Dr Husain Abdul Sattar - Reorienting the Mind and Heart

 Reorienting the Mind and Heart

A Muslim’s journey through medical school can be fueled by ambition, curiosity, and an altruistic drive. However, a key goal here is to correctly find and set one’s intentions behind one’s studies. I recently had the opportunity to interview Dr Husain Abdul Sattar, a Sheikh, Pathology professor and founder of Pathoma, where I asked a few questions relevant to us as medical students. He reflects on how Islam has influenced his path in medicine, and how it guides his approach to practice and teaching. In this article, I will discuss the key messages and takeaways from our conversation.

How did Islam influence your decision to enter medicine?

Dr Sattar’s entry into medicine did not begin with a single defining moment, but with a gradual convergence of interests and beliefs. From early on, he was interested in science, becoming more serious in high school, where he attended a summer programme focused on recombinant DNA. He went on to study at the University of Chicago, intending to pursue a research career. However, during his undergrad degree, two changes occurred. He began to become more exposed to physician-scientists and the combination of medicine with research. He also went through an Islamic awakening and began to reflect upon his deen. This created tension: “Part of me was pulling towards doing the PhD, and another part was pulling towards trying to balance my religious inclinations with the desire to tangibly affect and better humanity”. Ultimately, the desire for tangible change combined with his faith won.

How did you navigate balancing religious commitments with your University education?

Addressing a familiar issue to medical students, Dr Sattar spoke about navigating balancing religious commitments with medical training. “For those inclined towards medicine,” he explains, “this is your mechanism of service. You need to see this as part of your deen, rather than your dunya”. This reframes the problem quite nicely, rather than viewing medicine and faith as competing priorities, he emphasises that medicine itself can be an ibadah with the correct intention. “The goal should be the pleasure of Allah and the service of His creation,” he says, cautioning against being distracted by status, salary, or ego. 

He also highlights a key part of shifting your mindset - “Your challenge lies in not trying to be someone else. Your challenge lies in optimising who you are.” It can be easy to begin comparing oneself with scholars, shayukh and people of knowledge, however, they have a different role in the wider community, and medical students and professionals have theirs. These all contribute in different ways, but for the same goal of strengthening the ummah and pleasing Allah s.w.t

How do Islamic principles shape your teaching and practice?

Dr Sattar warns against becoming preoccupied with what one is not: “If you spend your time ruminating on why you can’t be someone else, you fail to appreciate the challenges on your own path.” Every path carries its own trials, and in medicine, these trials can present instances of your intention deviating from seeking the pleasure of Allah. “When you choose this path, you should ask: what are the ‘snakes’ on this path? What are the things I need to be aware of so I don’t fall into them?” Success is not just about achievement, success can also be found in navigating these trials.

A large part of Dr Sattar’s contribution to medicine is through teaching at the University of Chicago, and through the online resource Pathoma and Fundamentals of Pathology. Teaching is an inseparable element of medicine, and it’s something that all of us will do to a degree at some point in our careers. Dr Sattar relates this to medicine being our mechanism of service - “By practicing, you serve patients. By teaching, you multiply that service.” Through teaching, a physician contributes not just individually, but collectively- impacting generations of practitioners and, by extension, countless patients; it offers the ability to lead by example.

An interesting topic of discussion is what we learn as the "hidden curriculum”. It is mainly used in a negative sense, describing the behaviours that continue to propagate despite being against best practice, due to juniors learning from the actions of seniors. However, the opposite can be true: the good practice and values we exhibit as teachers, the non-verbal teaching we give, can have a net positive effect on our students. This also extends to our character - “The teacher is the role model. Students are watching - not just what you say, but who you are.” This echoes historical patterns in the spread of Islam, where merchants and everyday individuals influenced others not through formal preaching, but through integrity and conduct. “This is why we must be spiritually grounded,” he adds. “Because what emanates from the heart will inevitably affect those around us.”

Dr Sattar’s work in creating Pathoma stems from the same principles that guide his teaching. “It was the desire to educate the next generation,” he explains, alongside the opportunity to create a lasting impact. By teaching others, he saw a way to extend his contribution far beyond individual practice - benefiting entire patient populations indirectly.

What practical steps can students take to purify intentions?

To address this question, Dr Sattar gave an analogy I found to be very powerful despite being so simple. “Your intention is like a sail. As the winds change, you must constantly adjust it to stay on course.” He explains that life is full of shifting influences such as success, recognition, and pressure, all of which can subtly change one’s intentions. For this reason, he stresses the importance of frequent reflection and renewal, arguing that it ideally needs to be renewed daily. 

The influence of the environment is also important in how one’s mind views the world and success. Being surrounded only by peers within medicine can create echo chambers, which can reinforce unhealthy mindsets centred around financial metrics of success or entitled attitudes. Dr Sattar advises students to seek good company and influence by surrounding ourselves with people who have Islam at the centre of their intentions.

Final advice to Muslim students

“When you choose something, excel in it. Excellence is not selective - you can’t be lazy in your studies and expect to be excellent in your deen.”

“Recognise that the greatest gift that you’ve been given is cognisance of your deen, your deen is the path through this world to Allah’s pleasure.” Everything else: education, career, and success are secondary but remain meaningful when aligned with the primary purpose. “Your education and career are not separate from your faith,” he concludes. “They are a means of expressing it.”

May this conversation serve as a reminder for students and professionals alike that success is not defined by achievement, but by intention, service, and a practice centred around one’s deen.

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Final final note - Dr Sattar, although very well known for his online medical resource Pathoma, also has a website where all of his Islamic work is placed: sacredlearning.org

If you have found what Dr Sattar has shared to be impactful, I recommend you visit the website inshallah.

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Barakallahu feekum

- Abdulsattar Hussain