Radical Islamist preacher Zakir Naik, known for harbouring medievalist views and courting controversies, is yet in the news for spewing venom against non-Muslims, particularly Hindus, and preaching the extremist ideology of Islamic supremacism.
In a video released on the official YouTube channel of Naik earlier this month, the rabid Muslim cleric was seen ranting against the Mushriks (non-believers) and stating that Muslim men and women are far superior to them.
Naik was responding to a question raised by a girl who had allegedly converted from Hinduism to Islam three years back and intended to remain with Islam for the rest of her life. Stating that it is hard for her in this society to marry a Muslim man, the girl asked the Islamic preacher whether it is compulsory for her to marry a Muslim man or if she can marry a Hindu man as well.
To this Naik affirmatively responded that it was absolutely essential for the girl to marry a Muslim man. Naik backed his answer by citing verses from the Quran.
“The Quran clearly mentions in Surah Al Baqarah, Chapter number 2, verse no. 221, that marry not a Mushrika(an idolatry woman) until she believes. A believing woman, even if she is a bondswoman, she is much better than an unbelieving woman even if she allows you…a believing woman, even if she is a servant, she may be ugly, she is far superior to an unbelieving woman, an idolatrous, even if she may be the beauty queen, the wealthiest woman in the world,” Naik said.
Naik further continued, “Do not marry an unbelieving man, do not marry a Mushrik, do not marry an idolator, until he embraces Islam. A believing man, he may be a bondsman, he may be a servant, he may be ugly, but he is far superior to an idolator, an unbelieving man, even if he is the most handsome man in the world or the richest man in the world.”
The radical Islamic preacher also alluded that only Muslims are qualified for Jannah(paradise) and those do not follow Islam are condemned to hell.
“If you believe that Islam is the way that will get you salvation and you have accepted Islam three years back and you have promised you will be on Islam for the rest of your life, why do you want your husband to go to hell?” Naik questioned.
“We have an average life expectancy of 50-60 years. If you take the turmoil, the pain for 50-60 years, the next life is eternal, sister. As a businesswoman, it is a very good bargain. So sister, even if it is difficult for you, my advice to you is to bear those difficulties, marry a Muslim man, even if he is not good, even if he is ugly, even if he is not rich. He will be far more superior than the wealthiest and the most handsome of the idolatrous men,” Naik said.
No heaven for even ‘good non-Muslims’ such as Ravish Kumar: Zakir Naik
In June this year, the radical Islamist and terrorist influencer Zakir Naik, who has been hiding away in Malaysia after fleeing from the country, uploaded a video in which he declared that even ‘good non-Muslims like Ravish Kumar’ will not get to go to ‘Jannah’ after their death as they are still non-Muslims who are doing the crime of ‘Shirk’, meaning idolatry.
On a YouTube video uploaded on June 27, radical Islamist Zakir Naik was seen interacting with his followers and taking various questions from them to explain certain Islamic concepts. In the video titled, “Dr Zakir Naik on the fate of Ravish Kumar who stands for Muslims & Righteous Non-Muslims”, he explained how Ravish Kumar and other ‘good non-Muslims’ did not deserve the Muslim heaven or ‘Jannah’. Naik said that whatever the ‘good deeds’ people like Ravish Kumar may do for the benefit of Muslims since they have not converted to Islam, they will still go to hell because of the crime of ‘shirk’ (heresy, idol worship) is bigger than any other crime.
It is 100% wrong to wish ‘Merry Christmas’: Zakir Naik
It is not the first time that Naik had derided other religions and advocated Islam’s supremacy. Not just Hinduism and other polytheistic religions, Naik has also been nasty in his criticism of other Abrahamic faiths.
Earlier, he had promulgated the belief that Allah is the supreme creator of the world and thus the worship of Jesus Christ, aka anyone other than Allah, is, therefore, a sin. The Islamic scholar informed that he invites (Dawah) Christians on December 25, only to dismiss their belief that Jesus Christ is the son of God by coercing them to cite verses from the Bible as proof. “Is saying Merry Christmas wrong? I am telling you it is wrong. It is 100% wrong according to me,” he reiterated.
Naik further added, “If you don’t know what Christmas stands for and happen to wish someone, Allah may forgive you. If you drink alcohol, mistaking it for Pepsi, Allah may forgive you. But if you are doing it to build a relationship after knowing what Christmas stands for, you are building your place in Jahannam (Hell). Therefore, for reaching good means, you never have to follow bad means. You have to follow the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah (literature based on life and deeds of Prophet Muhammad).”
NIA books Zakir Naik in love-jihad case
It is also worth noting that Zakir Naik, along with two Pakistani hardline preachers have been named as accused in an FIR filed by the National Investigation Agency in connection with the high-profile “love jihad” case. The said case involved the daughter of a Chennai-based businessman and the son of a top Bangladeshi politician, belonging to former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
The father of the daughter had complained with the Chennai Central Crime Branch in May that his daughter, who was studying in London, was radicalised and forcibly converted to Islam. He had also alleged that his daughter was kidnapped by Bangladeshi men and spirited away to Bangladesh.
