Medical students and their faith - Being a Muslim medic

When I was a child, the significance of being a Muslim to me was trying to be a good person as well as taking part in a few extra activities in addition to my time at Brownies and calligraphy classes with other school friends. Arabic lessons for an hour after school in the evenings with my siblings helped us to read and write Arabic (an important prerequisite to being able to read the Quran), and some of us began to learn parts of the Quran off by heart. I learnt how to perform ablution (washing and purifying oneself before prayer), as well as the correct actions, direction (towards Mecca), and timings of praying five times a day from my parents.

The excitement of Ramadan peaked when I was old enough to begin to keep a few fasts during the long summer days and join in with cooking the iftari (fast opening) meal in the evenings. The celebration …