Qanta Ahmed, author of In the Land of Invisible Women: A Female Doctor's Journey in the Saudi Kingdo

Join us here to talk to Qanta A. Ahmed, author of Invisible Women. She'll be on LibraryThing to discuss her work and answer questions through November 21st.

Thank you for writing your book. I especially appreciated your account of making the Hajj. Have you been able to keep in touch with the people with whom you had established friendships?

Hi Qanta,

I just read and reviewed your book earlier this week, and I really enjoyed it. Could you talk a little bit about the reactions people in the U.S. and abroad have had to your story? Are you receiving any criticism or feedback from your colleagues and/or your opposition in Saudi Arabia?

Thanks,
Rebecca

So lovely to hear from you. Writing about the Hajj was also one of my favorite experiences in the process. Yes I am very in contact with almost every person depicted in the book. Some of them are reading it now and I hope my friendships survive the process! Its hard to write truthfully about one's relationships without risking injury to others- feelings can be hurt. I am very much looking forward to hearing the responses of the Gloria Steinem of Arabia to the book or to hearing from Dr Fahd who has already called me to tell me he has 2 copies at home with him in Riyadh. I think their insight will be fascinating.
Tell me what about Hajj most affected you?

Thats a great question Rebecca. Thank you for reviewing my book. The reactions here in the States have been very gratifying to me. I am constantly humbled by the Americans I speak to about the issues the book discusses. I find Americans to be consistently open, curious and empathic, even when discussing painful topics like antiAmericanism or AntiSemitism. Readers often speak to me of a sense of hope and insight that perhaps everything about the Kingdom is NOT negative and that quite possibly many aspects about Saudis are very similar to ourselves. They also tell me that my book clarifies a number of misconceptions about Islam. Many tell me its the first time they have found Islam humanized or made three dimensional. Perhaps the most memorable account was of the 80 year old mother of a friend of mine who lives in Upstate New York telling me she feels she has made Hajj, she has been to Mecca, she has been inside an abbayya.

I havent been subject to any negative feedback. Surprisingly a number of Muslims in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere have written to thank me of explaining the difference between Islamic ideals and cultural interpretations. Many Muslims I suspect are being more guarded because my book tries hard to be an honest mirror to reveal everything I encountered, positive and negative and describe actions which are ascribed not only to Saudis but to Muslims of many nationalities. Sometimes that kind of candor may be unpopular so perhaps more opposition will come in time...I am also astonished at the amount of curiosity Americans have about Islam and Saudi Arabia in particular. In the post 9-11 era I beleived much of this topic saturated in the public imagination but speaking to Americans this is evidently not the case.

Readers I am here! I finally found the place for me to post messages with the help of my patient support team at SourceBooks and colleagues at Library Thing. I am very excited to hear from you and looking forward to answering questions concerning this, my first book.

To answer your question: Perhaps because all reports of the Hajj that we hear in the news simply tell of immense crowds (and often accidents) it was good to go "step-by-step" with you. Your descriptions were vivid and I could follow you in my mind's eye. ~~~ Now it is great that you are participating here with us. I hope you will consider joining LibraryThing. Tho many groups are serious, foolishness is welcome in several and that is a good way to relax.

I don't really have a question, but I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed the book. Have you thought of publishing it in Norwegian?

How nice. As far as I know the book is to be translating into Indonesian and Portuguese. I have heard from Spanish press who are reviewing it now. But no plans for a Scandanavian issue to my knowledge. I am aware there seems to be a huge appetite for knowledge about moderate Islam around the world especially Western Europe. Scandanavia I would guess may also be curious given the ghastly cartoon responses by fanatical elements in neighboring Denmark....I am not certain if the cartoonist is actually seeking shelter in Norway. I cannot recall. I am very glad you enjoyed the book. And if it is not unethical would it be possible for you to share your review on amazon.com where non Library Thing readers can benefit from your insights? Will check with my Publisher to make sure this isnt a conflict of some kind. I certainly learn from the thoughtful reviews....

This is an interesting point. I am actually well published on the academic aspects of Hajj too, including one article which was published in The Lancet. There are even in the medical field limited accounts of the events which consitute Hajj. Many people mention the account of Hajj Malcolm X described- one I havent read but will- and he experienced that as transformative and inclusive. Few detailed accounts exist in English whereas many texts have been dedicated to the precise performance of the rituals. The Hajj made an enormous impact on how I think of myself within Islam. It also I think helped me advance further in terms of tolerance and acceptance of others and of the limitations within myself. I hope to visit Mecca again shortly but not in the context of Hajj. I doubt I will ever to that again, but who knows when my invitation will come again!

I believe I have joined Library thing surely? Else how would I be able to chat? have a missed something here? Do share.

Qanta, you certainly have joined LibraryThing or, as you state, you would not be able to chat. I have a feeling that what Esta is hoping is that you will catalog your own books and stick around, explore more of the site and other 'Talk' groups in which you might be interested.

(Esta here: Yes, that was what I meant. I have found many interesting discussions and, tho you are a busy person, thought it might give you another experience. As you travelled in person to Riyadh we "travel" from our keyboards all over the world. It is both relaxing and stimulating for me to drop in and exchange information with a wide variety of people.)

Aha. well I posted those messages in between waiting for my patients to get checked in in a gap between office hours so I suspect I may not be able to spend as much time on Library Thing as might be most enjoyable....I do agree I have always loved books for their transformative armchair travel which so captures the imagination...

Hi Dr. Ahmed, I am enjoying reading you book right now. I was glad to see that you included several vignettes emphasizing that freedom for women hinges on fostering a spirit of equality in men as well as women. I think too many organizations devoted to improving the lives of women alienate or demonize men, when they should be attempting to do just the opposite. Men are of course vital components of family and civilization, and are just as much a victim to repressive cultures as women (though they clearly suffer less in many ways), so I was pleased to read your very balanced account.

I am a medical student, and I was curious about differences in medical practice between America and Saudi Arabia. How does medical insurance or payment work, and does it have as large an impact on care as it does in the US? Is the deference given to patient autonomy the same, or do Saudi physicians tend to a more traditional, paternalistic authority? Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us, and congratulations on your first book!

Hello and enjoy medical school while it lasts- soon its a blurr which will yield great memories. Medicine in the Kingdom is extremely rewarding both clinically and emotionally for both doctor and patient. The healthcare system there is nationalized without payment at point of service. Everyone receives treatment without incurring costs. Privatization is arriving slowly and some doctors do have private practices which render bills to their patients. I found Saudi patients much more accepting and tolerant of recommendations, procedures, complications and even unexpected death - accepting the end of the illness as a divine decision, even if the death could be considered as an unfortunate complication of treatment. Many times the families consoled me when my patients did not pull through and still expressed their gratitude. this happens in the States but less so because confidence in physicians here in lower and the climate for malpractice and legal consequences so much more developed. I also find barriers to delivering care in the United States can be extreme in the form of HMOs which adds a further obstcale to the patient getting care. Overall the complexity of disease, the level of available facilities, the ratio of senior physicians to patients and the lack of impediments to healthcare delivery make practicing medicine in the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia in particular extremely rewarding and positive. I miss my medical work there enormously

Yes while I am a feminist, or better put, a humanist and I also beleive men must be recognized for how they assist our development and further our goals. I was delighted to encounter male Saudi feminists who continue to support and collaborate with me even now. Its very gratifying and humbling and is a little known aspect of Muslim men but especially not discussed concerning Saudi men. One of my Saudi men friends continues to be perhaps the finest Muslim I know and of course in that role follows his concern, championship and development of all women around him, both in family and at work..

Dont forget to post a review also on Amazon.com. I am hearing the book has great potential as a book club choice. I spoke at 2 book clubs recently here in Charleston and they sparked very detailed and long discussions. I was engrossed at the readers' insights!

Thank you for your answers! I'm not quite finished reading yet (I am reading the chapter about 9.11 right now, very sad), but when I am I shall certainly post a review here and on Amazon. The medical arrangement in Saudi Arabia sounds so sane. I have heard several international physicians say that practicing medicine ethically in the US is almost impossible due to our convoluted payment structure, and the anti-doctor sentiment in the populace is very strong. I sometimes wonder where our profession is heading.

I think your book would be wonderful as a book club choice. I sadly have a rather large number of in-laws that have incredibly prejudiced views about Islam and a well balanced account like yours might help them realize the shared humanity of people that they think are so different from themselves.

Hi Qanta,

I read your book and posted a review on my blog. I enjoyed it tremendously and wish you much success. The culture in that part of the world is so fascinating to me, I could ask you a million questions...but I'll stick to two for now. Thank you!

1. Many Americans (myself included) are often unaware of the negative views associated with our culture in many parts of the world. Is it the same for the Muslim community? Do they understand how misunderstood they are, as a whole, in the western world?

2. It seems women have made tremendous progress in Saudi Arabia, is it spreading to other areas in the Middle East?

Hello Mama Mayhem.
Thank you for your kind comments. I would agree with you that much of the Western world is misconstrued by peoples in the Middle East, most notably I find they make judgements on the morality of the West based on exported pop culture and that they make judgements on nations which they examine only through their interpretations of foreign policies which exert local or regional relevance. Those who have lived and trained in the West are compelled to broaden their views and I think therefore that hope lies in pursuing connections between individuals and opening minds one person at a time. That counts for us in the west too and I think many many people who are priviledged to have a foot in both worlds can really lead the way in global citizenship, being ambassadors of the best values of both worlds. One thing we cant understand here in the west is the extent to which commitment to one's family in the Middle East. We are really a post nuclear family world in the west more and more, where people regard not only marriage as disposable but even children as disposable- I frequently see discarded forgotten children as part of my practice, being raised by ageing grandparents with the middle generation completely missing from the equation. In Saudi Arabia there is an absense of nursing homes simply because care of the elderly is integral to the role of the family. The need for advanced care for the elderly, even when extremely frail, simply doesnt exist. Those aspects of life in the Middle East I found very gratifying indeed.

I think women have made enormous strides in the Kingdom and are doing so. The same can be said for Jordan, Iran, Egypt and the Pakistani elite. I still think the vast majority of women in the Middle East do not have access to higher education, control of one's reproductive health and literacy. This can also be said for most women in the third world. If anything because of its extraordinary wealth, Saudi women have been extremely privileged in education and development ever since Queen Iffat, the wife of the King of Saudi Arabia insisted girls in the Kingdom were given an education in the 1960s as a birth right. So Saudi women are some what anomalous in this privilege because of her. I am while impressed with the intellectual elite in Pakistan, much more worried about the poor disadvantaged Pakistani woman who faces intense resistance to development, freedoms and autonomy because of the culture of the uneducated in pakistan. I have no direct experience with other areas but would invite your thoughts on the matter.

Hi Qanta,

Thank you for your response. I think you made a very good point about the loss of the family unit here in the US. It seems there is often a major disconnect, I wonder how much of that has to do with the sense of entitlement many have developed? In some cases freedom seems to have morphed from a mutual respect for all to a self-serving object to snatch.

I also very much agree that we need ambassadors, citizen ambassadors, for both worlds to come together. That just made me think of a friend of mine who opens her home to foreign exchange students. A few years a ago she had a male Saudi student. I think he was what you would consider one of the "Saudi Elite". He had his own maid in the Kingdom, not a household maid, his own maid; so you can imagine the time he had adjusting to a household of 8 children, all homeschooled, where housework was divided amongst them all. But we need more of that, people coming and going in both directions. Unfortunately, given the political climate, many Americans are afraid to travel. I would love to go to Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Israel-but it is hard to know where you will be accepted, and I don't think my husband would agree to those destinations. So it seems to leave the question, who will be the first brave soul to venture out in the name of education and tolerance? I think you've opened that door and started the process, at the very least the conversation about the process, so I thank you. It pains me to think that a whole generatin or more could miss out on the beauty of the Middle East due to intolerance and ignorance.

Well, I've yammered on long enough. Thank you again for your wonderful book. I know tomorrow is your last day so I'll leave you with an easy question if you have the time to answer. To what do you attribute your extensive vocabulary? On my blog I lightheartedly complained that the dictionary had become my friend while reading your book, your use of adjectives and range of vocabulary was impressive.

Hello Dr. Ahmed, I hope it is not too late for a post. I learned about your book here on LibraryThing, and having recently finished reading it, can say that I found it immensely rewarding. I loved the comparison of the mutawwa to a Dalek. :D

You briefly mentioned doing some horse-riding during your stay. Was that seen as unusual, especially for a woman? Or is it a common (or at least, not unheard-of) hobby in KSA?

Riyadh felt quite different from my own city, which is full of greenspaces, fresh air, and lots of bicycles, pedestrians, and outdoor pursuits. You described a city of few or no sidewalks; no windows in the offices; and so on. Of course climate and urban layout have a big impact; but it also seems that the idea of "civic society" or navigating the public space is very different in KSA or Riyadh than here in the States (or even some other Muslim countries), and I imagine the strict rules about gender segregation, etc. play a part as well. What are your thoughts?

And finally: Do you intend to write more books? :)

Thank you so much, and best wishes to you.