ANKARA, Aug 13 (AFP) - A mosque in eastern Turkey on Friday introduced sign-language during services, saying that caring for the disabled was a requirement of Islam, Anatolia news agency reported.
As the imam preached at Friday prayers in the mosque in Malatya city, an interpreter standing next to him used sign language to convey the sermon's message to deaf worshippers.
"Our prophet placed a special importance on the disabled. Helping these people is a duty ordered by our religion," said the city's mufti, Bekir Gerek.
Deaf mosque-goers welcomed the new practice, Anatolia said.