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Zakir Naik
SchoolIslam
Websitewww.irf.net

Dr Zakir Abdul Karim Naik (Arabic: زاكر نايك) (born: October 18, 1965) is an Indian public speaker, and writer on the subject of Islam and comparative religion. By profession, he is a medical doctor, attaining a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from Maharashtra, but since 1991 he has focused on preaching Islam.

Zakir Naik is also the founder and president of the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), a non-profit organization that owns Peace TV network.

Biography

Zakir Naik was born on October 18, 1965 in Mumbai, India. He is of Konkani descent.His first educational institution was St. Peter's High School (ICSE) situated in Mumbai. After which he joined Kishinchand Chellaram College in the same city. After his higher secondary degree he studied medicine at Topiwala National Medical College and at Nair Hospital in Mumbai. He completed his MBBS degree from University of Mumbai. In 1991 he gave up his activity as a physician and started working for Dawah or preaching of Islam.

According to Naik, the goal is to "concentrate on the educated Muslim youth who have become apologetic about their own religion and have started to feel that their own religion is outdated."

Naik says he was inspired by Muslim Scholar Ahmed Deedat who has called him 'Deedat Plus' .

Lectures

Thomas Blom Hansen, a sociologist at the University of Edinburgh, has written Naik's style of memorizing the Qur'an and hadith literature in various languages, and travelling abroad to debate Islam with theologians, has made him extremely popular in Mumbai. Although he usually speaks to audiences of several hundreds, it is the videotapes of his talks which are widely distributed. His talks are usually recorded in English, to be broadcast at weekends on several cable networks in Mumbai's Muslim neighborhoods, and on the channel Peace TV, which he co-promotes. Topics he speaks on include: "Islam and Modern Science", "Islam and Christianity", and "Islam and secularism", among others. He is the president of the Islamic Research Foundation, which he founded.

Besides delivering numerous public talks in India, Naik has delivered more than 600 public talks in various other countries.

Views on rights of non-Muslims

Zakir Naik was invited by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Makhtoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Minister of Defence of the United Arab Emirates, in 1999. He was interviewed by TV commentator Dr. Shahid Masood. Massod asked him a question received from an Indian: "If Muslims are be allowed to propagate their religion in other countries, why should non-Muslims not be allowed to propagate their religion in Islamic countries?"

Zakir Naik responded:

"In some islamic countries, for example in Saudi Arabia etc, propagation of other religions is prohibited. Even construction of any place of worship is prohibited.
...In my reply, I ask the non-Muslims that suppose you are principal of a school and you intend to select a math teacher. Three candidates came and you ask them what will be the total of 2+2. The first replies that 2+2=3 and the second one answers 2+2=4, and the third one answers 2+2=6. I ask these non-muslims that will they allow the candidates to teach in their school who says that 2+2=3 or that 2+2=6? They say no. I ask why? They say because he does not have correct knowledge of mathematics.
Similarly as far as the matters of religion are concerned we know for sure that only Islam is the true religion in the eyes of God. In 3:85 it is mentioned that God will never accept any religion other than Islam. As far as the second question regarding building of churches or temples is concerned, how can we allow this when their religion is wrong? And when worship is also wrong?
Thus we will surely not allow such wrong things in our country."

This view is consistant with the views of the Shafi'i Islamic jurist al-Nawawi

Dr. Shahid Masood asked him about a non-Muslim who converts to Islam, and then converts back to a non-Islamic faith. Naik responded:

"if a Muslim becomes non-Muslim, and propagtes his new religion, then there is death penalty for such a person in Islam."

This view is in agreement with the views of influential Islamic jurists regarding apostasy in Islam.

When he was asked by a Hindu whether he thought what the Taliban did to the Bamyan Buddhas was right, he relied that since there were no Buddhists in Afghanistan and the land belonged to the Afghans, they were right in destroying their own property.

Criticism

In 2004 Naik visited New Zealand and then Australian capitals at the invitation of Islamic Information and Services Network of Australasia. In his conference in Melbourne, according to journalist Sushi Das, "Naik extolled the moral and spiritual superiority of Islam and lampooned other faiths and the West in general," adding that Naik's words "fostered a spirit of separateness and reinforced prejudice." Journalist Khushwant Singh believes similarly, and claims that Naik's pronouncements are 'juvenile', saying that "they seldom rise above the level of undergraduate college debates" Political Analyst Khaled Ahmed considers that Zakir Naik, by his claims of Islam's superiority over other religious faiths, practices what he calls "reverse Orientalism."

In August 2006, Naik's visit and conference in Cardiff (UK) were the object of controversy. Welsh MP David Davies called for his appearance to be cancelled and described him as a 'hate-monger'. Saleem Kidwai, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Wales, disagreed, stating that "people who know about him (Naik) know he is one of the most uncontroversial people you could find," also inviting Davies to discuss further with Naik. Naik's conference went ahead, with the Cardiff council stating it was satisfied that he would not be preaching extremist views. Naik provoked anger amongst some Sunni and a majority Shia comunity at a Mumbai peace conference when he spoke of Yazid I in a positive light, though others believed the comment was blown out of proportion.

See also

References

  1. ^ Islamic Research Foundation - Introduction (Dr. Zakir Naik)
  2. Khushwant Singh (July 30, 2005). "Putting the clock back". The Tribune. Retrieved 2007-05-23.
  3. http://drzakirnaik.com/Home/AboutMe/tabid/54/Default.aspx - Biography from the website of Zakir Naik constructed by his students.
  4. ^ Hansen, Thomas (2001). Wages of Violence: Naming and Identity in Postcolonial Bombay. Princeton University Press. p. 177. ISBN 0-691-08840-3.
  5. Spreading God’s Word Is His Mission - Arab News
  6. ^ Mazumdar, Sudip (2006-01-23). "Beaming In Salvation". Newsweek International. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  7. Syed Neaz Ahmad (February 23, 2007). "Peace TV Reaching 50 Million Viewers – Dr. Zakir Naik". Saudi Gazette. Retrieved 2007-05-18.
  8. http://www.irf.net/irf/eventcalendar/middle/event2000.htm Event Calendar
  9. http://www.indianexpress.com/story/27206.html Who’s responsible for the stereotypes of Islam? Sudheendra Kulkarni, April 1, 2007
  10. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsGajgXkge4&feature=related Non-Muslims & Basic Human rights? Zakir Naik
  11. Schacht, Joseph (1950). The Origins of Muhammadan Jurisprudence. Oxford: Oxford University.
  12. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRl5c-xPVA0 Death Penalty For Apostates (Zakir Naik)
  13. Heffening, W. "Murtadd". Encyclopaedia of Islam Online Edition. Ed. P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs. Brill Academic Publishers. ISSN 1573-3912.
  14. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_16-12-2003_pg3_4 Zakir Naik’s ‘reverse orientalism’ —Khaled Ahmed’s TV Review, December 16, 2003
  15. "Scholar clears the air about Islam 'labels'" (PDF). Te Waha Nui. September 6, 2004. Retrieved 2007-05-20.
  16. "Between two worlds". The Age. July 28, 2005. Retrieved 2007-05-20.
  17. Why Muslims lag behind - Khushwant Singh; retrieved Dec 26, 2007
  18. One man’s belief is another’s shackle - Khushwant Singh
  19. "Second opinion: Zakir Naik's 'reverse orientalism' —Khaled Ahmed's TV Review". Daily Times. December 16, 2003. Retrieved 2007-05-20.
  20. Row over Islamic preacher
  21. Cleric's address hailed a success
  22. Zakir Naik’s Remarks on Yazid Spark Anger Among Muslims

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