Page 33 - NGO (No.3)

ZAKIR NAIK
TERRORISM because it was true.” Naik argues that scientific
Naik’s views and statements on terrorism have theories were prophesised by the Quran. For ex-
at times been criticised in the media. Speaking ample, he has stated in 2010 that certain verses
of Osama bin Laden, Naik stated in a YouTube of the Quran accurately describe embryological
video that he would not criticise bin Laden be- development.
cause he had not met him and did not know him
personally. APOSTASY
Naik has said that Muslims who convert from
He added that, “If bin Laden is fighting enemies Islam should not necessarily receive death
of Islam, I am for him,” and that “if he is terror- sentences, but that under Islamic rule those who
izing America – the terrorist, biggest terrorist – I leave Islam and then “propagate the non-Islamic
am with him. Every Muslim should be a terrorist. faith and speak against Islam” should be put to
The thing is that if he is terrorizing the terrorist, death. Another source states that according to
he is following Islam. Whether he is or not, I don’t Naik, “there is no death penalty for apostates in
know, but you as Muslims know that, without Islam, until the apostate starts to preach his new
checking up, laying allegations is also wrong.” religion; then he can be put to death.”
When Time hinted that this remark could have
inspired Najibullah Zazi’s terrorist activities, Naik BIOGRAPHY DR. ZAKIR NAIK
insisted: “I have always condemned terrorism
because, according to the glorious Koran, if you
kill one innocent person, then you have killed the BORN
18 October 1965 (age 50) Mumbai,
whole of humanity”.
Maharashtra, India
In 2010, Naik said that he had been quoted out of RESIDENCE
context regarding the remarks on terrorism. “As Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
far as terrorist is concerned”, he said, “I tell the
Muslims that every Muslim should be a terrorist.... EDUCATION
What is the meaning of the word terrorist? Terror- MBBS,
ist by definition means a person who terrorises.
So in this context every Muslim should be a ter- ALMA MATER
rorist to each and every anti-social element. I’m Kishinchand Chellaram College
aware that terrorist is more commonly used for a Topiwala National Medical College & BYL
person who terrorises innocent human beings. So Nair Charitable Hospital University of
in this context no Muslim should ever terrorise a Mumbai
single innocent human being.”
OCCUPATION
In a lecture delivered on 31 July 2008 on Peace President of Islamic Research Foundation,
TV, Naik commented on the attacks of 11 Sep- public speaker
tember: “it is a blatant, open secret that this
attack on the Twin Towers was done by George YEARS ACTIVE
Bush himself”. 1991–present

KNOWN FOR
He has also attracted much publicity for declaring Dawah
that “even a fool will know” that the 9/11 attacks Founder of Peace TV, Peace TV Bangla, and
were “an inside job” orchestrated by US President Peace TV Urdu
George W. Bush. Naik has won several awards
for his preaching, including the 2015 King Faisal BOARD MEMBER OF
International Prize for Service to Islam, but his ex- Islamic Research Foundation
pressed opinions on 9/11 have been denounced
by the United States and he has been denied SPOUSE(S)
Farhat Naik
entry into the United Kingdom and Canada for
speaking engagements. AWARDS
King Faisal International Prize for Service to
BIOLOGICAL EVOLUTION Islam, 2015.
Naik has said that the theory of evolution is “only
a hypothesis, and an unproven conjecture at WEBSITE
best”. According to Naik, most scientists “support www.irf.net
the theory, because it went against the Bible – not www.peaceTV.tv

NGO, EDISI 3 33