Imran Idris

There is a famous quote from the movie The Shawshank Redemption in which Brooks Hatlen, longstanding inmate of Shawshank State Prison, expressed his bewilderment at the furious pace of life that confronted him after being released from prison:

Dear Fellas: I can’t believe how fast things move on the outside. I saw an automobile once when I was a kid but now they’re everywhere. The world went and got itself in a big damn hurry.

I see this everywhere in our world nowadays: in the lack of patience while driving, in the push to increase productivity at the workplace, but also in the decline of reading. When I was a kid, it was not unusual to see people reading everywhere. Weekend newspapers weigh as much as dumbbells and you can spend literally hours poring through those newspapers. Sadly, that view has disappeared almost entirely, replaced instead with the sight of people mindlessly scrolling Instagram or Tiktok.

What prompted this post was me listening to an interview with Dominic Sandbrook, British historian and co-host of the delightful podcast The Rest is History (and incidentally, also an alumnus of Jesus College, Cambridge), in which he talks about the value of reading. Apart from the usual, intellectual, value of cultivating the habit, there is one other benefit of reading that is often overlooked by many. It is the way you are given a glimpse of life from a different point of view, thus giving you the opportunity to feel for a brief moment what it is like to be, for example, someone who doesn’t have a voice in society, or someone living in a war-torn land.

The hosts said something during the interview that I agree with wholeheartedly, about how reading nurtures in you a sense of empathy. Looking around today, I see many instances where some form of understanding of what other people are going through would take us a long way towards creating a kinder world, one in which people would be rightly horrified at the thought of bombing a girls’ elementary school in the name of freedom and democracy.

So…yes, the decline of reading is an unfortunate by-product of a world that has gotten itself in a big damn hurry. In my next post, I will write about my efforts to become an ‘omnivorous reader’, hopefully as a way of pushing back against this worrying trend. In the meantime, stay tuned, and take care everyone!

I recently got the chance to travel to Istanbul for a work-related event, an opportunity that I snapped up eagerly, with memories of my one and only trip to the historic city in 2009 resurfacing in my mind.

It was the first time in my life flying business class. The seats were new to me; I had to send a quick text to a friend to ask him how to open the tray table! The flight itself was enjoyable, with the usual amount of turbulence while crossing the Bay of Bengal. Some people can sleep soundly while flying, but I’m definitely not one of them! Thankfully it wasn’t a very long flight and I spent most of it watching (OK, re-watching) Lord of the Rings.

My group stayed at the Grand Tarabya Hotel, overlooking the Bosphorus Strait. We were welcomed with some sweet treats (a recurring theme while in Istanbul) before each checking into our hotel rooms.

The last time I was in Istanbul was with my wife back in 2009. We stayed near Sultanahmet Square, a few minutes from the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque. On my first full day in Istanbul, I headed to the Grand Bazaar first thing in the morning before walking the short distance to the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque.

Whenever I’m in a new place, I almost always take the opportunity to go for a jog in the morning to explore the surrounding area. Notwithstanding the 6-degrees Celsius temperature, I spent each morning jogging along the Bosphorus Strait, where I was pleasantly surprised to see so many interesting sights including that of the sun rising over Asia.

The highlight of these early morning excursions was undoubtedly drinking coffee at Caffe Nero. I had to wait a few moments before entering because a dog was blocking the only way in, but once it spotted a canine friend across the road and dashed across to exchange pleasantries, I made my way in, admired the cat by the counter, got my coffee, and sat in the garden drinking the wonderfully warm stuff in the cold wintry morning. Bliss!

The event itself was very well-organised, with speakers from all over the world coming in to share their expertise. I don’t know if I want to bore you with the details though, suffice to say that I will definitely be on the lookout for more programs like these ESPECIALLY if they are held in interesting venues like Istanbul!

Anyway, apart from the educational event itself, I went to the usual touristy locations and some not-so-frequently-visited places including:

Istiklal Caddesi

Came here twice, in fact, on the very first night after arriving and also once more on the last day to find some last-minute sourvenirs for folks back home. I walked from Galata Tower to Taksim Square, window shopping all the way.

Eyüp Sultan Mosque

This mosque was first completed in 1458 before being rebuilt in 1800 following some earthquake damage. I really wanted to visit the mosque as it also housed the tomb of Saidina Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari, one of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). There were more local tourists, or pilgrims, than foreign ones. Inside the mosque, I sat for a while studying the beautiful architecture and calligraphy.

Fatih Mosque

Named after Fatih Sultan Mehmed, the Ottoman sultan also known as Mehmed the Conqueror, the mosque complex also housed the tomb of said sultan. One striking thing about this mosque is the number of cats not just outside the mosque but also inside the prayer hall itself.

Süleymaniye Mosque

Last but not least was the impressive Süleymaniye Mosque, commissioned by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and designed by his imperial architect Mimar Sinan. I visited the tomb of Sultan Suleiman before making my way inside the mosque itself. It was almost time for the Zuhur prayer when I got there so I joined the congregation before walking a short distance to see the more modest tomb of Mimar Sinan.

Needless to say, it was wonderful to be back in Istanbul. I am already making plans to go there once again with my family, but before that, it was a couple more flights via Dubai, and yet another Lord of the Rings movie, before safely reaching home.

Courage is not the complete absence of fear. Instead, courage is the ability to continue what you are doing despite the presence of fear.

By that measure, the late Anas al-Sharif was undoubtedly a courageous person. Last Sunday, Anas was tragically killed by an Israeli airstrike on a tent for journalists who were working near al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza.

The following statement was posthumously published on his social media accounts. I wish to preserve them here so that one day, if God asks me what I have done for the Palestinian people, I can at least point to something as proof that I have not remained totally oblivious to their suffering.

This is my will and my final message. If these words reach you, know that Israel has succeeded in killing me and silencing my voice.

First, peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings. Allah knows I gave every effort and all my strength to be a support and a voice for my people, ever since I opened my eyes to life in the alleys and streets of the Jabaliya refugee camp. My hope was that Allah would extend my life so I could return with my family and loved ones to our original town of occupied Asqalan (al-Majdal). But Allah’s will came first, and His decree is final.

I have lived through pain in all its details, tasted suffering and loss many times, yet I never once hesitated to convey the truth as it is, without distortion or falsification – so that Allah may bear witness against those who stayed silent, those who accepted our killing, those who choked our breath, and whose hearts were unmoved by the scattered remains of our children and women, doing nothing to stop the massacre that our people have faced for more than a year and a half.

I entrust you with Palestine – the jewel in the crown of the Muslim world, the heartbeat of every free person in this world. I entrust you with its people, with its wronged and innocent children who never had the time to dream or live in safety and peace. Their pure bodies were crushed under thousands of tons of Israeli bombs and missiles, torn apart and scattered across the walls. I urge you not to let chains silence you, nor borders restrain you. Be bridges toward the liberation of the land and its people, until the sun of dignity and freedom rises over our stolen homeland.

I entrust you to take care of my family. I entrust you with my beloved daughter, Sham, the light of my eyes, whom I never got the chance to watch grow up as I had dreamed. I entrust you with my dear son, Salah, whom I had wished to support and accompany through life until he grew strong enough to carry my burden and continue the mission. I entrust you with my beloved mother, whose blessed prayers brought me to where I am, whose supplications were my fortress and whose light guided my path. I pray that Allah grants her strength and rewards her on my behalf with the best of rewards.

I also entrust you with my lifelong companion, my beloved wife, Umm Salah (Bayan), from whom the war separated me for many long days and months. Yet she remained faithful to our bond, steadfast as the trunk of an olive tree that does not bend – patient, trusting in Allah, and carrying the responsibility in my absence with all her strength and faith. I urge you to stand by them, to be their support after Allah Almighty.

If I die, I die steadfast upon my principles. I testify before Allah that I am content with His decree, certain of meeting Him, and assured that what is with Allah is better and everlasting. O Allah, accept me among the martyrs, forgive my past and future sins, and make my blood a light that illuminates the path of freedom for my people and my family. Forgive me if I have fallen short, and pray for me with mercy, for I kept my promise and never changed or betrayed it.

Do not forget Gaza. And do not forget me in your sincere prayers for forgiveness and acceptance.

Reading these words, it is impossible even for one second to believe that they originate from the heart of a terrorist. What emerges instead are the poignant reflections of someone who deeply cared about his people, who was willing to give the ultimate sacrifice in order to tell the truth about the genocide being perpetrated by Israel.

At a time when the leaders of many Muslim countries remain hidden in their opulent palaces, Anas demonstrated to us what it meant to be at peace with the decree of Allah SWT. May God reward him with the highest rank in Jannah, together with the rest of the shuhada’ and salihin.

Be at peace, my brother. Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raaji’uun.

I am re-reading Cal Newport’s book Slow Productivity as I try to navigate my new life in private practice.

The central theme of this book is summarised as follows:

1. Do fewer things
2. Work at a natural pace
3. Obsess over quality

In my previous life as an academic, I honestly felt like I was juggling too many things without being able to do any of them particularly well. For those of you who don’t know, being a clinical lecturer effectively means you’re doing 3 jobs at once i.e. teach, treat, and research.

Ironically, it was my PhD that convinced me to make the decision to leave academia and focus on clinical work instead. This was one of the most difficult decisions I’ve had to make in my life. After all, nobody likes to admit that they made a mistake once they have started something. In my case, I realised soon after starting my PhD that I would MUCH rather be at the hospital doing clinical work. Those one-to-one conversations with patients, those were the moments where I felt I could do my best work. Work that was meaningful to me personally, but also meaningful to the patients hopefully.

The thing about private practice is there will always be the temptation to compromise quality for quantity. At times like these, it is good to bear in mind the notion of slow productivity. Give the patient time to tell their story. Delve into their understanding of what is happening and their expectation from the consultation. I know this is not easy, but I hope I can continue to cultivate this approach in my daily routine.