# Why did a medical doctor choose to study religion at Harvard?

*Introducing the guest: from medicine to the study of religion at Harvard*

- URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/zasz48lx_wi/s/1/
- Date: 2020-12-11 · Kind: discussion · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: Dr Javad T. Hashmi | Axis of Morality & Archetypal Myths in the Quran | MindTrap 46 |Mufti Abu Layth (0:04–3:37)
- Status: a view quoted in order to be discussed, not a position held
- Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAsz48lX_WI&t=4s
- Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/zasz48lx_wi/

**Topics:** Guest conversations; How to study Islam

**Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** The guest describes training as a physician and then turning to Arabic and Islamic studies at Berkeley and Harvard, where he is now a PhD candidate in the study of religion, despite his family's initial unease.

## Longer summary

Mufti Abu Layth opens the MindTrap episode by presenting his guest, Dr Javad Hashmi, with jokes about the prestige of Harvard, and the guest jokes that it is an honour to be on the 'Muslim Joe Rogan podcast'. Asked for an overview of his journey, the guest says he was born and raised in California, first studied engineering, which he hated, then medicine, which he also disliked but completed through residency. He then went back to university for a bachelor's in Arabic and Islamic studies at UC Berkeley and a master's at Harvard, and is now in the middle of a PhD in the study of religion, having also done a fellowship in medical ethics, while still practising part-time as a physician. Asked whether people in the South Asian community questioned a doctor becoming a religious scholar, he says his parents were not happy at first, that he told his wife after marrying that he would study religion, and that he loves the journey however long it takes.

## Sources and names cited

- Dr Javad T. Hashmi (guest)
- Harvard University
- Joe Rogan

## Transcript (machine tier, 0:04–3:37)

[0:03] Guys once again let me present to you right Dr. Javad Hashimi [snorts] from Harvard people. You have to say that with like an like almost with the word hazat before it. Hazat Harvard Sharif. [laughter] It is there so much prestige I have to say in saying uh you know from Harvard.

[0:26] It's like wow. Welcome to Mind Trap Doc. [laughter] Thank you so much for having me. Right. It's an honor. If if you're cutting out the previous part, I got to repeat the statements. Go for it. It's an honor to be on the Muslim Joe Rogan podcast. So, thank you. [laughter] Wah and they embarrassed me. So, Doc, those of uh those uh of the viewers that are not so familiar with your journey, you've you're from the States, born and raised in California, which just sounds like

[1:04] such a cool place. Anyway, just the name California. And then you know your journey your interest in Islam graduating from Harvard such a you know such prestige and that too in the department of religion in addition to being a medical doctor what is all of this about give us a bit of an overview about yourself doc. Sure I appreciate that. So just like any dy I had two options study engineering or medicine.

[1:32] I first studied engineering. Uh I hated it. Switched to medicine and to be honest I hated it too. But I was too far in now to quit. So I uh finished my residency and uh decided immediately to go back to the university. So I went back to get a bachelor's in Arabic and Islamic studies from UC Berkeley, a master's from Harvard in uh Islamic studies and now I'm actually in my PhD for Islamic studies, the study of religion as you said.

[2:01] Um so I I did eventually choose to study Islam in the academic environment in the Western University. Um so that's that's the short and long of it. And in between I also did a fellowship in medical ethics that kind of bridges my medical side to my interest in religion. So I still do practice as a physician part-time but my primary gig so to speak is my PhD. And so I'm I'm currently in the middle of my PhD. Weren't you um did you not get some of the comments that look now that you're you see a doctor the the medical do the medical the real doctor there were people say you know no I meant a real doctor those uh that's

[2:39] like up there in the desi world as prestige you know mashallah doctor so when from that you thought you know I want to study religion I mean is this not a bit of an odd you know people say yeah he wants to be a mulvi what what the hell's wrong with this guy, you know? Yeah. Did you not get any of that from people? Of course. Of course I did. My parents were not the happiest initially when I decided to do this.

[3:05] Uh, you know, at this point in time, I should just buy a nice house, some nice cars, settle down. Um, but instead, I've chosen this path, which is a lot more difficult. But, uh, really, I got married while I was a doctor and then I quickly told my wife, you know what, I'm going to go study religion. So, but I was already married. So, [laughter] So it's I I think in life you got to do what you love and uh I feel like I was meant to study what I'm studying now and so I absolutely love it.

[3:34] It's not like it's not difficult for me. I enjoy it. So people sometimes ask me how many more years of the PhD you have left and when they hear they're like oh my god for no for me that's it's the journey is just wonderful. So wow. Uh that's awesome. this by by the way this whole thing of wanting to study Islam or deepen your knowledge on Islam um and then Harvard cuz it's not even though it's amazing in terms of you know these places when you think of Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard uh you don't really think of Islam you know

## Cite

Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment ZAsz48lX_WI/s/1. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/zasz48lx_wi/s/1/

Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.