LOS ANGELES – American series, Grey’s Anatomy’s first hijabi Muslim Doctor Dahlia Qadri captured attention and won people’s hearts with her remarkable act in the show’s 13th episode, as she took off her hijab and wrapped it around a patient’s leg to stop the bleeding in an attempt to save his life.
“Two years ago when I first taught ‘Islam, Media and Pop Culture’ I couldn’t find one good example of positive portrayal of Muslims in television and definitely not a hijabi on camera,” Muslim-American filmmaker Iman Zawahry wrote, StepFeed reported.
“Something I’ve been working toward as a Muslim female filmmaker for years,” she added.
Zawahry expressed her gratitude for the show and expressed how it is to become a new turning point in the film industry and education.
The scene starts as an injured kid is brought to the hospital with a piece of metal inserted in his left thigh and bruises all over.
The boy wakes up and yanks out the metal piece, which leads to him bleeding heavily, when Dr. Qadri, the role played by Sophia Taylor Ali, quickly unwrap her hijab and fold it around the kid’s leg.
When her internet asks her why she took off her hijab, she replies, “It’s a symbol of my faith. And my faith is about service and compassion.”
Zawahry saw the few words as shattering stereotypes about Muslims, making it clear what being a Muslim truly means.
“This minor, simple line and character shows humanism, understanding and unity in our community,” wrote Zawahry.
“Times, they are changing,” she added.
Twitter users loved the gesture as well.
She took off her hijab to save a patient, then Dr. Hunt pronounced hijab correctly. ????? Let me know if y’all need a hijab stylist, I gotchu sister #GreysAnatomy #Representation
— Shams Al-Badry (@shamsalbadry) March 2, 2018
I loved that this was kinda just like a casual thing too. She was like “yep took it off, saved a 14 year old, that’s what my faith is really about” and then put it back on when she got it back from the OR. It was treated with respect and as the normal thing it should be.
— KatTJamieson (@katjamieson7) March 3, 2018
When I was 5, I cracked my head open on a playground. A mom took off her hijab and wrapped it around my head until help got there. It’s been 15 years and her daughter became one of my best friends. This episode brought back that memory #GreysAnatomy
— Laura (@LauraJwilliam) March 2, 2018
SHE TOOK OFF HER HIJAB TO STOP SOMEONE FROM BLEEDING OUT FROM METAL IN THEIR FEMORAL ARTERY- GIVE HER A HARPER AVERY. #GreysAnatomy
— lady bligh (@abirich15) March 2, 2018