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About Us

Islamic Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ISDHH) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization as well as a community that promotes and empowers Leaders for the deaf through leadership, education advocacy, determination, excellence and servitude.

ISDHH was established in 2015 as a Non-Profit organization to advocate and empower the Muslim deaf community, and facilitate their understanding of Islam and their integration within the Muslim community. Due to lack of understanding of the needs of the deaf both intellectually and spiritually, they are always excluded from the learning process including Jummah Khutbah and religious education by Muslim scholars, or even a Du’a in Ramadan which made deaf Muslims feel disenfranchised and not cared for by their brothers and sisters in faith. Due to lack of resources, deaf Muslims have minimal to no knowledge of what the Holy Qur’an contains or what the different narrations of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) teach us. They are very eager to learn Islam and they need and want to feel inclusive in our hearing Muslim community.

Our Accomplishments

ISDHH has succeeded to create awareness, education and understanding, and to start off a basic resource program that helps our hearing Muslim community to understand sign language, deaf culture and the mindset of deaf Muslim people. The road is still very long to go, as we need to put together a culture that respects human rights and religious freedom of deaf Muslims into their Muslim communities.

American Sign Language Classes beginner & advanced

National Theatre of the Deaf (NTD) performances in 2015 and 2016

ASL Interpreters for Jummah Khutba at VRIC and ICI                 

Educational project to display Prophets' stories in ASL to teach Deaf Muslims

Through our matrimonial services, we have 6 successful deaf marriages

We have 14 deaf Shahadah

Meet Our Team

The people who work at ISDHH share the same vision and values as the deaf community, and genuinely enjoy what they do.
A Bangladeshi woman in black hijab smiles warmly at the camera.

Rahma Rebecca Hossain

Co-Founder & CEO
Rahma Rebecca Hossain is a Deaf professional and a graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts. She brings extensive expertise in communication, including oral communication, lip reading, ESL, American Sign Language (ASL), and interpreting across Deaf, Deaf-Blind, and diverse Deaf communities. Rahma is deeply committed to raising awareness and fostering education about deafness within Muslim communities. Her vision is to create inclusive platforms where Deaf individuals can find their voice, advocate for themselves, and grow into leaders and scholars. Through her organization, ISDHH, she actively works to expand access to ASL interpretation and empower the Deaf community to thrive spiritually, socially, and academically.

Khadar Omar

Vice-President
Khadar Omar hails from Somalia and brings a diverse range of skills and experiences. From working as a fisherman and shoemaker to serving as a marketing salesman, his journey reflects resilience and adaptability. Today, he dedicates his talents to teaching American Sign Language (ASL) to Deaf refugees in the Dallas Metroplex. We are proud to have him as a valued member of our team.
Khadar Omar Vice-President of ISDHH
A white woman in eyeglasses, floral headscarf and black high neck smiles warmly at teh camera.

Sandra Labadia, LCSW - S

Co-Founder & Pastoral Counselor
Sandra Labadia is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW-S) and psychotherapist with a passion for helping individuals and couples heal, grow, and thrive. She holds a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Missouri and a Chaplaincy degree from Hartford International University of Religion and Peace, with specialized training in trauma and EMDR therapy, providing a comprehensive approach to mental health care. Her expertise spans multicultural, multiethnic, intergenerational, and interfaith communities. She specializes in bereavement, trauma, disability, family dynamics, crisis management, and a wide range of mental health concerns. Her empathetic, understanding, and compassionate approach ensures you’ll feel safe, supported, and empowered throughout your therapeutic journey.
Khadar Omar Vice-President of ISDHH

Khadar Omar

Khadar hails from Somalia and brings a diverse range of skills and experiences. From working as a fisherman and shoemaker to serving as a marketing salesman, his journey reflects resilience and adaptability. Today, he dedicates his talents to teaching American Sign Language (ASL) to Deaf refugees in the Dallas Metroplex. We are proud to have him as a valued member of our team.

Gray scale photo of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, founder of the American School for the Deaf in Hartford, CT.
Gallaudet University for the deaf and hard of hearing in Washington, D.C.
The American School for the Deaf in Hartford, Connecticut.
Gray scale image of Edward Miner Gallaudet, founder of Gallaudet University, Washington D.C.

American Sign Language

American Sign Language (ASL) is the predominant sign language of deaf communities in the United States. ASL originated in the early 19th century in the American School for the Deaf (ASD) in Hartford, Connecticut, from a situation of language contact. Since then, ASL use has propagated widely via schools for the deaf and deaf community organizations. Despite its wide use, no accurate count of ASL users has been taken, though reliable estimates for American ASL users range from 250,000 to 500,000 persons, including a number of children of deaf adults.

History of American Sign Language Early in the 1800s, there were only a few thousand deaf Americans. No standard signed language existed at this time, but various signing systems were created in the deaf communities. These sign systems are now known as Old American Sign Language. The American Sign Language of today is actually related to this language.

American Sign Language

American Sign Language (ASL) is the predominant sign language of deaf communities in the United States. ASL originated in the early 19th century in the American School for the Deaf (ASD) in Hartford, Connecticut, from a situation of language contact. Since then, ASL use has propagated widely via schools for the deaf and deaf community organizations. Despite its wide use, no accurate count of ASL users has been taken, though reliable estimates for American ASL users range from 250,000 to 500,000 persons, including a number of children of deaf adults.

History of American Sign Language Early in the 1800s, there were only a few thousand deaf Americans. No standard signed language existed at this time, but various signing systems were created in the deaf communities. These sign systems are now known as Old American Sign Language. The American Sign Language of today is actually related to this language.

Gray scale photo of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, founder of the American School for the Deaf in Hartford, CT.
The American School for the Deaf in Hartford, Connecticut.
Gallaudet University for the deaf and hard of hearing in Washington, D.C.
Gray scale image of Edward Miner Gallaudet, founder of Gallaudet University, Washington D.C.

History of American Sign Language

Mid-1700s – early 1800s

Early Roots

Local sign languages, such as Martha’s Vineyard Sign Language and Plains Indian Sign Language, flourish in various communities across North America.

Mid-1700s – early 1800s

1815

The Search for Education

Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet travels to Europe to find methods for educating his deaf neighbor, Alice Cogswell.

1815

April 15, 1817

The American School for the Deaf (ASD) Founded

Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc open the “American Asylum for the Education and Instruction of Deaf and Dumb Persons” (now ASD) in Hartford, CT. This is the first permanent school for the deaf in the U.S. and the birthplace of ASL.

April 15, 1817

Late 1800s

The Rise of BASL

Due to segregation in the American school system, Black American Sign Language (BASL) begins to develop as a distinct and expressive dialect within Black Deaf communities.

Late 1800s

1864

Gallaudet University Founded

President Abraham Lincoln signs the charter for the first college for the deaf, now known as Gallaudet University.

1864

1880

The Milan Conference

An international meeting of educators declares “oralism” (speech and lip-reading) superior to signing. This leads to a dark age for ASL, where it is banned in many schools for decades.

1880

1960

Linguistic Recognition

Researcher William Stokoe publishes work proving ASL is a legitimate, natural language with its own complex grammar, sparking a resurgence in its use and study.

1960

1988

“Deaf President Now” Movement

Students at Gallaudet University protest for a Deaf president, a landmark event for Deaf Civil Rights and the cultural status of ASL.

1988

Present Day

Modern Status

ASL is recognized as one of the most used languages in the U.S., recognized as the cornerstone of Deaf culture, and widely taught in schools and universities.

Present Day