WOn the occasion of the Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony for Dr. Shehzad Saleem.
hen it comes to Dr. Shehzad Saleem, I could speak either from an intellectual perspective or from the practical side of life—for in both respects his personality is truly complete. Alongside fulfilling the rights of God, he has always been mindful of the rights of people. Even if I am at times upset with him, deep in my heart I still admire him, for he always speaks the truth. Whenever he comes to know that he could be of help to someone, he does so quietly, without even letting the other person realize it.
When I first married him, he was so immersed in his reading and writing that there was hardly any conversation between us. I have never seen anyone work as hard, academically, as he does. Hours upon hours he would sit in the same position, focused on his work. Now, of course, I am used to it. Let me share one incident: when we would go to pick up our son, Ibrahim, from Aitchison College, Shehzad would be proofreading papers in the car. Ibrahim would feel embarrassed and say, “My friends ask me—does your father do anything other than study all the time?”
As for my own journey, whatever little contribution I have been able to make in the service of faith has been entirely because of Shehzad’s support. I don’t think any woman could get this much time for academic work alongside household responsibilities if it weren’t for a husband’s full cooperation. I remember our late-night Ramadan transmissions—he never once stopped me, never said, “Not at this hour, you cannot go.” Whenever I was called, Shehzad always supported me wholeheartedly. In this regard, I am deeply grateful to him. Whatever I am today, I owe it to my father, my teacher, and my husband. He has always stood by me in life, and at the same time, remained fully committed to his own mission.
These days, however, I see something new in him—though perhaps he might not like me saying it. He seems to be turning more and more towards asceticism. His eating is very simple, he keeps just a few clothes, and there is a visible detachment from worldly concerns. It feels as if he is becoming increasingly indifferent to the material world.
My prayer—and may your prayers join mine so that they are surely accepted—is that Allah grants him good health and continued strength in his scholarly work. May Allah always keep him surrounded by His blessings, with his son, with his friends, and, at the end of it all, with me as well.