Medicine is Central

Authored By:  Anisha Al-Qadi (M1, Class of 2022) and Asya Hussain (M1, Class of 2022)

As I sit on my living room floor, momentarily looking up from the Quran resting in my hands, I hear the deep breathing of my Grandma taking a nap behind me. My sister is sprawled out on the floor in front of me, pretending to be lost in her own Quran, but is actually watching some YouTube video of other people eating food (apparently this a new thing). The aroma of my mother’s cooking literally makes my mouth water; chicken tikka, biryani, and spicy vegetable pakoras (the best fried potato snack you could ever eat!). At this point, my mother has given up on trying to teach me the recipes because nobody wants wet biryani and burnt chicken after fasting all day, so she left me the very simple task of helping set the table. My eyes dart over to the small digital clock above the T.V stand. Fifteen minutes until sunset. Fifteen minutes until I can eat. Before this point, the concept of a sunset never seemed as beautiful as everyone makes it out to be. I mean sure, a sunset at the beach sounds great…but imagine an all-you-can-eat buffet, hand cooked to perfection, with a nice tall glass of some fresh fruit punch after a prolonged day of fasting.  Suddenly, I hear the car door slam in the garage and with just one look at my sister, we slowly make our way to the table. My dad is home, which means 5 minutes left until we can willingly submit ourselves into a food coma state. Honestly, the few minutes before sunset can seem the longest, but once I take that first bite into my date and have a sip of water, I forget about my earlier hunger. Oh, and the best part is that in a couple of hours I get to do it all over again. And I know what you’re thinking: “Why would anyone willingly deprive themselves of food from sunrise to sunset?” Well, let me tell you.

Every year, my Muslim classmates and I join over a billion Muslims worldwide in fasting for the 9th month of the lunar year, the month of Ramadan. While much emphasis is placed on the lack of food, it is much more than that. As one of the five main pillars, or core practices of Islam, Muslims have been fasting for the last 1,400 years. The month of Ramadan marks when the Holy Quran was first revealed to our final prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).

The main reason that Muslims fast is because Allah (God) instructed us to do so in the Quran, “O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous” (2:183). In fact, the tradition of fasting is not unique to Islam, and many religions have various forms of fasting rituals.

In Islam, fasting entails refraining from all food and drink (yes, even water) from sunrise to sunset for the entire month of Ramadan. In addition to the physical fast, it also incorporates refraining from talking bad about others, arguing and fighting, and maintaining a sense of patience and kindness. Many Muslims take this month to avoid time-wasting habits such as Netflix binge-watching, and instead focus on prayer, introspection and acts of charity.

There are exceptions for those unable to fast due to travel, pregnancy or other health related reasons. If one is not able to fast, then they may make up the fast at another time, if able to do so, or give to charity/buy the meal for someone who cannot afford one.

Ramadan is also a time when families and friends are brought together for nightly dinners, or iftars. In keeping with the spirit of hospitality and giving, it is common to host community dinners. My fondest memories growing up were the nights spent at the community mosque sharing dates, sitting amongst friends, as we reflect and grow closer to our religion.

As a medical student with a focus on underserved communities, this is a unique time where I am able to reflect on the struggles that come with lack of food security. Fasting is a way to empathize with those whom skipping meals is an everyday reality. Humility is one of the greatest lessons to be learned during this month, and I think that quality ties in perfectly with what qualities make a great physician. Ramadan teaches selflessness, discipline, focus, kindness, and how to stay grounded while also connecting us to our religion’s roots. It’s kind of like a month-long pep-rally before for the big game of life; Ramadan hypes you up for the type of person you aspire to be throughout the rest of the year. When the month is over, you come out stronger than you were before. And how am I going to celebrate? A fat piece of chocolate cake.

Anisah Al-Qadi and Asya Hussain

First year medical students at CMED