Healing is my vocation, but in these troubled times there is a pressing need for all of us, irrespective of vocation, to do all that is humanly possible to promote peace and heal. For terror, whether inflicted by individuals or states, makes victims of us all. As someone who straddles the current unhelpful divide, a "Western Muslim," I (A Sheikh) believe that my most important calling is to try to inject a dose of tolerance into our increasingly fractured world.

There has been a Muslim presence in western Europe for well over a millennium, yet despite this lengthy period of interaction, Islam remains something of an enigma. The age old media stereotype that Islam is a faith of intolerance, fundamentalism, and terrorism has for many people recently been given added credence by the words and deeds of a vile and vociferous "Muslim fringe." But if such caricatures are a true representation of Islam and Muslims, why are we also witnessing the seemingly inexplicable phenomenon of a steady stream of Western educated intelligent women and men quietly committing themselves to the faith?

What is the allure of Islam?
This is a question that I am asked often. The answer is deceptively simple and largely explains why Islam has flourished wherever it has had the opportunity to take root. My years of experience working initially as a hospital clinician and more recently as a GP have taught me that if there is one thing that people are in search of it is the desire to be restored to "wholeness." Healers of course understand the strength of this calling better than most. When understood correctly, Islam - which is above all the religion of oneness - offers all people, irrespective of sex, colour, or background, the opportunity to become whole. Let me try to explain.

The word Islam quite literally means peace. The etymologically related term Muslim defines someone who has freely and consciously submitted herself or himself to the will of God. This act of acceptance is the vehicle through which human beings enter into a state of unison with the rest of creation, both animate and inanimate, for it too, albeit by design rather than choice, is bound by natural law. This connection with nature brings with it a united purpose that offers the potential to transform the turbulence and uncertainty experienced by so many into an inner sense of equilibrium and harmony. It is significant that the Arabic word for faith (Iman) also means "an inner security."

Learning from others
Practising faith is an art, and anyone intent on mastering the discipline requires a period of apprenticeship. I have over the years had the privilege of learning about Islam, both with and from individuals from all corners of the earth. With still much to learn, I regularly turn to those more adept and my present guides on the path include a retired physicist from Zanzibar, an educationalist of German descent, a Trinidadian writer, and an American head teacher. Witnessing first hand those who live in unison with the world around them has been a truly humbling experience. Through these and many other enlightened individuals I have begun to realise in my life the quintessential teaching of Islam, namely that of oneness.

The symbolism of prayers
The rituals of organised religion are nothing if they fail to achieve, to borrow from the Koran, "a sound heart." Take for example the daily prayers. At least five times a day, Muslims are invited to commune with reality. While this prayer has many important functions, not least of which is maintaining physical hygiene through the ablution that precedes the prayer, this is above all an expression of gratitude and a call to God to grant us the resolve to walk upright. I find the symbolism inherent in the prayer most profound. By linking the timings of the prayer to the movements of the sun, one's sense of gaze is forced "outwards" to the very epicentre of our universe. In stark contrast, the height of the prayer itself as the Prophet described it is the act of falling prostrate; a very important act for it is the only posture in which the heart - the receptacle of revelation is positioned higher than the intellect.

How medicine fits in
But Islam is far more than a spiritual tradition for it also has a societal dimension. Sharia or sacred law is principally concerned with five objectives: protecting life, safeguarding the freedom to believe, maintaining the intellect, preserving human honour and dignity, and protecting property. Muslims understand the term sharia as being "the path leading to the well of life," as both are concerned with preserving and promoting life.

Taking the first and foremost principle for example, it is easy to understand why so many Muslims continue to be attracted to the noble art of medicine. It is a tradition that has always been held in the highest possible esteem in Muslim culture, and it was when I was on my student elective in Pakistan that I finally realised why this was the case. Inscribed on the wall of one of the wards I found a most moving inscription from the Koran, and one that continues to inspire me: "Whosoever saves the life of a single human being, it is as if they have saved the life of the whole of humankind."

Islam and science
"Is there any tension between science and faith for you as a Muslim?" is another question that fellow scientists often ask. The answer is again simple for Islam valorises human intellect. "The noblest thing that God has created is the intellect" is a prophetic dictum that will be recognised by Muslims the world over.

Dr Aziz Sheikh
NHS/PPP National Primary Care Post Doctoral Fellow
Department of Public Health Sciences
St George's Hospital Medical School
Cranmer Terrace
London SW17 0RE
Tel: +44 (0)20 8725 2797
Fax: +44 (0)20 8725 3584
Email: asheikh@sghms.ac.uk