to people with disabilities more often than to others in general. Verbal and emotional bullying can have even greater and longer-lasting negative effects on the victims than physical bullying. People think of bullying as something that just happens to children at school. This is not true.

Bullying happens to people of all ages. Bullying causes long-term psychological problems such as low self-esteem. Some people kill themselves because they have been bullied. Slang words to describe people with disabilities include cripple, daft, dim-witted, idiotic, retarded etc.

The Prophet (pbuh) said, “Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is oppressed.” The Prophet was asked: “It is right to help him if he is oppressed, but how should we help him if he is an oppressor?” He replied: “By preventing him from oppressing others.” (Ṣahih Bukhari, Volume 3, hadith #624)

The Quran says: "Don't mock others, for they may be better than you..." (QS 49:11)

Wallahu'alam