01/10/2026
🌿 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥-𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬,
There seems to be a common grievance — or perhaps some unnecessary gossip — about my not attending programmes, gatherings, meetings, functions, get-togethers, and other events, and even about my occasionally declining invitations as a guest, chief guest, special invitee, etc.
I feel it is time for me to clarify this personally.
🙏 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐚 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐨𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲.
This is not merely my profession; 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐝.
Anything that makes me compromise on that responsibility troubles my conscience, because ultimately, 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐀𝐥𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐈 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐮𝐭𝐲. 🤲
Unlike many other professions, a doctor cannot simply switch off duty hours, take a casual leave, or leave patients unattended for the sake of attending an event.
🩺 𝐌𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭. 𝐀𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬.
I cannot even depend entirely on an assistant, because many of my patients specifically want to consult 𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲. Their trust and expectations are something I value deeply.
And it is not only during my regular working hours.
🌙 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 — 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬, 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.
𝐌𝐲 𝐝𝐮𝐭𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐚 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤.
There have even been occasions when I had to leave a programme in the middle to attend a patient. This is one reason I sometimes hesitate to accept invitations in the first place — I would never want my absence or sudden departure to put the organisers in an awkward or difficult situation.
🕰️ 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐝𝐬.
Even then, I often attend house calls, and if patients come to my home seeking consultation, 𝐈 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞.
So, my dear friends and well-wishers… ❤️
𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭, 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.
It is simply the consequence of the life I have chosen — 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐮𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬.
I sincerely value every invitation, every friendship, every relationship and every person who thinks of inviting me. 🙏
But sometimes, 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞.
And I hope you will understand that this choice is never made out of disrespect.
🌿 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲.
🩺 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.
❤️ 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧.
🤲 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥, 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐈 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐀𝐥𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐲.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
📌 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐌𝐘 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄
In the past, I did attend several programmes and social functions, genuinely trying to honour the invitations and the people who invited me.
But on a few such occasions, 𝐈 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞.
Some had waited.
Some had returned disappointed.
Some had to postpone their consultation.
And some genuinely needed me at that very time.
💭 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧.
I realised that while attending a programme may mean a lot to me or to the organisers for a few hours, 𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.
That lesson stayed with me.
Since then, 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.
It is not that I don't value social occasions.
It is not that I don't respect the organisers.
It is not that I don't enjoy meeting people.
❤️ 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭.
And if choosing my patients over a social gathering makes me appear absent from certain circles, I humbly accept that misunderstanding.
Because at the end of the day, 𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.
🤲 𝐌𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈 𝐝𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬.
𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐞.
I hope this small clarification puts an end to unnecessary assumptions and loose talk.
🙏 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲.
My sincere apologies to anyone whose invitation I have declined, whose programme I could not attend, or whom I may have unintentionally disappointed.
🩺❤️ 𝐌𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫.
𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠.
And that trust is a responsibility 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐥𝐲. 🩺❤️
Perhaps someday, when my circumstances allow, I may be able to participate more often in the social occasions and gatherings that I genuinely value.
Until then, 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞.
❤️ 𝐌𝐲 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞.
𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬, 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞. ❤️
With respect, gratitude and affection to everyone who understands and continues to support me.
🤲🌿 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬,
𝐃𝐫. 𝐌𝐨𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐈𝐟𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐤𝐡𝐚𝐫 𝐀𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐝
Consultant Unani Physician & Lifestyle & Wellness Coach
𝐀𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐚 𝐔𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐢 𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥
“𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐝𝐨𝐦, 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭” 🩺❤️
