Panaullah Ahmed’s name has been etched permanently in people’s hearts for the blazing precedent of humanity he has set across. The young man from Mangaldoi, Assam decided to break his sacred Roza (Ramzan fast) for donating blood to a stranger and saving his life in turn, reports News18.
The incident
Ahmed, along with his friend and roommate Tapash Bhhagawati is a part of the popular Facebook group ‘Team Humanity – Blood Donors & Social Activists in India’, which is very active in arranging donors for emergency blood requests from patients across the country. Both of them are regular blood donors. On May 8, Bhhagawati received a call through the group about a patient who was in urgent need of B-positive blood. Ranjan Gogoi, a Hindu man from Dhemaji district of Assam needed one unit of blood during a critical surgery at Apollo Hospitals, Guhawati.
Though Ahmed shares the same blood group, Bhhagawati chose to contact a few other donors since his friend was observing the fast of the holy month. “…I received a phone call about a patient from Dhemaji who underwent surgery for the removal of a tumour. I contacted a few donors but nobody was available,” Bhhagawati revealed to TIME8.
Ahmed chose humanity over religion
Fortunately, Ahmed overheard Bhhagawati’s conversation over the phone, searching desperately for a B-positive blood donor. More than anything, he wanted to save the man. Without delay, Ahmed contacted a few members of his community inquiring if there are any religious provisions or complications to donate blood during Roza fast. “They said I can donate blood but might fall ill and my fast will all go in vain. It was then, I decided to break my fast and donate blood,” he shared with TIME8.
Ahmed believes that donating blood and saving a life is the greatest service to God that one can do. Though a devoutly religious man, humanity triumphs above everything for Ahmed. He also urges every healthy person to adopt the practice of donating blood to lives in need.
