Islamic Preacher Zakir Naik Is Not Guilty of Encouraging Terror

Zakir Naik may sound offensive, but he cannot be faulted for espousing terrorism or hatred, writes Murad Ali Baig.

(Photo: Lijumol Joseph/ The Quint)

It is easy to blame anyone for inspiring terrorism but there is no evidence that Zakir Naik is guilty of doing anything but proclaiming words about Islamic law and traditions. A look at YouTube or other social media will show an ardent speaker in a prayer cap proclaiming his piety, and a neat western suit and tie to declare his relevance to modern audiences. He attracts huge audiences not only on his own Peace TV but at numerous public venues in Dubai, Dhaka and in many Indian cities.

Many viewers may be offended by his remarks about women’s rights, Osama Bin Laden, Jews, etc., but it must be said that Naik does not step outside the limits of Islamic traditions.

If his comments are offensive it is because the Quran and many other sources of Islamic law, like all scriptures, were created in medieval times when values were very different from those followed or practised today.

He greatly resembles a passionate criminal lawyer who will argue his brief and shows an impressive knowledge about Judaism, Christianity and even Hinduism.

Supporters of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik participate in a solidarity march to condemn any action that might be taken against the scholar, Srinagar, 8 July. (Photo: IANS)

Fact about Islamic Scriptures

His brief is, however, confined to Islamic writings and he does not admit what historians know today, that the verses of the Quran were only collected 33 years after the death of the prophet by Uthman the third Khalif. He, like most Muslims, also ardently believes that the events in the life of the prophet were well-recorded when, in fact, the first biographer ibn Ishaq was born 72 years after Muhammad’s death.

Al Tabari, the second biographer, was a Persian born another 53 years later. The second most important Islamic scripture is the Hadis (Hadith) that was composed by Al Bukhari and others still later. Islamic traditions can thus be proved to be the work of a number of mortal humans and not the immortal words of God as many want to believe.

Preacher or Provocateur?

• While Zakir Naik’s sermons are based on Islamic scriptures, historians believe that they were written several years after the death of the prophet.
  
• Islamic tradition, like many other religious texts has also been spread through word of mouth, over past several centuries.
  
• Zakir Naik’s strong Wahhabi orientation doesn’t go down well with a number of Shias, Sufis and Ahmediyas.
  
• Wahhabism, another stream of Islam, founded in 1703, has gained importance, with terror groups embracing the religious movement.
  
• Many of the teachings espoused by the likes of Zakir Naik may not be found in the Quran and are often misrepresented by Muslim clerics.
  

Naik’s Wahhabi Orientation

Zakir Naik is not universally popular in Muslim circles but this is not surprising as there are approximately 72 Muslim sects and sub-sects and his strongly Wahhabi orientation is especially offensive to the many million Shias, Sufis and Ahmediyas. The Wahhabi element is mainly responsible for the hate and violence that it often advocates. Abd Al Wahhab, born sometime around 1703, popularised a very extreme Islamic philosophy that rejected not just idolatry but reverence to any mortal.

The Wahhabis disallowed ceremonies for marriage or death, worship of saints, adorning of graves, tombs or other sacred objects, holding religious processions, art, music and dance and demanded the total suppression of women. They did not even spare the tomb of the prophet at Medina and stripped the Kaaba of all the treasures gifted by pilgrims to decorate it.

Making Islam Unpalatable

Religious teachers, including Wahhab’s own father and uncle, were horrified at his excesses but he was fortunate to find a patron in Muhammad Al-Saud who used this vitriolic new creed as a powerful weapon to propel his tribe to the throne of kingdom of Arabia that they rule to this day. Then the discovery of oil in 1938 gave them the power to finance the spread of their fanatic creed to all Muslim countries.

Though Naik appears knowledgeable about Judaism, he does not explain how the Jewish Torah (Tawraat) became one of the sacred books of Islam roughly 300 years after the prophet. Most of the horrible sins in the 613 (not 10) Commandments and the ghastly punishments in the book of Leviticus are not found in the Quran but are widely used by many Muslim clerics to make Islam so unpalatable in modern times.

(The writer is an author and a columnist. He can be reached at @baigmurad9)

Also read:
Here Are 5 of Zakir Naik’s Most Controversial Quotes
Zakir Naik May Criticise ISIS, But His Views are Still a Problem
Watch: Zakir Naik Reacts to Charge of ‘Inspiring’ Dhaka Attacker