Can the climb to the top of the bureaucratic ladder become a religion that demands the ultimate sacrifice—a life unlived?

In Respected Sir (حضرة المحترم), Naguib Mahfouz presents a biting satire of the Egyptian civil service, a world he knew intimately. The story follows Othman Bayyumi, who enters the workforce at the very bottom as an archives clerk. From his first moment on the job, Othman is possessed by a singular, consuming madness: the desire to one day become the Director General. His ambition transforms into an exalted, arduous religious quest, where the department is his temple and the promotion his salvation. For Othman, no sacrifice is too great—love, family, and personal happiness are all offered up on the altar of his career, painting a disturbing portrait of a man devoured by his own aspirations.