Dr Shahid Athar elected President of the Islamic Medical Association of North America
Text of acceptance speech  made during the banquet at the IMANA International Convention in Tehran, July 31 ,2001.

Assalamalaikum.

I want to IMANA members for their trust in me and for electing me as their President. I pray to God that I meet your expectations and fulfill my duties as the President and as a worker of IMANA. To all those who did not vote for me and those who will question me for a good cause, I assure you I will listen to your voices more than others who did vote for me. I will take your suggestions seriously and with an open mind.

I can not start without thanking the board of Regents of IMANA for their guidance and my predecessor, the outgoing President, Dr. M.A. Hai as well as all the other members of his cabinet for their help and guidance that they have and they will give me inshallah in the future. I will continue to seek your advise and input. Because of you, IMANA is stronger today. We must maintain it and make it even stronger.

In the last thirty-four years, IMANA has come a long way but has a long way to go. Though there are twenty thousand Muslim Physicians in the USA, our paid membership is very small. We must increase IMANA membership to have sound financial base. Many of the IMA of other countries look up to IMANA for guidance. Even many non-Muslims and secular institutions in the USA such as the American College of Physicians and the Institute of Medicine as well as the American Medical Association look toward IMANA's involvement and input. American medical schools and hospitals frequently invite IMANA ethicists and Presidents to tell them about Islamic medicine and the care of Muslim patients in their facilities as well as to teach medical students about medical ethics. We have a bigger role to play in these areas. With the creation of IIIM (International Institute of Islamic Medicine) and FIMA( Federation of Islamic Medical Associations), our shadow has become larger than us.

IMANA is not 3 people working in the headquarters in Chicago or 4 elected officials or 5 appointed board members. IMANA is all of you, the Muslim Physicians whether members of IMANA or not. You are all part of IMANA in one way or another and ambassadors of Islamic medicine. You can strengthen IMANA with your contribution of time, money and advise as well as your prayers. I am looking forward to a wonderful year and working with you but if at any point during my tenure as President, you feel that I am not doing the job that you expected me to do, then please offer some help yourself to improve in that area. I do not take seriously, criticism without participation and offer of help as we are all volunteers and not paid employees of the organization. I thank you again for your trust in me but I trust in your strength and help along with that of Allah to bring us together in the cause of Islam and Islamic medicine. Thank you.

Shahid Athar M.D. is Clinical Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, Indiana University School of Medicine Indianapolis, Indiana, and a writer on Islam.

Read other articles by Dr Shahid Athar here.