Umer Ansari | December 21st, 2025

Mr Javed Akhter (left) hails from a family of scholarly Muslim freedom fighters that were instrumental in the liberation movement of India. His forefathers played an important role in the progress and strengthening of the Aligarh College.

However, there are times when a son does not carry on the baton of his forefathers, rather he himself becomes the antithesis of what his forefathers built.

Mr Javed Akhter is a well-known celebrity in India for his role in bringing the classic Urdu literature (adab) to the Bollywood film industry where beautiful Urdu literature got turned into promiscuous dance moves. The elders of Aligarh are gutted to see that their graduate does not even mention the name of his alma mater when he is asked where he received his education from.

Mr Javed Akhter, turned atheist, debated with Mufti Shamail Nadwi (right) on the issue of “Does God Exist?” However, he came utterly unprepared. A natural tendency of mulhideen (atheists) to look down upon the religious people, he came with rants not arguments to the debate. Whereas, Mufti Shamail came very well prepared, presented his case in an extremely professional manner, and he was witty with his answers.

Mr Akhter seems to have taken a deep impact of the writing of Bertrand Russell. A very desi atheist move and you can tell when desi men attempt at arguing for atheism and they regurgitate the issues faced by the Christian world that the Christendom was unable to resolve or reconcile as mentioned by Bertrand Russell in his works, which led to atheism in Europe. Mr Akhter on numerous occasions condescendingly told Mufti Shamail Nadwi that he should read Bertrand Russell, even though from the beginning of the debate a standard was established to only use rational and logical arguments, not an appeal to scripture.

Mr Javed Akhter was not only unable to address, respond, and dissect the logical arguments of Mufti Shamail Nadwi, he even admitted, albeit honestly, that he was unable to comprehend Mufti’s logical arguments.

Guidance (hidāyah) comes from Allah. Herein is a lesson for us all, worry about your Imān but worry more about the safety of the Imān of your progeny!

May Allah grant us all a progeny that carries on our good work and become a source of ṣadaqah jāriyah (continuous charity). Ameen. ❤️

Your brother,
Umer Ansari