[PymnImmen]

i think you are stating the obvious here but that should not be a reasoning to undermine the profound contribution of medicine and the practice as a whole.

No doubt the Quran has a cure to many illnesses but it is not its purpose. The sunnah however is the key to a prosperous and healthy living a life free of diseases and illnesses.

Just thought I would add this clarity since many Great Scholars, pious kings, Kaliphs had many physicians around them

I agree and I have not intended to do so If that were not the case then I would deny that the ulema agree that AFTER the propagation of Allah's divine rule (islamic scholarship), medicine is the most noble profession. While the former spiritually heals the latter physically heals. Also, good health means you can engage more actively in worshiping Allah SWT. I would just like to clarify that I am not trying to undermine the profound contribution of medicine and its practice and do intend to use 'islam' or the fact that qur'an has cure an excuse to do so either. Rather, what I was referring to was that although we muslims need female doctors, we equally need females in the sector of Islamic scholarship and based on my experiences I have not been aware of many but one. I meant to say that taking up ismaic scholarship and healping people to learn Quran and follow it is also a source of healing people, in my opinion, but in this case spiritual health. We have focused so much on physical well being, that unfortunately our souls are left malnourished which is why their are many individuals like myself, who dont know what to do in their life at times because probably the emaan is not there or very strong and hopes are still attached to worldly things late in their teens realise how much they need to accomplish to actually be able to learn the bear minimum required to fulfill obligation where that is not the case with those who have had emaan, islam nurtured in them from a very young age.

Also, living in a country such as Saudi and becoming a doctor, (unfortunately such an opportunity is not available to me ) is very different to becoming a doctor in a western country at a western university. It can become very difficult to practice ones deen especially when they are not nurtured islamically and have a lot to learn about their deen ahead of them. Also, if the Quran says the best among you are those who learn and teach the Quran then that can also not be denied.

[PymnImmen]

Assalaamu'alaikum,

I have some experiences of this issue. I have just completed my undergraduate studies at Cambridge University in the UK and had a place held for clinical medicine there, a place which I have just declined, today.

After studying on the medical route for the past 3 years, I decided that I felt it would be too difficult to balance life as a practicing doctor and priorities with children and my ambitions for studying the deen. However, what everyone on the thread should realise is that the most important thing for us is not to throw around fatawa ourselves about whether going to university or not is haram, as there are differing opinions among scholars on the issue. I have consulted a number of eminent scholars from ahl al-sunnah wa al-jama'ah, both in the UK and abroad, on this topic, and the overarching opinion I heard was that studying medicine and studying the deen are both noble, and medical knowledge is second only to deeny knowledge as Imam al-Shafi'i has told us.

It is possible to go to university and maintain one's deen. MashaAllah I know of a number of very practicing students who are making great contributions to university Islamic societies, gaining a beneficial education and also studying the deen and developing their knowledge and practice of tasawwuf. It is difficult but it is not impossible, so people should not throw around opinions of university being haram in such a sweeping manner.

As for me, different scholars narrated to me different opinions, and although studying medicine would be a noble thing to do, as after all some women do need to work in fields for which there is a fard kifaya, such as in medicine and teaching, I decided that it was not for me. Mufti Kamaluddin Ahmed in particular is of the opinion that there are enough female doctors in the UK, not necessarily muslims but at least female, and with all of the difficulties of medical training here, having to abide by the dress code and having to treat male patients, these disadvantages outweigh the possible benefits of practicing medicine, especially as the ultimate focus for Muslim women should be raising their children. If there was a sister desperately keen to practice medicine, she could of course study medicine in a Muslim country and specialise in gynaecology or paediatrics and practice here, but again the time commitment would mean that to be able to do justice in raising one's kids, she would have to limit the number of children she would have, which for me was the biggest deterring factor in all of this.



As an aside, Muslim women can make do with the uniform policies, such as getting hold of plastic disposable sleeves and wearing full surgical gowns in theatre, for example. I know a niqabi sister practicing medicine who, although not wearing niqab in hospital, is able to maintain her hijab and practice with haya. As I mentioned above, doing medicine is not impossible, and it is very noble, though in the current climate I wouldn't advise sisters to follow this route, particularly with the state of the ummah as it is, and the huge importance of raising our children to be strong muslims, on the deen who will be able to withstand the evils and fitnah of society here in the west.

InshaAllah I hope this has been of some benefit.

Wassalaam

After reading many opinions and replies I did get a little confused. But Jazak'Allah Khair for your reply, may Allah SWT reward, and help you to fulfill and excel in deen and attain a high status in Jannah, Ameen. I found this very helpful.

Also, I do want to excel in my deen and want to be close to Allah swt. I think doing a science base degree may not open up as many doors as doing an Arabic degree would for myself to go to the middle east and experience learning Arabic from its roots. I researched and found that at Al-Azhar Cairo although there is no undergraduate programme in Arabic Language or literature for non-native speakers, however, the possibility of doing a masters from there in Arabic Language is available obviously with prior knowledge. Although I cannot combine it (Arabic) with a science subject at university , on the other hand, I have decided to do BA Arabic and History (at SOAS). Would you think that this is a wise choice?

[PymnImmen]

Asalamwalaikum,

Based on my personal experience working in the NHS i will have to agree with this. We work 12 hour shifts, and I know doctors do similiar things. It makes it impossible for me in my current work environment to do Salat. Not only that I find it tremendously frustrating to not be in a state of wudhu. Having said that, for doctors this is a 'phase'. It is a sizeable chunk of one's youth, but one can progress into doing things which sit much more comfortably with practicing Islam. Again speaking personally, most of the doctors in my family are pillars of their community. They sit on masjid boards, they fundraise, they help construct new masajid, they donate generously, they network. I think we shouldn't underestimate that at all. As a whole in the UK specifically, we are underrepresented in the professional classes and out of the people in the professional classes, it is the doctors who stand out most as helping the Ummah in this country. It is shocking but unfortunately true that considering the economic power of muslim traders, in our masajid their contribution is outweighed by doctors. Anyway that is a side issue. Time for tarawi!

For a man I believe it is slightly different as the woman has the major role of nurturing her children which is their right in Islam. The mans job is in essence to with the physical world with greater contact than the women who are assigned a very important role within the home and that is to bring her children up in such a way that they operate withing society as pious and positive individuals and this cannot be achieved if the mothers are not islamically educated, and to be honest I am not from a very religious family so my upbringing has not been islamic

[karkinadze]

Asalaamualaykum,

I have a question and I have to make a final decision. In this month of Ramadaan please read, and leave a comment. I would be grateful if you can answer with all honesty, male or female. Yes it is long but please do give it a read. I am confused as to pursue a career in Dentistry or Medicine. After reading this you may turn away and may not want to answer, but PLEASE I really am in need of your help! My interest in medicine is greater than my interest in dentistry. However, when it comes to making a decision I feel that there is more to consider than just where one's interest lye. As a Muslim woman I do have other priorities, and please note I have not had an entirely Islamic upbringing (meaning I belong from the typical "moderate" Pakistani family) and have a long way to go down the road of Islamic knowledge.

I reside in the U.K and will pursue my Medical/Dental education and career in the U.K as well. I feel being a female I have to obviously look after a family as well in the future insha'Allah. Also I want to pursue Islamic education e.g. do an Alimah course, learn Arabic language...! You probably get the picture Now the problem I am facing is whether I can pursue these things alongside looking after a family, with a career or not. Yes I can probably study medicine with aalimah course, but not PRACTICE medicine alongside this and with a family. The practice of medicine in the initial years is very very demanding: night shifts, long, irregular hours- I fear that this will be a impractical profession for a women. However, on the other side of the picture I will be helping mankind and that is highly regarded in Islam and I will be pleasing Allah as well, and it is also sadaka jaariya.

I feel that Dentistry is a good option because it is a manageable career with family and I will be working regular hours and it is also flexible, even in your early stages. So I can learn, and preach Islam, and give time to children/ family insha'Allah. But, I feel that as a dentist I am not helping mankind as such and that really wont be regarded as sadaka jaariyah.

What is your view, your experiences! I am very young not even an undergraduate and married; and university and married life is something that I am in essence unaware of as I have obviously not experienced it yet. So, male female, married, un-married, please I would be grateful for your advice/ opinion in the holy month of Ramadaan please help me, Jazak'Allah, May Allah SWT bless you all, Ameen.

Wa'alaykumasalaam

There is an evil agenda behind the promotion of career to the Western women.

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http://www.henrymakow.com/feminist_a...f_her_rop.html

They are the victims of the most evil, most successful, social engineering program in history. It was designed to give women career instead of family. But until feminists acknowledge that they are victims of a cruel hoax, they won't be able to salvage whatever is left.

I'll elaborate later but first Ill give you a taste of the wisdom of a woman who defines "pathetic."

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http://www.henrymakow.com/daughter_o..._speaks_1.html

[fashikn]

I researched and found that at Al-Azhar Cairo although there is no undergraduate programme in Arabic Language or literature for non-native speakers, however, the possibility of doing a masters from there in Arabic Language is available obviously with prior knowledge. Although I cannot combine it (Arabic) with a science subject at university , on the other hand, I have decided to do BA Arabic and History (at SOAS). Would you think that this is a wise choice?

The most important thing sister is to pray salatul istikhara to ask Allah (swt) to guide you to the best way and to bless you with beneficial knowledge with which you will be able to raise your mini-troop of the muttaqiin and to positively benefit the ummah inshaAllah.

Also do take into consideration the issue of travelling and making sure you have a mahram with you. Too many sisters that I have seen are lax on this because they say they are 'seeking knowledge' and thus don't take heed of these things, a very dangerous path both physically in the dunya and more importantly for the akhirah.

[M4tHkBw2]

since u r begging for a reply................... think b4 choosing becuz being a doctor / dentist involves alot of haram activites......... so first look at ALLAh then decide.. thas my opinion

[inilbowly]

Asalamwalaikum,

I actually went to SOAS myself. i had several friends there who studied Arabic (i didn't myself). I can testify that the Arabic course there is excellent and it is very well done. Its certainly in the top 3 most prestigious Arabic courses at British universities.

Now a word of caution. There is an influential Islamic department there. It was founded by Bernard Lewis, a very famous orientalist who to be blunt about it, denigrates Islam. he is no longer at the institution and when i studied there, there were some fine lecturers there. The imprint of his thoughts however do remain. Just like in islam, teaching is passed down from teacher to student, who then becomes a teacher and so on... his imprints remain in some lecturers. Also, learning Islamic topics from people who are not muslim is a very very dangerous path to go down. So i would advise you to exercise caution if you do take any optional islamic modules there. Finally about this point, SOAS was originally founded literally as an Orientalist University, i.e. it was created to help rule the British Empire. To make the Oriental, understandable to the Occidental, to make the 'other' understandable to the enligthened white man. These days more than anything, it is a bastion of 'Global south' thought. i.e. it has been subverted and is full of anti-imperialist lecturers etc.. nevertheless it is important to know the underlying history of the place to keep on your guard....
Now the words of warning are done...

SOAS is overall an excellent university with a large muslim body. Its probably the most pro palestinian uni as well in the UK. Inshallah with your intentions you will make the best of it. Are you starting this september or next?