Dr Shabbir Akhtar: Burial & Memorial Fund

Dr Shabbir Akhtar returned to his Lord on Monday 24th July at the age of 63. He was a formidable intellectual, an outstanding philosopher and a passionate advocate for our faith. He was courageous, insightful and humorous. He leaves behind a number of trailblazing books. For a comprehensive summary of his life and works, please see here. He was truly one of a kind and his passing is a great loss to our community. May God have mercy on him, overlook his shortcomings and elevate him into the highest ranks of paradise.

Dr Shabbir bore many personal sacrifices to tread the path that he did, not least financially. The primary purpose of this fundraiser is to cover the direct and incidental costs of his burial on behalf of his family, estimated at £6,000.

All surplus funds beyond those required for the burial will be used to honour the legacy of Dr Shabbir by promoting his work and making it as accessible as possible to an even larger audience than was reached during his lifetime.

These surplus funds will be held in the account of Mercy Mission UK, a registered charity, and their precise usage will be determined by a small group of close friends, students and supporters of Dr Shabbir, including: Owaise Kolia (who will chair this group), Dr Atif Imtiaz, Dr Usaama al-Azami, Hamza Tzortzis and myself. All donors to this page will be kept updated as to the precise usage of funds as matters progress.

NB: this fundraiser has been authorised by Foziea Chaudhry, Dr Shabbir’s wife and next of kin, and I will be managing the funds on her behalf in line with the proposed usages outlined above.

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On a personal note, I had the great privilege of knowing Dr Shabbir, learning from him and working with him closely over the last few years. I was profoundly impacted by his writings and the many conversations I had with him. It was a mark of his humility and an undeserving honour for me that he decided to dedicate the 2nd Edition of his landmark publication, Be Careful With Muhammad, to me. He simply wrote: Iqbal Nasim, Nasir… fi sabil Allah (helper in God’s cause).

This was a gesture that touched me at the time, and does so even more deeply now. It’s one that I wish to continue honouring as much as I can. Dr Shabbir strove sincerely and, in his own inimitable style, was a leader for God’s cause. Continuing the legacy of such people isn’t just an option; it’s our collective obligation.

It is with this motivation that I appeal to you, especially those who loved, knew or benefited from Dr Shabbir, to support this fundraiser as generously as possible. Once you donate, please do take the opportunity to add words of condolence or share any personal memories of Dr Shabbir, which will be published on this page. A window will pop up after you complete your transaction, at the bottom of which will be a 'Continue' link; please click this link to post your messages. This will act as a source of comfort and support for his family and close friends.

May all your contributions weigh heavily on your scales of good deeds.

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