There were 3 brothers living in our neighborhood, ‘Wajahat’, ‘Shujaat’ and ‘Sakhawat’. After seeing Wajahat, people would ask, “Is there any reason for you to have this name?” The other brothers were afraid of everyone, including Shujaat’s loneliness, shame and neighborliness. They were very scared of “Bhai”. At that time, everyone was scared of ‘Bhai’. The condition of the micro-generosity of these brothers can be described by editing Faiz Sahib’s verse in one word.
There is every stain in this heart except the stain of ‘generosity’.
The difference in the names and attributes of these brothers lifted our faith from the myth of the ‘effect of names on personality’. Then the names of some personalities like Zia-ul-Haq, Sharif and Firdous further strengthened this distrust. But when I came in contact with Akhlaq Ahmed Sahib, my faith in the effect of the name was renewed.
I first met him in the office of Akhbar Jahan. I was sitting in front of the editor of the country’s largest magazine, a sub-editor with a few years of experience in journalism. I added my writings and went to the newspaper where I wanted a job. I don’t remember what happened, there was no room for me in the newspaper Jahan due to the full number of editorial staff, but the personality of its editor had taken root in my heart. On his return, his kindness, gentleness of tone and kindness were with me.
When I came in contact with Akhlaq Ahmed Sahib, my faith in the effect of the name was renewed
I could not meet him after that but whenever this name came up, the first impression of his charming personality slowly opened my eyes. Then sometime later last year when my novel ‘Sir Syed, 47, Sector in Charge’ was published, the first name that came to my lips at the stage of writing for the back title of the book and the selection of the speakers for its launch was ‘Akhlaq Ahmed’. ‘ I was afraid she would refuse. Iqbal Khurshid became the medium of communication, the draft was sent to Akhlaq Sahib, and when I interrupted his engagement by telephone to console him about writing and participation, his words in praise of the novel enriched me.
Such narcissism can be characteristic of one who does not live in an artificial shell of honor and status. Akhlaq Sahib’s expression is full of mystical contentment on his face, intelligence looking through spectacles, and a very innocent smile like a child. This smile is the first line of his personal sketch, which, like the opening words of his fiction, pauses, evokes, and shocks. Then, just as fiction tends to teach itself slowly, so does their personality become more and more apparent.
