A medical doctor by professional training, Dr. Zakir Naik is renowned as a dynamic international orator on Islam and Comparative Religion.
Dr. Naik clarifies Islamic viewpoints and clears misconceptions about Islam, using the Quran, authentic Hadith and other religious Scriptures as a basis, in conjunction with reason, logic and scientific facts.
Dr. Naik is popular for his critical analysis and convincing answers to challenging questions posed by audiences after his public talks. In the last 11 years (by the year 2007), Dr. Zakir Naik has delivered more than 1000 public talks in the U.S.A., Canada, U.K., Saudi Arabia, U.A.E., Kuwait, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Guyana (South America),Qatar, Bahrain, South Africa, Mauritius, Australia, Malaysia and many other countries, in addition to numerous public talks in India.
He has successfully participated in several symposia and dialogues with prominent personalities of other faiths. His public dialogue with Dr. William Campbell (of USA), on the topic, "The Qur'an and the Bible in the light of Science" held in city of Chicago, U.S.A., on April 1, 2000 was a resounding success.
His public dialogue with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on the topic, "The Concept of God in Hinduism and Islam in the light of Sacred Scriptures" held in city of Bangalore, India, on January 1st, 2006 was a grand success in highlighting the Oneness and Unity of God.
Dr. Zakir Naik appears regularly on many international T.V. Channels in more than 100 countries of the world. He is regularly invited for T.V. and Radio interviews. More than a hundred of his talks, dialogues, debates and symposia are available on video cassettes, video CDs and audio cassettes.
He has authored many books on Islam and Comparative Religion, including "The Quran and Modern Science – Compatible or Incompatible", "Is the Quran God's Word?", "Women in Islam – Protected or Subjugated", "Concept of God in Major Religions", and "Answers to Non-Muslims Common Questions about Islam."
Sheikh Ahmed Deedat, the world famous orator on Islam and Comparative Religion, who had called Dr. Zakir, "Deedat plus" in 1994, presented a plaque in May 2000 awarded to Dr. Zakir Abdul-Karim Naik for his achievement in the field of Da'wah and the study of Comparative Religion.
Engraved on the plaque are these words: "Son, what you have done in 4 years had taken me 40 years to accomplish, Alhamdullilah."
Zakir Abdul Karim Naik
(born 18 October 1965) is an Indian public speaker on the subject of Islam and comparative religion. He is the founder and president of the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), a non-profit organisation that owns the Peace TV channel based in Dubai, UAE. He is sometimes referred to as a televangelist.
Before becoming a public speaker, he trained as a medical doctor. He has written two booklets on Islam and comparative religion. He is regarded as an exponent of the Salafi ideology.
Zakir Abdul Karim Naik was born on 18 October 1965 in Mumbai, Maharastra, India. He attended St. Peter's High School in Mumbai. Later he enrolled at Kishinchand Chellaram College, before studying medicine at Topiwala National Medical College and Nair Hospital and later the University of Mumbai, where he obtained a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS). His wife, Farhat Naik, works for the women's section of the IRF.
In 1991 he started working in the field of Dawah, and founded the IRF. Naik says he was inspired by Ahmed Deedat, an Islamic preacher, having met him in 1987. (Naik is sometimes referred to as "Deedat plus", a label given to him by Deedat himself.) Naik says that his goal is to "concentrate on the educated Muslim youth who have become apologetic about their own religion and have started to feel the religion is outdated." He considers it a duty of every Muslim to remove perceived misconceptions about Islam and to counter what he views as the Western media's anti-Islamic bias in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States. Some of his articles are published in magazines such as Islamic Voice.
Anthropologist Thomas Blom Hansen has written that Naik's style of memorising the Quran and Hadith literature in various languages, and his related missionary activity, has made him extremely popular in Muslim and non-Muslim circles.[10] Many of his debates are recorded and widely distributed in video and DVD media and online. His talks are usually recorded in English and broadcast on weekends on several cable networks in Mumbai's Muslim neighbourhoods, and on the Peace TV channel, which he co-produces.Topics he speaks on include: "Islam and Modern Science", "Islam and Christianity", and "Islam and secularism".
Naik is the founder of the Islamic International School in Mumbai.
Naik has held many debates and lectures around the world. One of Naik's most-cited debates was with William Campbell in Chicago in April 2000 on the topic of "The Qur'an and the Bible: In the Light of Science".
Naik has said that "despite the strident anti-Islam campaign, 34,000 Americans have embraced Islam from September 2001 to July 2002." He says Islam is a religion of reason and logic, and that the Quran contains 1000 verses relating to science, which he says explains the number of Western converts. He argues that scientific theories were prophesised by the Quran. For example, he says certain verses of the Quran accurately describe embryologicaldevelopment.
On 21 January 2006 Naik held an inter-religious dialogue with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in Bangalore about the concept of God in Islam and Hinduism.
In February 2011 Naik addressed the Oxford Union via video link from India.
Visit to Australia and Wales
In 2004 Naik, at the invitation of the Islamic Information and Services Network of Australasia, made an appearance at Melbourne University, where he argued that only Islam gave women true equality. He said the more "revealing Western dress" makes women more susceptible to rape. Sushi Das of The Age commented that "Naik extolled the moral and spiritual superiority of Islam and lampooned other faiths and the West in general", further criticising that Naik's words "fostered a spirit of separateness and reinforced prejudice".
In August 2006 Naik's visit and conference in Cardiff caused controversy when Welsh MP David Davies called for his appearance to be cancelled. He said Naik was a "hate-monger", and that his views did not deserve a public platform; Muslims from Cardiff, however, defended Naik's right to speak in the city. Saleem Kidwai, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Wales, disagreed with Davies, stating that "people who know about him [Naik] know that he is one of the most uncontroversial persons you could find. He talks about the similarities between religions, and how should we work on the common ground between them", whilst also inviting Davies to discuss further with Naik personally in the conference. The conference went ahead, after the Cardiff council stated it was satisfied that he would not be preaching extremist views.
2010 exclusion from the UK and Canada
Naik was denied entry into the United Kingdom and Canada in June 2010. He was banned from entering the UK by Home Secretary Theresa May after arranging to give talks in London and Sheffield. May said of the exclusion order, "Numerous comments made by Dr Naik are evidence to me of his unacceptable behaviour". Naik argued that the Home Secretary was making a political decision and not a legal one, and his lawyer said the decision was "barbaric and inhuman". He also claimed that his comments were taken out of context. Film producer Mahesh Bhatt supported Naik, saying the ban constituted an attack on freedom of speech. It was reported that Naik would attempt to challenge the ruling in the High Court. His application for judicial review was dismissed on 5 November 2010. Naik was forbidden from entering Canada after Tarek Fatah, founder of the Muslim Canadian Congress, warned MPs of Naik's views.
Visit to Malaysia in 2012
Naik delivered five lectures in Malaysia during 2012. The lectures took place in Johor Baru, Universiti Teknologi MARA in Shah Alam, Penang, Kuantan and Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur.The former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mahathir Mohamad, prominent figures and several thousand people attended the lectures at different places despite protest by the members of a banned group, HINDRAF. The organizers of Naik's speeches said their purpose was to promote harmony among people of various religions.
Reception
Naik was ranked 89 on The Indian Express's list of the "100 Most Powerful Indians in 2010". He was ranked 82 in the 2009 edition. According to Praveen Swami, Naik is "perhaps the most influential Salafi ideologue in India". Sanjiv Buttoo says he is acknowledged as an authority on Islam, but is known for making negative remarks about other religions. Sadanand Dhume writes that Naik has a "carefully crafted image of moderation", because of his gentle demeanor, his wearing of a suit and tie, and his quoting of scriptures of other religions.He is also listed in the book "The 500 Most Influential Muslims" under honourable mention, in the 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 editions. In July 2013, Naik was named as the Islamic Personality of the Year, announced by the 17th Dubai International Holy Quran Award (DIHQA).
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