[Javed Chaudhry is a renowned journalist, columnist, and presenter from Pakistan. His article titled ‘Gunah-e-Zaria’, published in Express News on July 9, 2023, was deeply touching. The author is not a religious scholar, so there is no opportunity to interpret each part of the article from a jurisprudential perspective. However, there is much to learn from this writing. An English translation of this article has been published for the readers of Al-Kawsar.]

Ahmad Imaduddeen Razi was a renowned orthopedic surgeon from Egypt. He served as the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Ain Shams University and also held the position of Health Minister in Egypt. He was a prominent personality known from all angles.

On June 5, Dr. Razi experienced a heart attack and was rushed to a private hospital in East Cairo. Interestingly, the hospital was owned by his friend, a renowned cardiologist in the country. Fortunately, Dr. Razi's condition wasn't extremely severe. He had actually undergone surgery at this hospital before, under the care of the same doctor. So, the situation seemed manageable.

Dr. Razi was taken into the operating room for a procedure called 'cardiac catheterization.' This involves inserting a flexible tube (catheter) into the heart chamber to diagnose the patient's condition. Unfortunately, the catheterization team made a small mistake, which led to an unexpected outcome. Tragically, due to this small error, the former Egyptian health minister and esteemed orthopedic surgeon passed away on the operating table. This incident made significant headlines and garnered the attention of the Egyptian media.

The government set up a committee to investigate. This committee also pointed fingers at the catheterization procedure. This might sound like common news, as such unfortunate events happen worldwide. Every day, many patients lose their lives due to mistakes made by medical staff and doctors. But what makes this particular piece of news stand out?

Well, the reason it's grabbing extra attention is because, before 2016, performing cardiac catheterization in Egypt required more experience and official certification than that of surgeons. Dr. Razi, during his time, made changes that allowed many young individuals to practice this procedure by lowering the experience and certification standards.

Dr. Razi's belief was that surgeons were the ones performing the main procedure. Therefore, being a qualified and experienced surgeon was necessary. The supporting staff mostly handled instruments like knives and scissors, which he thought didn't demand as much certification and experience. Consequently, he encouraged more individuals to participate in supporting roles for surgeries. This, in turn, led to an increase in private medical practices by both doctors and surgeons. However, ironically, Dr. Razi himself fell victim to the lack of experience among the less-qualified support staff he had advocated for.

Our friend Reza Bashir Tarar refers to this situation as Gunah-e-Zaria (Ongoing Sin). He serves as Pakistan's Ambassador to Japan. When I visited Japan last month, Reza Bashir Tarar graciously invited me to dine at Roping Hills, Tokyo's tallest building, situated on the 54th floor. The dinner selection was lavish, but the true delight was the time spent with Tarar.

The essence of that meeting revolved around the core concept of Gunah-e-Zaria (Ongoing Sin). Tarar clarified that just as the positive deeds we participate in throughout our lives are labeled Sadkaya Zaria (Ongoing Charity), certain wrongdoings and errors we commit can also be termed as Gunah-e-Zaria (Ongoing Sin). Nonetheless, the enduring consequences of these misdeeds persist, impacting individuals for extended periods, possibly spanning centuries. Even after our death, they remain inscribed in our account.

This perspective was entirely new to me, and I made a mental note of it. Presently, I'm deeply immersed in reexamining the translation of the Quran. A few years back, a friend of mine had brought me a translation by a respected Maulana Sahib from India.

Trust me, the Quran's translation has completely shifted my perspective. Islam encompasses much more than what we typically think or practice. Allah's teachings are distinct, and within these teachings, He consistently emphasizes that we will be answerable for our actions in both this life and the afterlife. This is exactly what happened to Dr. Ahmad Imaduddin Razi – he was overwhelmed by his poor choices. However, the real question is, will he find salvation in death?

No, he must take accountability for his (intentional) wrong decision. As long as the people of Egypt endure the consequences of unqualified individuals performing improper 'cardiac catheterization' due to his decisions, the burden on Dr. Razi will keep growing. Therefore, it is essential for us to survive. Such types of sins will continue to plague both our worldly life and the hereafter.

A while back, I had a meeting with a Sessions Judge. I noticed that one of his hands was missing, and when I inquired about it, his eyes filled with tears. He shared the heart-wrenching story behind the accident. He recounted, 'I was out shopping with my daughter when suddenly, two boys on a motorcycle snatched my daughter's bag. She held on tightly, causing the bike to wobble. In my attempt to assist, the robbers panicked and fired shots. Unfortunately, one bullet hit my hand, and the other tragically struck the girl in the head. My daughter lost her life then and there. The injury to my hand worsened over time, eventually leading to the necessity of amputation two months later.'

Soon after, he started crying uncontrollably. As I offered comfort, he wiped his eyes and shared, 'My tears aren't for my daughter or my lost hand. I weep because of the criminals. Throughout my career, I let go of numerous thief and robber defendants for just a few thousand rupees in bribes. Every single day, I'm haunted by the thought that the person who shot me might be one of those criminals I set free. This overwhelming feeling has made it hard for me to carry on living.'

I encountered a traffic police officer in Karachi whose tale is equally saddening. While his family was on a trip, a car from the opposite lane collided with theirs. The impact caused their small car to plunge into a ravine. Tragically, the entire officer's family lost their lives in that accident.

He shared his story, explaining, "I used to grant driving licenses to people, even if they weren't skilled drivers, in exchange for money. I would also accept one or two thousand rupees from those who broke traffic rules on the road and then allow them to proceed."

I believe that the person responsible for my family's death might have been someone I issued a license to, or I might have let them off with a warning for a minor or major infraction. And now, tragically, they ended up causing the demise of my entire family.

Likewise, I encountered a former Chairman of the Board of Education whose family lost their lives due to a pillar from a bridge that was still being built. He shared, "I granted admission to numerous unqualified students in medical colleges and engineering universities. It's possible that the bridge was constructed by one of those individuals, and tragically, it led to the collapse that took my own family."

I met a milk delivery person who had three children. Unfortunately, all three of them had poor physical health. He explained that when they were young, his kids suffered from milk allergies, which prevented them from consuming milk. As a result, their physical development was stunted.

I mentioned that nowadays this condition is treatable. It might be a good idea to consult a skilled doctor!

He smiled and responded, Mr. Javed! Even if a cure for this illness exists in the world, my children won't be able to benefit from it.

Due to this belief, when questioned, he narrated a horrifying story. "I had fifty buffaloes," he said. "I used to sell their milk. Driven by greed, I began injecting the buffaloes with hormones to produce more milk. I started adding detergent powder, urea fertilizer, and water to increase the quantity. I earned millions from this. But the Almighty Allah created allergies in the milk for my children. I watch over them now. When I visit any doctor, the faces of those thousands of children appear before my eyes, those who consumed the milk mixed with urea and detergent powder. What has become of them? Are they alive? What is the condition of their organs? So, I have arrived at this conclusion that my children suffer from an incurable ailment. The cure is not for the disease, but for the sin. And I am a sinner."

A few days ago, I visited a friend's office. That day, there were job interviews going on in his department. My friend said to me, "This is the world of nepotism. I even have recommendations from ministers for first-grade and second-grade positions."

Afterward, he placed the entire bundle of notes in front of me. I shared with my friend the concept of accountability, saying, 'If you're willing to risk your life by favoring unqualified individuals due to your recommendations, go ahead and allocate all the positions according to these notes. But if you want your own and your family's safety, make decisions based solely on competence. Choose deserving candidates. You too will become a part of engaging in righteousness. The prayers of those righteous individuals and their families will shield your family for decades."

Tears welled up in my friend's eyes as he tore up all the notes and threw them into the dustbin. He dialed PAK and conveyed, "Instead of displaying the list of candidates, ask them to come to the office directly. I'll handle their hiring process personally."

Nervously, PA uttered, "Sir, NAB" (Similar to Bangladesh's Anti-Corruption Commission).
In response, my friend bravely stated, "I'm prepared to face imprisonment for this service-oriented work!"

Translation: Fayez Ahmed