Radical Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, who has been on the run from the law enforcement authorities in India, is back in the news again. A recent video of him advocating Muslims to refrain from becoming IAS/IPS officers is doing the rounds on the internet.
On being asked by a ‘Muslim brother’ whether a Muslim can become a bureaucrat in a democratic country like India, Zakir Naik replied, “If you can follow the ‘deen‘ (religion), then, it is permissible. Else, it is not.” He then responded to another Muslim who inquired whether it was possible for a Muslim to become an IAS, in light of the alleged ‘anti-Muslim’ hatred.
The Islamic preacher informed, “It is not impossible but difficult.” Under the assumption that a Muslim IAS officer would ‘definitely’ be intimidated by his colleagues, Naik stated, “When they attack you, Islam or the Prophet, can you reply them back? Do you have the courage to reply? If you are timid and shy, don’t take such a job. If you can answer them and are bold, go ahead with it.”
Become IAS officer only if you protect Muslims and Islam, recommends Naik
Later in the video, he emphasised, “If you are a strong person who can face the criticism of the non-Muslims, attacks of non-Muslims on Islam, stay away from bribery, follow the Sunnah and Quran, go ahead with the job.” Zakir Naik also warned Muslim IAS aspirants by citing the examples of Muslim officers who have ‘deviated’ from Islam.
His advice to his fellow ‘Muslim brothers’ is premised on the belief that the ‘objective’ behind bagging the coveted job of an IAS or IPS officer is to respond to fellow colleagues, defend Islam, and follow the teachings of Allah and the Quran.
He also asserts the narrative that even for an IPS and IAS officers, it is always about Muslims and non-Muslims. He repeatedly says that ‘they’ will defame the Quran and the Prophet and asserts that for Muslims who are selected into these jobs, it is all about defending Islam from ‘them’.
Hate preacher casts aspersions about the honesty of IPS officers
In the same video, the hate preacher then made sweeping statements about IPS officers. Naik claimed, “Not all, but the majority of IPS officers for sure are corrupt… If an honest officer goes there, he either becomes corrupt or he has to leave the job… The setup is such that if you don’t agree with them, then, they will make life difficult for you.”
Zakir Naik is not new to making bizarre claims
Radical Islamic preacher Zakir Naik is not new to making bizarre assertions. Earlier, he had declared that despite his noble efforts of “taking the side of Muslims” and “showing the ugly face of oppressors”, NDTV’s star journalist Ravish Kumar will not find a place in the ‘Jannah’ or Muslim heaven.
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.
NIA books Zakir Naik in love-jihad case
Recently, 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.
