"Promoting Pluralism, Inspiring Change"

“Say: Travel through the Earth and deeply observe how God did originate the creation; then God produces the next creation; surely God has power over all things” (Qur’an 29:19-20)

Welcome and May the peace and blessings of God be upon you.

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"We must understand the symbolism, but also logic in why we do what we do.”

DR. MUhammad Fraser-RAHIM 

How do you fight extremism that uses religion to promote violence? Meet Dr. Muhammad Fraser-Rahim who works at Quilliam International in counter-extremism and is inspiring change.

What do you do?

“I oversee policy issues as it relates to combat extremism. I love the interdisciplinary nature of my work. I am able to bring together my expertise in history, Islamic thought, foreign policy, arts, culture and aiding people at the same time. In many ways, it allows me to assist and tackle really tough issues, but also be creative at the same time in thinking out the box in finding real world solutions. My work is not theoretical, its real world and saving lives.”

“And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of your languages and your colors. Indeed in that are signs for those of knowledge.” (Qur’an 30:22)

What do you love/like least about your job?

“I love the ability to work both in the domestic and global context. As a young boy I always wanted to travel and to engage my profession/career like it wasn't work. This is what I am doing on a daily basis. I wouldn't say what I like least of my work, but sometimes it's not always good news. I have worked in government for over a decade and now work in the private/non-profit space and sometimes people die, sometimes people are incarcerated, and sometimes people have heartache. Recognizing that sometimes it's not always the best news is also a moment to allow me to always know that I am, and the work I do, is truly human work and that is humbling, and at times not always the best news but it’s reality.”

Did faith have any role in choosing your career? 

“Yes, my faith is paramount to my work. I like to use the acronym that I experience and live Islam, and not just practice. Practicing means that in some way I am doing something for one big test. Everyday is a test, and to live religion, Islam, spirituality everyday, then one is experiencing the joys, the struggles but beauty of our faith in a meaningful and real way.”

“Verily, We created man from a drop of mingled sperm so that We may test him; and therefore We made him hearing and seeing. We have indeed showed him the way, now he be grateful or ungrateful.” (Qur’an 76:3)

Do you see a relationship between faith and your career?

“My faith has always been part of who I am. My career is a complement, and I live my life with my faith as a steady rock to sustain me. Whether one publicly or privately expresses faith is not the point. Faith is part of the unseen and the connection to the creator, the divine. Allah is something one has in all aspects of life, in my opinion.”

Are there parts of your job that make you a better Muslim/spiritual?

“Everything. Not only do I oversee policy issues as it relates to combat extremism but I also am an Assistant Professor. My deep understanding of history, religion, policy issues, etc has allowed me to make sure that I am providing a balance in my understanding of my faith. Some people are all spiritual and others just religious. I think faith allows one to balance the two. It's not all about the rituals. My teachers have always taught me that the rituals also have meaning and relevance and they point to more than just motions that we perform at least 5 times a day. The same is in our spiritual and religious development. We must understand the symbolism but also logic in why we do what we do.”

“Surely the worst of beasts in God's sight are those that are deaf and dumb and do not reason.” (Qur’an 8:22)


What's the greatest lesson you've learned in your life?

“The pathway to failure is paved with excuses. I don't make any. Be present everyday and the lessons will come in everyday. We just have to pay attention.”

What do you want people, especially Muslims, to know about your career?

“That the work in this field is not just black and white, one-sided based on political affiliation. Real human lives are affected by dynamics and all perspectives must be taken into consideration in challenging and combating violence.”

“Indeed, God loves those who act justly.” Qur’an 60:8

“Peace cannot be achieved through violence. It can only be attained through understanding.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

For more information:

Quilliam International: https://www.quilliaminternational.com/

America’s Other Muslims: Imam W.D. Mohammed, Islamic Reform, and the Making of American Islam: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781498590198/America’s-Other-Muslims-Imam-W-D-Mohammed-Islamic-Reform-and-the-Making-of-American-Islam

International Institute of Islamic Medicine: http://www.iiim.org/

1001 Inventions: the Enduring Legacy of Muslim Civilization: http://www.1001inventions.com

Water as Life

“Say: Travel through the Earth and deeply observe how God did originate the creation; then God produces the next creation; surely God has power over all things” (Qur’an 29:19-20)

Welcome and May the peace and blessings of God be upon you.

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"The thing that keeps me going is why I'm doing this: that insha’Allah if this product can help one person, then it’s worth it.”

ARSHEEN ALLAM 

Remember when you wanted to make things as a kid? Meet Arsheen Allam, who made it her passion to make things that are life-changing.

What do you do?

“I’m a materials science engineer. I founded my startup company, GOLeafe, and we are producing a material called graphene. We didn’t create graphene, as there are hundreds, if not thousands, of companies and research groups making it. However, the current production methods for graphene make it one of the most expensive materials on Earth. What I've done utilizing my background in materials and carbon research is create a new method that is much cheaper and eco-friendly, which will allow the material to be commercialized in product applications. This is the goal: to make a more economical source of graphene. It’s a 2-dimensional material, a single atom layer of carbon.”

Why material science?

“When I was applying to college and deciding a major, I wanted to study something I could use to one day hopefully create a solution to relieve people of their pain. I took all pre-med classes, just in case I wanted to go the medical route. I wanted to build things, so I also studied engineering to have a hard science background. Materials science was more about learning mechanical properties, strengths, different chemistries of materials and what kinds of materials you can mix to achieve new properties, etc.”

“We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?” (Qur’an 21:30)

How did the water filter idea start?

“I wanted to study something to relieve pain, because growing up, I travelled back a lot to South Asia, where both my parents are from, and saw firsthand that people didn’t have basic human resources that I thought everyone while growing up in America had: water and energy. This led me to do research in water filtration technologies. My undergrad project was creating a low-cost water filter. I worked during college and into masters programs to develop the filter. It’s hard to believe I’ve now been in the carbon research world for over 10 years. We developed filters based on low-cost nano-technology. Graphene has a high surface area so it can filter more water per any unit/space. For example, it’s like having one big beach ball versus ten smalls ones. Currently, plain polymer membranes are used without graphene embedded in them, so they have to be very tightly knit to filter, which uses a tremendous amount of energy through reverse osmosis. This leads to a lot of water wastage as well. With the graphene-based filter we are developing, we can reduce both energy consumption and water wastage. The filters are longer lasting and filter out bacteria, pathogens, heavy materials, salt, among other contaminants.”


What was the process like in creating the filter?

“We went to some schools and orphanages in India after the original filter model was created. The filters worked really well for groundwater, even surface water, springs and rivers. But it was not an efficient solution for desalination. So I had to go back to the drawing board. I wanted this product to get to underserved populations. So instead of typically working at a university, I decided to work with a professor in India at IIT in Kanpur. I really enjoyed working with him. Although I am Muslim and he and his PhD students are Hindu, we all got along and were dedicated to the project. We read a research paper published by MIT about how graphene will be the breakthrough desalination solution. We had been in carbon research for a while, so thought we’d try and make a graphene-based filter. It took several years of R&D to develop a method to produce graphene out of readily available carbon sources, such as trees, grass, hay, unlike typical graphene producers who use graphite or coal as their carbon source. One day one of our batches yielded graphene! We used various microscope imaging to characterize and confirm the material. We have applied for a patent for the production process and it is currently under review with the USPTO.”

How were the setbacks in the process actually beneficial?

“Even though we had the production process, we had to get the graphene into some form of a coating material to serve as a filtering membrane. It is difficult to get it embedded into a membrane. As an early stage company, we had limited funds to work with and that forced us to get creative, which I really enjoyed. When we got stuck, we looked at the other applications of graphene. We studied it for use in energy storage and as an alternative to silicon used in solar panels. So even though it took long and we had some setbacks, we discovered and developed three product prototypes out of our material: a desalination membrane and two clean energy products. Now we are searching for and developing relationships with manufacturing partners and investors to further test the products and eventually get them to commercialization.”

“And Allah has sent down the water from the sky and therewith gives life to the earth after its death” (Qur’an 16:65)


What is the relationship between your career and your faith?

“The entire thing is based on my faith. I’ve been raised a certain way by my parents to help other people, but it comes from our faith to be good people. If we’ve been blessed with all these resources and lifestyle, we should do our part to help someone else’s life be better or easier. Ninety percent of the time, the experiments don’t work. The thing that keeps me going is why I'm doing this: that insha’Allah if this product can help one person, then it’s worth it.”

What do you want to tell people?

“I’m a huge STEM advocate. My friends call me ‘STEM,’ and make fun of me. Anytime I say anything remotely nerdy, they’ll say. ‘Okay, STEM.’ I’m proud of it. When we do Eid gift drives, I always always buy STEM gifts. You can just buy any toy, but this is FUN. I’m a huge proponent of learning about different areas of engineering, science, and tech. It sounds scary, but it’s so fun, and you can create physical things that you can use. I would encourage people at any age to explore STEM activities. STEM toys are the building blocks for future engineers and inventors.”

 

Source: Clipart

Source: Clipart

“Read in the name of your Lord, who created man from a clot. Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous, who taught by then pen.” (Qur’an 96:1-4).  

“All is born of water; all is sustained by water.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

For more information:

GoLeafe: http://goleafe.com/

International Institute of Islamic Medicine: http://www.iiim.org/

1001 Inventions: the Enduring Legacy of Muslim Civilization: http://www.1001inventions.com

Public Service

“Say: Travel through the Earth and deeply observe how God did originate the creation; then God produces the next creation; surely God has power over all things” (Qur’an 29:19-20)

Welcome and May the peace and blessings of God be upon you.

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Source: PassNowNow

Source: PassNowNow

"If the fundamental purpose in your career is to make life a little better and easier for people at the end of the day, that is compatible with faith.”

Dr. Shereef Elnahal 

In this new world of global pandemic and social distancing, we are reminded of our own health and our communal responsibilities to others. Those two concepts are practiced very differently amongst a community. We see that in everyday interactions and now, during the COVID-19 pandemic. What more perfect time to talk about public service than now? Meet Dr. Elnahal, President and CEO of University Hospital in Newark.

What is your job/occupation?

“I’m the CEO of the only state hospital in New Jersey (there is one county hospital, Newbridge). The hospital is a Level 1 trauma center and is the main academic center for Rutgers medical school. We have top notch surgeons, ophthalmology, etc. I was recently commissioner of health for the state. When this opportunity came up, I didn't hesitate because I knew how important this hospital is to the community.”

Why is this job so important to you?

“This hospital was part of a grand bargain struck with the black community after riots in the 1960s. The community in Newark reacted because of more than a century of discrimination, disenfranchisement and abandonment by government at all levelst. Part of the deal in settling things was to make this hospital a permanent fixture that would always be an anchor for the community, for health care needs. But, its role is even broader. It’s a place of employment, where folks go when there’s nowhere else to go. It’s a refuge, a place that should be an institution of trust, as much as churches, mosques, community centers and other civic institutions. Knowing that this mission and role had been compromised (the hospital had not been playing its intended role: its basic mission to provide quality care), I knew this would be an opportunity to make history. This hospital will be remembered by the city and the state forever, and its history is so important to Newark. The hospital is also a part of the broader story of revitalization in Newark. Mayor Baraka has an ambitious and achievable agenda to make Newark an economic center of power. Companies, small businesses, new jobs and people are  moving here. The city has infrastructure to accept more residents in terms of space, but if we don't have a good hospital in the middle of the city, than it’s tougher to do that. There's an emotional, historical and mission-based story from a healthcare standpoint. But it’s also a story for the future in revitalizing Newark. All other hospitals are from the private sector.

“The broader point is that the hospital is an extricable part of Newark’s history with civil rights. To this day, community leaders remember that. Even if they weren’t alive during those times, stories are passed down the generations. You hear them come out during public meetings and what people's views are of the hospital.

“Let there among you be a group that summon to all that is beneficial commands what is proper and forbids what is improper; they are the ones who will prosper‟. (Qur’an 3:104) 

What do you love about your job?

“The opportunity to deliver on the initial promise of this hospital. My favorite part is interacting with employees and getting to know them. If you google search the hospital, you see a lot of bad news over the last year. That said, the employees are some of the most talented and dedicated in healthcare s. They know the community, the problems patients face. Employees come from the community. Their dedication is actually heroism in a hospital that doesn’t have a system of care that is reliable. It’s just the right stuff you need to turn around the place. That starts with trust. Any initiative around change starts with building trust with the workforce, especially with employees, the people who empower themselves and others to deliver on the mission. The people who are talking to patients, whether the unit clerks, nurses' aide or physician or resident, all of them matter. The only way to engage employees is to fix the surrounding system. My role is a support role.”

What do you like least about your job?

“The hardest thing about change in a healthcare setting is doing it at a pace and with a strategy that respectfully tries to change culture when necessary. That's why healthcare is so complicated. Each stakeholder grew up in a culture that was different in terms of education and the journey through their career. The issue with trying to corral an organization like ours is that each stakeholder has their own culture that causes friction between the different types of care providers. But it’s worth pursuing.” 

Do you see any relationship between faith and your career?

“Faith does play a role. The concept that you can come into your job and work hard towards a benefit at scale for people is really important. It's a principle that underlies all faiths, not just Islam. This leadership challenge is pretty significant. I didn't come into this with ignorant assumptions. It’s not going to be easy to bring the hospital to where I think it should be. There’s a big element of risk. But that's what anybody with a sense of civic purpose does. They jump into areas where there are problems, not the other way around. I jumped into the VA when there was a crisis for access to veterans, and folks were asking me why I would do that. I did it because that's the job worth doing. New Jersey was an opportunity to go into a job where there was room for improvement, particularly for minority communities and people of color whose life was tough. I had many challenges as health commissioner for two years. It required as many partnerships as possible, working hand in hand with faith groups.

“Seek the life to come by means of what Allah granted you, but do not neglect your rightful share in this world. Do good to others as Allah has done good to you. Do not seek to spread corruption in the land, for Allah does not love those who do this‟ (Qur’an 28:77). 

 

Source CDC

Source CDC

“Islam creates productive boundaries for one's conduct as a leader. Being an honest broker and approaching things in good faith comes from values I get from Islam. There are practical reasons to not be a bad actor, but practical reasons don't protect you ethically in those situations. Faith also has a role in setting values as an organization. As a leader, the impression you leave on people and how you act and how responsive you are is a model for the organization. If you’re known to be unapproachable in negotiations, then that's a pass for everyone else. It’s good form and good ethics to set an example. Islam has a moral code that in many cases is not ambiguous. In my time as commissioner, I developed a lot of good relationships in New Jersey. Folks have asked me why and how, because it’s hard to be in a position of leadership without making enemies. This is in part because in certain situations when talking to stakeholders, I gave the truth and didn't try to make them happy. I wasn’t manipulative. Over time people saw that and saw how I operated. It’s helpful to know that regardless of the outcome, your behavior generates respect.”

During early Islam, bimaristans were created, hospital systems that were devoted for public welfare and health preservation. This tradition of multidisciplinary complexes became more commonplace in early Islam, as complexes of mosques, schools, higher education institutions and hospitals were built. This reveals the important role hospitals had in the community, but also the broader role hospitals and public health had within society, associated with other centers of learning and education. 

What do you want people, especially Muslims, to know about your career?

“Take a second look at service. Muslims are of all background and stripes. They are not a monolith. One common theme, and general theme with immigrant communities, is you have to make sure you are secure, financially or in your career. That's a product of the immigrant mentality because life is hard for folks who left their home and came to a place away from home. The typical values are be good, follow Islam, become financially secure and take care of your family. I suggest to not shy away from taking risks to serve. There are different investments you can make for yourself and your family. One type of investment is social investment, even if it’s at a financial cost. Social investment generates respect and appreciation for yourself and any group you represent, including Islam. You don't have to be a public servant. There are other ways to give back to the community that come with a cost, but it’s worth it. It’s a different type of security for yourself and your family. There’s no reason we can't have the same reputation that certain faith groups have. Islam can have any of those. It’s just a function of people getting involved in their communities, being helpful to others, not just Muslims, and making service a part of their lives.”

Source URMC

Source URMC

“Read in the name of your Lord, who created man from a clot. Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous, who taught by then pen.” (Qur’an 96:1-4).  

“Pioneering spirit should continue, not to conquer the planet or space … but rather to improve the quality of life.” Bertrand Piccard

For more information:

What is Public Health? https://www.apha.org/what-is-public-health

Dr. Shereef Elnahal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shereef-elnahal-18439027/

University Hospital in Newark: http://www.uhnj.org/about/credo.htm

International Institute of Islamic Medicine: http://www.iiim.org/

1001 Inventions: the Enduring Legacy of Muslim Civilization: http://www.1001inventions.com

Green Justice

“Say: Travel through the Earth and deeply observe how God did originate the creation; then God produces the next creation; surely God has power over all things” (Qur’an 29:19-20)

Welcome and May the peace and blessings of God be upon you.

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Source: Salam Islam

Source: Salam Islam

"Justice activism is very important for anyone who says they believe in God, Muslim or not. This is front and center if they’re really honest about their faith. If we understood the concept of ‘khalifah,’ we wouldn’t do what we’re doing to other human beings or this planet and its web of life."

Dr. HISHAM MOHARRAM

Are you someone that’s stopped using straws or shuns styrofoam containers? Or are you someone that wants to see what all the science says about climate change before pointing the finger at mankind as the cause? Ultimately, it may not be about whether or not you believe in humans causing climate change or what your politics are. Maybe it’s more about a relationship, a relationship you have or do not have with the environment, with nature. Dr. Hisham Moharram has a relationship with nature, and wants you to have one too.

What is your job/occupation?

“To me, an occupation is more than a job.  Through my current occupation, I am trying to fulfill my Islamic mission - as I understand it to be. I run an agribusiness. It involves marketing, editing websites, posts on social media, accounting, leading the farm team as they learn about tending crops, installing and maintaining irrigation networks, construction of physical infrastructure on the farm, preparing the fields for planting, harvesting crops etc..”

Why farm and farming?

“When I tend to the farm I feel like I’m in the dominion of my creator and the work takes me away from the neon lights, synthetic carpets, air conditioning, etc. It puts me into God’s complete control. I’m impacted, on a daily basis, by things that remind me of Allah’s power. When you're stuck in an unnatural setting, it’s easy to get arrogant and become far removed from behavior that reminds you of God’s omnipotence over all things, including mankind.”

“Then let man look at his food, (and how we provide it): For that We pour forth water in abundance, And we split the earth in fragments, And produce therein Corn, And grapes and nutritious plants, And olives and dates, And enclosed gardens, dense with lofty trees, And fruits and fodder—For use and convenience to you and your cattle.” (Qur’an 80:24-32)


Why Islam and what impact did it have in choosing your job?

“I grew up in an average Muslim home in Egypt. It wasn’t strictly religious, but I was instilled with the basics: don’t lie, cheat, steal. When I got to America, there were a lot of challenges in the first couple of years. I faced challenges to my identity, faith, ethnicity, language, culture as a whole. I came to study hotel management, because of American movies and TV. When I started being challenged/criticize for being Muslim, Arab and Egyptian, I felt devalued by those people challenging me: fellow students, sometimes instructors. It was very clear that they didn’t like what I felt was important to me. I started to defend Islam and Arabs. I would have to read up to be better prepared for the next time I was criticized. I learned more about the history of Islam and Arabs, recent history and geostrategy which resulted into today’s world realities. Learning and reading history strengthened my arguments. .” Dr. Moharram further discusses the people who challenged him the most by challenging his own personal relationship with Islam. “I was most challenged by two people who were non-Muslim. I tell my daughters, ‘You’re not Muslim because you’re grown up in a Muslim household. You’re Muslim when you choose to be a Muslim. It doesn’t matter where you grew up or who your parents are.’  I changed my major to do what I understood God Almighty would be pleased with: to do as much good and give as much assistance as possible. I chose agriculture as a major. It took me down this path of agronomy, mechanization, horticulture, genetics and plant selection. I earned a Masters in Horticulture and a PhD in Plant Breeding (and Genetics), then completed two postdocs in genetic engineering and molecular genetics. In my first job I researched natural products from plants which led me to pharmacology and bioactive natural products. As I read scientifc history I learned that where we are today in science was as a result of input from all cultures, especially Muslim culture. There is so much information on botanicals from early Muslims, but the media today seems to only mention and acknowledge Chinese, Ayurvedic or Unani botanical medicine. Basically, I chose to show the contribution of Islam to human development and exemplify being a good Muslim through my current occupation.”

 

What frustrates you about the current social climate?

“Ignorance of what Islam really is about, by non-Muslims and Muslims alike. My fellow Muslims mostly think their prayers, fasting and sadaqah are all what Islam is about. What the Prophet (PBUH) taught is that those are the foundations, but not the structure of Islam. They’re just the foundations, but what goes on top of that foundation is Islam. And how you go about living your life and treating the world that Allah created shows the truth of what one believes. There’s also ignorance about what the farm is really about. They don’t really understand why the issue of organic agriculture is so important. You see runoff into oceans, lakes; fossil fuel consumption driven by conventional commercial agriculture. This is very important for anyone who says they believe in God, Muslim or not. This is front and center if they’re really honest about their faith. If we understood the concept of ‘khalifah’, we wouldn’t do what we are doing. Those who might be poor and barely existing, I don’t fault them when they use chemicals to control weeds or pests. They are desperate, being offered products that can get them a little more crops to make ends meet one season at a time, when they’re barely making it. They are working so hard that they  barely have time to think. You can’t ask them to read the Qur'an when they work hours a day and are wiped out. The educated class has the time. The burden is much heavier for those who have or can attain knowledge because they have the advantages of security, comfort and time.”

 

What do you want people, especially Muslims, to know about your career?

“The issue of how human beings are interacting with the natural world is an essential issue to our proper observation of Islam. If we are going to claim to the world, as we are in fact claiming, that Islam is the way that the our creator wishes to see us living by, if we mean that, especially for those of us in the west, we have to be much more engaged in everything that negatively impacts the natural world. It’s really about justice. It’s unjust and morally wrong for us to use  products that end up in the oceans, lakes and rivers or in the soil because they do great harm. We will be asked about that. That damages the ‘trust’ we’re supposed to keep, as the Qur’an described it (al amanah). If we are truly khalifah, we should be the advocates for the turtle with plastic bags or nets wrapped around its body and kill it, or the whale that eats too many plastic bags and dies, or the chickens that are fed things that cause cancer and health problems that they can’t stand. These are all crimes in my opinion. I want everyone to stop and look at what they’re enabling by their actions and purchasing decisions and make better decisions. I want everyone to stop and think what Allah would be pleased by and what changes we need to make in our daily lives. We Muslims have to ask what engagement with society, including local, regional, state, federal, could bring about better legislation, better environmental control, and more justice in society. There’s a verse in the Qu’ran that states that ‘corruption has appeared on the land and in the sea by what people’s hands have earned’. Today, there is indeed corruption in the web of life, things are out of balance. It’s our collective actions that are damaging  the natural world. If we truly believe and have fear of the reckoning on the Day of Judgement, we will treat each other and the world around us with justice and kindness.”

 

Muslim Heritage has written a great piece on the history of agriculture in early Islamic times: “Early Muslim rulers were equally passionate about plants, gardens, water and greenery, and such passion played a major part in the rise of Muslim agriculture. An early promoter of farming was the Umayyad ruler, Abd Errahman I (r. 755-788), who, as soon as he took control in Spain, sent an expedition to the Levant to collect material for his garden in Cordova. The Banu Di Nun ruler, Al-Mamun of Toledo (r. 1043-1073), had the magnificent and beautifully named Bustan al-Na’ura (The Garden of the Noria) erected, in which was constructed Qubbat al-Naim (The Pleasure Dome), which fill the lines of poets. Other rulers with a similar passion for gardens and greenery dominated the early centuries of Islamic rule, from the Aghlabid rulers of Tunisia, the Tulunids of Egypt, to the Almoravids of Morocco. (1)

Islamic principles and jurisprudence played a role in economically growing the peasantry where crops and livelihoods were more plentiful compared to other civilizations of the time. “The system of crop rotation, fertilization, transplanting, grafting, and irrigation were implanted so rapidly and thoroughly because the legal code governing land-holding and tenancy provided an incentive to improve farming practices and because the upward spiral of economic growth rewarded investment.” (1)

Source Nishat Bagh

Source Nishat Bagh


“See ye the seed that ye sow in the ground? Is it ye they cause it to grow or are We the cause? We’re it Our will, we could crumble it to dry powder, and ye would be left in wonderment, (Saying), ‘we are indeed left with debts (for nothing): ‘Indeed are we shut out (of the fruits of our labor).’ See ye the water which ye drink? Do ye bring it down (in rain) from the cloud or do we? Were it Our will, we could make it salt (and unpalatable): then why do ye not give thanks? See ye the fire which ye kindle? Is it ye who grow the tree which feeds the fire, or do we grow it? We have made it a memorial (of Our handiwork), An article of comfort and convenience for the denizens of deserts. Then celebrate with praises the name of thy Lord, the Supreme!” (Qur’an 56:63-74)

“Read in the name of your Lord, who created man from a clot. Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous, who taught by then pen.” (Qur’an 96:1-4).  

“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” Dr. Jane Goodall

Notes:

1. Muslim Heritage: https://muslimheritage.com/agriculture-in-muslim-civilisation-a-green-revolution-in-pre-modern-times/

For more information:

Good Tree Farm: http://www.goodtreefarm.com/

Green Deen - Abdul Matin (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J0BN-MiY7o)

EcoMENA: https://www.ecomena.org/islam-environment/

International Institute of Islamic Medicine: http://www.iiim.org/

1001 Inventions: the Enduring Legacy of Muslim Civilization: http://www.1001inventions.com

Being Human

“Say: Travel through the Earth and deeply observe how God did originate the creation; then God produces the next creation; surely God has power over all things” (Qur’an 29:19-20)

Welcome and May the peace and blessings of God be upon you.

assalamualaikum-sm.jpg
Source: AgingCare

Source: AgingCare

"Faith has allowed me the ability to see myself as a tool for healing, but not the source. It is humbling, grounding and real."

Dr. MariAm ABOUKAR

Have you ever had a bad day? a bad month? a bad year? As humans we feel millions of emotions on a daily basis as we travel through life, learning how to manage our experiences and learn from them. Some of us express those emotions in a typical way, some of us don't. It's easy to identify someone who exists at the fringes of human behavior, but what about those who fly under the radar and suffer silently from mental health diseases that you can't see? In this perpetual age of stigma around mental health, somehow we've managed to separate mind from body and stigmatize human emotion. Dr. Mariam Aboukar is dedicated to removing the stigma around mental health and reconnecting humans and humanity.

Two of the most common mental health issues are depression and anxiety. The stereotypical psychiatric patient seen in movies is not the face of mental illness. It can be your neighbor, your friend, your colleague, your family. More than 17 million adults in the U.S. have had a depressive episode in the past year (1). It can be hard to recognize sometimes because it can present non-specifically: change in sleep, loss of energy, change in appetite, physical aches and pains, and sometimes extreme symptoms like hopelessness and suicide (1). About 40 million adults in the U.S. have an anxiety disorder and about 7% of children ages 3-17 experience anxiety issues each year (2). People can present with anxious feelings, but also physical complaints, like headache, sweating, upset stomach, pounding or racing heart. Both of these conditions are serious and are actual medical conditions. Treatment can look like therapy, where you meet with a psychologist or a psychiatrist, or it can also look like taking medications.

"Indeed, after hardship there is ease." (Qur'an 94:6)

As a psychiatry resident, Dr. Aboukar consults on patients in the hospital and sees patients in clinic who have mental health conditions. Her training is designed to identify specific mental health diagnoses and to decide on best treatment plan options for patients. Dr. Aboukar describes her job as simply having a conversation with patients. As simple as that might sound, it has profound implications on the individual patient who is suffering from a real medical condition. Sometimes the patient hasn't had an opportunity to process the trauma they suffered, or they are under a significant amount of stress that they can't even think clearly. Being able to be a source of stability and guidance, Dr. Aboukar notes being able to guide patients through these difficult times and allow them the space and safety to reflect on their own thoughts and life, and reach solutions that will work specifically for the patient, allowing them to achieve more quality of life and an overall sense of happiness. If that sounds like an alien concept, look no further than the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Sometimes patients have severe forms of mental illness and actually need medications to control their symptoms. "I do not want those who suffer from a mental illness requiring psychotropics to feel guilt or shame, just as a insulin-dependent diabetic should not feel guilty about taking insulin daily. We would never blame the pancreas for not releasing or utilizing enough insulin, so why do we blame our minds for our thoughts and biochemistry when it comes to mental illness?" (Dr. Aboukar).

 

On no soul doth Allah place a burden greater than it can bear" (Qur’an 2:286)


Through her work, Dr. Aboukar is reminded daily how her work connects with her Islamic faith. By helping patients improve their own perspectives and find happiness, she is reminded of the hadith, "Whoever helps his brother or sister in his time of need, Allah will be there in his time of need" (Sahih Muslim). "Diseases of the brain are as much biochemical as they are psychological. I would like Muslims to seek proper health care for their depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, etc. and to not suffer alone. I want Muslims to know that they cannot simply pray some mental disease(s) away."


During medieval Islam hospitals (bimaristans) were being developed and were serving everyone regardless of race, gender, citizenship (3). There were separate wards developed for patients with specific mental illness (4), similar to our current practice today for patients with severe mental illness. Mental health was identified as an actual diagnosis by Ibn Sina, in his Canon of Medicine, where he discussed depression and mania. Mental health was not ignored or stigmatized, but rather was a recognized specialized of medicine.

Source Source (Damascus)

Source Source (Damascus)


As prevalent as mental health conditions are and as we are all still human, mental health is a topic we cannot escape. It's easy to judge someone's reaction to a particular situation, but I wonder that if we were in that same situation, would we act any differently?

“Humanity is the source of spirituality. If you miss being humane, you miss the point of being spiritual.”

-Dr. Mariam Aboukar

“Read in the name of your Lord, who created man from a clot. Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous, who taught by then pen.” (Qur’an 96:1-4).  

“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen." Dr. Elisabeth Kugler-Ross (5)

Notes:

1. NAMI Depression: https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Depression

2. NAMI Anxiety: https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Anxiety-Disorders

3. Nagamia, H. "Islamic Medicine History and Current Practice." Journal of the International Society for the History of Islamic Medicine. 2003; 2 (4): 19–30.

4. Miller, A. "Jundi-Shapur, bimaristans, and the rise of academic medical centres". Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. 2006;99 (12). pp. 615–617.

5. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross: https://www.biography.com/scientist/elisabeth-kubler-ross

For more information:

American Psychiatric Association: www.psychiatry.org

Khalil Center - Muslim Centered Mental Health Care: https://khalilcenter.com

American Psychiatric Association: www.psychiatry.org

Khalil Center - Muslim Centered Mental Health Care: https://khalilcenter.com

For Health Professionals:

- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) Fifth Edition by the American Psychiatric Association

- Stahl's Essential Psychopharmacology: Neuroscientific Basis and Practical Applications by Stephen M. Stahl MD
- Massachusetts General Hospital Handbook of General Hospital Psychiatry 7th Edition by Theodore A. Stern, et. al.

International Institute of Islamic Medicine: http://www.iiim.org/

1001 Inventions: the Enduring Legacy of Muslim Civilization: http://www.1001inventions.com

Seen and the Unseen

“Say: Travel through the Earth and deeply observe how God did originate the creation; then God produces the next creation; surely God has power over all things” (Qur’an 29:19-20)

Welcome and May the peace and blessings of God be upon you.

assalamualaikum-sm.jpg
Source: Videohive

Source: Videohive

"When God puts you in a position to make a difference in people's lives that is so palpable, where they wake up and they benefit from something you have done, that is a continuous charity. It is something that is immeasurable."

Dr. Yassine Daoud

There have been multiple cultural references of the eye: windows to the soul, beware the evil eye, the all-seeing eye, eye of the tiger. Whatever your metaphorical interpretation of the eye, the eye is one gateway to understanding the world around us. Not the only one. In our current world of quick judgments and partisanship, two people can see the same thing and yet interpret two very different things. Vision perhaps isn’t the same as understanding. Or perhaps we see the world for what we wish, not for how it actually is. 

“Truly it is not their eyes that are blind, but their hearts.” (Qur’an 22:46) 

“With Him are the keys of the Unseen, the treasures that none knoweth but He.” (Qur’an 6:59) 

In the pursuit of the unseen, we delve into ophthalmology. Dr. Yassine Daoud is a cornea specialist at Johns Hopkins Medical Center. His career has become a labor of love and purpose, not a job. Growing up as a Palestinian refugee to becoming a world expert in cornea-related diseases is not small feat or easy journey. Still Dr. Daoud has a humble appreciation for his humanly limits. He wakes up every day to pray the morning prayer (Fajr) and prays that Allah (God) heals patients through his hands prior to surgery. He has a deep respect for the complexity that is the human body. “The dumbest kidney is smarter than the smartest attending.” He remarks that he is just a human being, living in an imperfect world, working as a surgeon, but not a miracle worker. Aside from genetic mutations and autoimmune disorders, the bodies we are born with and their innate functioning perform so well at their jobs, that medicine still doesn’t completely understand. These systems can’t be replicated, and when parts need replaced, modern science is still woefully inferior to nature’s/God’s design. “Have We not made for him a pair of eyes” (Qur’an 90:8). For example, the tear film around the eye naturally has more than 200 chemical components, and it comes free with birth. Artificial tears contain only 4-6 components and cost about $5-10 a bottle. There is much we understand, but still much more than is unseen in our current understanding. 


 


“Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.”

– Albert Einstein



During the height of the Islamic empire, when blindness was a major cause of disability, early Islamic scientists worked to update and modify the current understanding of ophthalmology at that time to get us to where we are today (1). Ibn Razi wrote a large section on ophthalmology in Kitab al-Mansuri that widely used in Europe (2). Ibn an-Nafis wrote “Perfected Book on Ophthalmology” that outlined anatomy, physiology, pathology, clinical treatment and surgery (1). A major game changer was Ibn-Haytham’s (Alhazen) work on recognizing that vision was formed in the eye due to light emission or reflection from an object, not the other way around, as had been postulated by Euclid and Aristotle (3). This theory, after traveling to Europe, led Sir Roger Bacon to propose vision correction through the use of lenses (4). 


No matter your prescription or what lens you choose to see the world through, sight is a powerful tool. But what will we do with this tool? “It is He who has created for you the faculties of hearing, sight, feeling and understanding” (Qur’an 23:78). Through seeing, physically and metaphorically, we can enhance our ability to understand the world around us, maybe even our purpose in life. “My favorite quote from the Qur’an, and sometimes misunderstood and misinterpreted is ‘Ye are the best of nations, evolved FOR mankind (Qur’an 3:110),’ not inherently the best OF mankind. We are here FOR people, to serve people to get closer to God. Most people who are extremist are the ones who don’t have religious foundations and are easily manipulated. It is very important to understand.”



“Read in the name of your Lord, who created man from a clot. Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous, who taught by then pen.” (Qur’an 96:1-4).  

“But concerning vision alone is a separate science formed among philosophers, namely, optics, and not concerning any other sense...It is possible that some other science may be more useful, but no other science has so much sweetness and beauty of utility. Therefore it is the flower of the whole of philosophy and through it, and not without it, can the other sciences be known” (Sir Roger Bacon)“

Notes:

1. UWOMJ: http://www.uwomj.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/v78n1.41-45.pdf

2. Arrington, G.E. A History of Ophthalmology. New York: MD Publications, Inc.; 1959

3. Esposito, JL, editor. The Oxford History of Islam. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 1999. p.155-213.

4. Sorsby, A. A Short History of Ophthalmology. London: Staples Press; 1933. 

For more information:

International Institute of Islamic Medicine: http://www.iiim.org/

1001 Inventions: the Enduring Legacy of Muslim Civilization: http://www.1001inventions.com




Pain as Stigma

“Say: Travel through the Earth and deeply observe how God did originate the creation; then God produces the next creation; surely God has power over all things” (Qur’an 29:19-20)

Welcome and May the peace and blessings of God be upon you.

assalamualaikum-sm.jpg
Source: Pinterest

Source: Pinterest

"Many women do not know why they have periods or assume that it is only to have babies. There are so many questions about how women dealt with painful periods in the past and what they did to treat these conditions that we now know much more about."

Dr. TAYYABA AHMED

The word hysteria is derived from the Greek word for uterus. Women were considered in a state of hysteria for many reasons, including epilepsy and depression, and were treated as if the uterus were “sad” (1). Women’s health has evolved significantly since the 5th century BC. However, we still have heated debates on certain aspects of a women’s body, like birth control and abortions, and there are still stigmas when discussing reproductive health and sexual dysfunction. Ironically, these issues affect men as well, but are classically “women’s issues.” 

“We ignore public understanding of science at our peril”

-Eugenie Clark

Dr. Tayyaba Ahmed is a physiatrist, which means she specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation. Her primary focus is pelvic rehabilitation: diagnosing and treating pelvic floor dysfunction. The keyword there is diagnosing. Pelvic pain can be a complicated condition to treat as symptoms are not always consistent and the physician has to rely a lot on the history of present illness, meaning what the patient is willing to offer. Because of the physical nature of the problem, there can be stigmas with discussing chronic pain in the pelvis and/or groin area, pain with sexual intercourse, endometriosis, sexually-transmitted infections, infertility. 


Dr. Ahmed notes how many physicians still don’t understand the pathology associated with pelvic floor muscles and how it can dramatically alter a person’s life, both for female and male patients. “I started the practice to treat women, but men started showing up,” she notes. About 40% of her patients are males. Her clinic has become a safe space where people can be honest about their entire medical history; for example, married men bringing in their girlfriends, women discussing their premarital sexual encounters. Having this level of understanding of a patient’s complex medical condition is extremely important in order to give the best, personalized care to not only treat, but heal, the person. One of Dr. Ahmed’s goals is to reach out to more Muslim patients as they face the same challenges and societal issues as anyone else, but may not get the same care given stigma associated with reproductive health in general. Many of her patients have been misdiagnosed and living with pain that they don’t understand and can’t control, that it has led some to consider suicide. “I had a male patient who said that if I hadn’t prescribed him gabapentin, he would have killed himself. He’s only had this pelvic pain for 2 months.” Some of her female patients with chronic pain and infertility are dealing with endometriosis. After listening to one patient’s full story, they realized she had endometriosis and once she was treated, the patient was able to get pregnant. “This is my charity. I’m blessed to not have this pain. I’m evaluating a set of muscles that no one can physically see. When a patient feels better after 10 doctors didn’t know the problem, that’s why we’re in medicine.”


 

“Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.”

– Albert Einstein



Whereas many countries, Muslim-majority or not, have laws that oppress women’s rights, this is not how early Islam treated its women and those it encountered during conquest. “Treat women with kindness, treat women with kindness! Have fear of God in relation to them and make sure you want well for them.” (Prophet Muhammad, PBUH). This was said during the last sermon by the “Prophet of Mercy,” who was known for his unique character, especially with his wives: “Among the Muslims the most perfect, as regard his faith, is the one whose character is excellent, and the best among you are those who treat their wives well.” (Al-Tirmidi).” Aisha would note how the Prophet (PBUH) would answer intimate questions women in the community had about menstruation and health matters (2). Whatever sect you belong to, the core of the religion is connecting with God and understanding his signs:

“Thus doth He explain His signs in detail, for those who understand”

-Qur’an 10:5


Humans were made as humans, and not angels or jinns, for a reason. Who knows if we’ll ever truly understand that reason why we’re here, but part of the journey is getting closer to God, while being human. Nothing more, nothing less. Being human is spiritual, but it’s also physical. There is nothing inherently shameful in the properties that make us physically human, such as the need to eat, sleep, engage in sexual intercourse, or the ability to experience pain and sorrow. It makes you wonder why we shame the very things that make us….us?

Source: ICORN - Mazin Shugaa/Yemen (“It is of my right to learn”)

Source: ICORN - Mazin Shugaa/Yemen (“It is of my right to learn”)


“Read in the name of your Lord, who created man from a clot. Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous, who taught by then pen.” (Qur’an 96:1-4).  

“For a research worker the unforgotten moments of his life are those rare ones which come after years of plodding work, when the veil over nature’s secret seem suddenly to flit and when what was dark and chaotic appears in a clear and beautiful light and pattern” (Gerty Cori)


For more information:

International Institute of Islamic Medicine: http://www.iiim.org/

1001 Inventions: the Enduring Legacy of Muslim Civilization: http://www.1001inventions.com




Small Gestures, Big Difference

“Say: Travel through the Earth and deeply observe how God did originate the creation; then God produces the next creation; surely God has power over all things” (Qur’an 29:19-20)

Welcome and May the peace and blessings of God be upon you.

assalamualaikum-sm.jpg
Source: Etsy

Source: Etsy

"Your beliefs and morals make you the person you are which is presented to the outside world by your work."

Dr. IffatH Neha

What comes to mind when you think of public health? It can be and mean many different things, based on your world view and even your views of what is the “public.” In this current climate, health debates devolve to whether or not you should get vaccines, what new diet plan is recommended, and what is the importance of community health vs individual health. Generally, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), Health is defined as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (1). Is it possible to have individual health without ensuring the health of your community? Are we only our individual selves or part of a greater whole?

Much as Plato said that the individual and ideal state can coincide without harming the others’ interests (2), is it possible to provide public health to those less fortunate and help the individual in the process? For one scientist in India, health isn’t just about an individual’s well-being, but how others’ well-being impacts society as a whole.  

“The similitude of believers in regard to mutual love, affection, fellow-feeling is that of one body; when any limb of it aches, the whole body aches, because of sleeplessness and fever”

(Hadith - Muslim and Bukhari)

Dr. Iffath Neha is a physician and senior program officer, clinical head of maternal and child health/family planning services for JHPIEGO in India. She worked for years taking care of individual patients’ health in our current model of healthcare. But, much as the individual is part of a greater whole, Dr. Neha found greater meaning in working for the underprivileged in society, particularly the refugee women from Burma. Since the summer of 2017, the military in Burma has been enacting an ethnic cleansing campaign against the Muslim minority Rohingya population (3). This has led to a refugee crisis in the area with people fleeing violence and rape. The Rohingya women have been systematically raped by the Burmese military, although rape was deemed a war crime after the Yugoslav War (4). As a result of this refugee crisis, neighboring countries are destinations for the Rohingya, although staying in these countries is not always deemed legal. India and Bangladesh are also resource-limited countries with inadequate healthcare services that are now dealing with a new refugee population that also has healthcare needs. Dr. Neha interviewed these refugees living in temporary settlements in outskirts of Hyderabad. She has found poor outcomes in terms of immunizations for young children, prenatal and antenatal care for pregnant women and general primary care services for adults. The purpose of Dr. Neha’s work is not to criticize any particular government, but is more of a call to action by all leaders and practitioners that the care of refugees is an important duty and should be fulfilled, particularly according to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of “Good Health and Wellbeing” (5).  

“Everyone has been made for some particular work, and the desire for that work has been put in every heart”

~Rumi


Although we may never know the hearts of those before us, we can view their actions and the impacts they made in the world. Not unfamiliar with luxury, Zubayda, niece of Khayzuran and wife of Harun al-Rashid, devoted lavishly to public works, projects for which she is still remembered today (6). She improved the water supply in Makkah in 805 A.D. when the well of Zamzam was threatened by drought. She also built a road from the city of Kufa (in current day Iraq) to Makkah (in current day Saudi Arabia), equipped with water stations and hilltop fire beacons to help travelers along the way (6). Zubayda remains an example of early Muslims focusing on the needs of the public to improve society as a whole.

“When you work in a sector of diverse people with varied backgrounds, social issues and challenging health problems, you get to know how blessed you are. People out there are suffering for survival, for livelihood, for identity, for safety. Just count your blessings and always thank the Almighty for giving you a peaceful life and try to make positive impact in others’ lives.” (Dr. Iffath Neha). If we all believed in the power of small gestures, what big differences do you think would be made in the world?

“Read in the name of your Lord, who created man from a clot. Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous, who taught by then pen.” (Qur’an 96:1-4).  

“Serve Allah and join not any partners with Him; and do good - to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in need, neighbors who are near, neighbors who are strangers, the companion by your side, the wayfarer ye meet [...]” (Qur’an 4:36)

For more information:

International Institute of Islamic Medicine: http://www.iiim.org/

1001 Inventions: the Enduring Legacy of Muslim Civilization: http://www.1001inventions.com