A Muslim doctor's "rule" in the month of Ramadan

[Zainab_M]

Salaams and hi everyone!

Just listen to this baffling story ..


Last year in the month of Ramadan, a family friend of ours went to the doctor's clinic for a routine monthly checkup.  She's an elderly lady with chronic multiple health problems like high blood pressure, diabetes and arthritis.  This is a walk-in clinic - that is - first come, first serve.  However, during her visit  last Ramadan, it was different. 

The doctor was a Muslim and so were all his patients.  On the day this elderly lady went there, she was feeling particularly unwell.  Of course, being chronically ill, she wasn't fasting, though she's a very devout and practicing Muslim.  She arrived in the clinic  around 10 in the morning.  She waited and waited without being called.  Many of those who came after her, were called but she wasn't.  After almost a couple of hours, she went to the reception to inquire.  She was told that as per the doctor's orders, all those patients who were fasting would be attended to first.  Those not fasting would have to wait, regardless of their condition.  The doctor who was himself fasting, obviously wanted to confer a special favour only on those of his patients who were also fasting.  Thus, the poor elderly lady, in her frail and miserable state, had to wait for more than 3 hours even though she was one of the first to arrive. 

My head kept reeling for a long time after hearing this appaling story!  I kept asking myself, when will our people give up such ridiculous behaviour and stop using our Faith to satisfy their very twisted ideas?  If we fast we aren't doing any favours to each other and neither are we doing a favour to the Almighty Allah.  We fast for the benefit of our own souls because God has commanded us to do so. 

Like all aspects of worship in the Noble Quran, the purpose of fasting also being for the spiritual and ethical awareness of each individual, it must not trumpeted as an excuse for personal concessions.  Neither should it be used as leverage for violating the norms of discipline and justice we are taught in the Noble Quran.  On the contrary, while fasting we need to be still more cautious than usual about the strict observance of ethical rules and regulations. 

People who nurture such harsh and inconsiderate notions as this doctor are only committing violations against their own souls, and that too in the month of Ramadan.  They fast, and simultaneously sin as well.  How they waste their own lives!  If supposedly educated persons like doctors display such shocking behaviour, think of the less educated ones!

May the Almighty Allah grant some common sense and decency to these misguided and ostentatious minds who will not even stop at distorting the purity and compassion of the Divine Laws.