Lecture

(Duration 1 hour and 38 minutes)

Mohammad Naik: Assalamu Alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh!

Audience: Wa Alaikum As Salaamu Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu.

Mohammad Naik: May the peace, the mercy and the blessings of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), God All Mighty, be on all of you. We begin this concluding session, the evening session of the 10-Day International Islamic Conference and Exhibition going on for the last 10 days with the Qirat by Brother Dr. Uthman Mohammad As Siddique from Saudi Arabia.

Dr. Uthman Mohammad As Siddique: Qirat…..

Mohammad Naik: Now we have the translation of the Qirat being read out by Brother Musa Cerantonio from Australia.

Musa Cerantonio: Recite O Muhammad what has been revealed to you of the book and establish prayer

Indeed prayer prohibits immorality and wrong doing

And the remembrance of Allah is greater and Allah knows that which you do.

And do not argue if the people of the book except in a way that is best except for those who commit injustice amongst them and say “We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you and our God and your God is one and we are Muslims in submission unto him”

And thus we have sent down to you the book and those to whom we previously gave the scripture believed in it and among these are those who believe in it and none reject our verses except the disbelievers

And you did not recite before it any scripture nor did you inscribed one with your right hand then otherwise the falsifiers would have had cause for doubt

Rather it is distinct verses preserved within the breasts of those who have been given knowledge and none rejects our verses except the wrongdoers

But they say “Why are not signs sent down to him from his Lord?” Say “The signs are only with Allah and I am only a clear warner”

And it is not sufficient for them that we reveal to you the book which is recited to them indeed in that is a mercy and a reminder for those who believe.

Mohammad Naik: I, Dr. Mohammad Naik, am your host for this evening’s programme. On behalf of the Islamic Research Foundation and our thousands of volunteers who have put this programme together for our brothers and sisters present here today and the vast multitudes, the millions of people watching this programme live on television all over the world on satellites Pass 10, Arab Sat Badr 4, Galaxy 8’10 and US and Canada, South America and Euro Bird 1 covering up the whole of Europe as well as the Sky TV channel 823 in UK, I welcome all of you to this important event, the concluding session of our 10-Day International Islamic Conference and Exhibition on the theme Peace – The Solution for Humanity.

This is the theme session and we have none other than Dr. Zakir Naik available before you to address this full session, Alhamdulillah.

A medical doctor by professional training, Dr. Zakir Naik, clarifies Islamic view points and clears misconception about Islam using the Quran, Authentic Hadith and other religious scriptures as a basis in conjunction with reason, logic and scientific facts.

He is 42 years old; Dr. Zakir is popular for his critical analysis and convincing answers to challenging questions posed by audiences after his public talks as he would address you in the question and answer session, an open one, after his talk too. In the last 12 years, Dr. Zakir Naik has delivered more than 1200 public lectures in many countries worldwide in addition to numerous more 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 in USA on the topic ‘The Qur’an and the Bible in the light of Science’ held in Chicago USA on April 1st, 2000 was a resounding success in establishing that Qur’an matches with established scientific facts.

His public dialogue with the renowned personality of India Shri Shri Ravi Shankar on the topic ‘The Concept of God in Hinduism and Islam in the Light of Sacred Scriptures’ held in the city of Bangalore, India on January 21st, 2006 too was a grand success in highlighting Tawheed, the oneness and unity of God.

Much before this Shaikh Ahmed Deedat, the world famous orator on Islam and comparative religion who had earlier called Dr. Zakir Naik ‘Deedat Plus’ in 1994 in May 2000 presented a plaque to him which stated “Awarded to Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik for his achievement in the field of Da’wah and the study of comparative religion”

“Son what you have done in 4 years had taken me 40 years to accomplish, Alhamdulillah””

And Shaikh Deedat happens to be a pioneer in speaking on comparative religion in English.

Dr. Zakir Naik appears regularly on programmes and interviews on many international TV and radio channels in more than 150 countries of the world. He has authored many books of Islam and Comparative religion including ‘The Qur’an and Modern Science – Compatible and Incompatible?’, ‘Is the Qur’an God’s Word?’ ‘Women in Islam – Subjugated or Protected?’, ‘Concept of God in Major Religions’ and answers to non-muslims common questions about Islam.

In this concluding theme session of the ‘Peace the Solution for Humanity – The 10-Day International Conference and Exhibition’ to present his public talk on this vital topic of the day ‘Is Islam the Solution for Humanity?’ let’s welcome the dynamic international orator on Islam and comparative religion, Dr. Zakir Naik!

Dr. Zakir: Alhamdulillah, was salaatu was salaam ala rasoolillah wa ala aalihi wa ashaabihi wa ajma’een, amma baad.

A’uzu billahi minash shaytan nir-rajeem, Bismillah hirrahman nirraheem.

Inna alddeena AAinda Allahi al-islam

Rabbish rahli Şadri Wa Yassir Li ‘Amri Wa Ahlul `Uqdatan Min Lisani Yafqahu Qawli

The respected scholars and speakers from different parts of the world, my respected elders and my dear brothers and sisters, I welcome all of you with the Islamic greetings…

‘As-Salaamu Alaikum, Wa Rahmatullahi, Wa Barkatahu’

Audience: Wa Alaikum As Salaamu Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu.

Dr. Zakir: ‘May Peace, Mercy and Blessings of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) be on all of you.

The topic of this last session and the last lecture of this 10 day International Islamic Conference is – ‘Is Islam the Solution for Humanity?’

Islam is derived from the root word ‘Salaam’ or ‘Salam’ which means peace, its also derived from the Arabic word ‘Silm’ which means to ‘Submit your will to Almighty God. In short, Islam means peace acquired by submitting your will to Almighty God.

So the topic of today’s lecture is, ‘Is Peace acquired by submitting your will to Almighty God the Solution for Humanity?’

Islam unlike other religions and other ways of life which only cater either to the physical needs of the body or the spiritual aspect, most of the religions they mainly cater to spiritual aspects and the needs of the soul. And some ‘ism’s’ like materialism etc, as well as communism, they mainly cater to the physical needs of the body.

Islam Alhumdulillah, it caters to both – the spiritual need of the soul as well as the physical need of the body, it has a dual role. And as far as the solution to the humanity is concerned, the Glorious Qur’an is the most positive book in the world.

It is a proclamation to humanity. It is a fountain of mercy and wisdom. It is a warning to the heedless. It’s a guide to the erring. It’s an assurance to those in doubt. It’s a solace to the suffering and it is a hope to those in despair.

This Glorious Qur’an has the Solutions to the Problems of Humanity.

Now whenever anyone gives you a solution you would like to know the source, you would like to know the authenticity. For example if you are sick and if someone gives you a prescription, you would like to know that who has written the prescription. Is it a doctor? What are his qualifications? Similarly people would like to know that, who is the author of this Glorious Qur’an, people would like to know, what is the authenticity of this Glorious Qur’an? But natural I cannot give the solution for humanity. I am zero in Islam. The best person to give the solution for humanity is the Creator of humanity. It is the creator of humankind, it is the creator of the world, it is the creator of the universe. The best solution for the problems of humanity can be given by the Sustainer, by the Cherisher of the humankind of the whole world as well as the whole universe. So before we dwell into the topic I would first like to spend a few minutes telling the audience the authenticity of this book and the source of this book. I will try and prove in nut shell that the Glorious Qur’an is the word of Almighty God as well as those people who do not believe in Almighty God I will try to prove to them the existence of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), of Almighty God.

When an atheist comes and approaches me and when he tells me that I do not believe in a God, the first thing I do is I congratulate him. People may wonder ‘why is Zakir congratulating an atheist?’ The reason I am congratulating an atheist is because he is thinking. Most of the human beings, they do blind belief.

He is a Christian, because father is a Christian. He is a Hindu because father is a Hindu. Some Muslims they are Muslims because their fathers are Muslims. This atheist he is thinking. He may be coming from a religious background, but he does not agree that the God his parents are worshipping that there can be such a God. So he disagrees in the existence of God. And the reason I congratulate him is because he has said the first part of the Islamic Shahaada, the first part of the Islamic creed, i.e. ‘La Ilaha’ that there is no God. The only thing I have to do now is to prove to him ‘Ilallaah’ ‘But Allah’, which I shall do Insha Allah. Here half my job is done.

To the other Non Muslims first I’ve to prove to them that the God they are worshipping is not a true God. Here half my Job is done. He has already agreed that there is no god. So only thing I have to prove to him is the existence of the true Almighty God, that is Allah which I shall do Insha Allah.

Most of the atheist, they think that science is ultimate. Nowadays, this is the age of science and technology and they feel that science is ultimate and if you ask any atheist that suppose there is an equipment, there is a gadget which no one in the world has ever seen, no one has heard of and if that gadget is brought in front of this atheist and the question is asked that who will be the first person who will be able to tell you the mechanism of this gadget, the mechanism of this equipment. The atheist will reply that it will be the creator. Some may say the manufacturer, some may say the maker, some may say the inventor, some may say the producer. Whatever they say it will be somewhat similar either it will be the creator, the manufacturer, the maker, it will be the inventor, it will be somewhat similar. Don’t grapple with the words just keep that answer at the back of your mind. Ask him the question that how did our universe come into existence?

He will tell you that initially there was a primary nebula, later on there was a secondary separation, there was a big bang, which gave rise to galaxies, the stars, the sun, the planets and the earth on which we live. This they call it as the Big Bang. When we ask the atheist that when did you come to know about this creation of the universe, the Big Bang? He will tell you we came to know recently, 30 years back, 40 years back. I tell him that this information about the creation of the universe is mentioned in this book the Glorious Qur’an 1400 years ago in a nutshell, it’s mentioned in

Surah Al-Ambiya’, Chapter No. 21, Verse No. 30,

“Awalam Yaral Ladhina Kafaru”

”Do not the unbelievers see”

“Annas Samawati Wal ‘Arda Kaanata Ratqan Fafataqnahuma”

That “the heavens and the earth they were joined together, and We clove them asunder?’”

This Big Bang what you’re talking about is already mentioned in the Qur’an 1400 years ago. Who could have mentioned this in the Qur’an? He will tell you may be it’s a fluke. Don’t argue with him, continue.

What is the shape of this earth? So he will tell you that previously the human beings thought that the earth on which we live it is flat. It was in 1577, when Sir Francis Drake when he sailed around the earth that he proved that the earth was spherical. What you came to know in 1577, is already mentioned in the Qur’an 1400 years ago. In

Surah Naazi’aat, Chapter No. 79, Verse No. 30, where it’s mentioned,

“Wal Arda Ba’da Dhalika Dahaha”

And thereafter ‘We have made the earth egg-shaped’.

The Arabic word ‘Dahaha’, one of its meaning is an expanse and the earth is an expanse. The other meaning is derived from the Arabic word ‘Duhya’ which means an egg. And we know that the earth on which we live is not completely round like a ball. It is flattened from the pole and bulging from the centre. It is Geo Spherical in shape. And the Arabic word ‘Dahaha’ doesn’t refer to a normal egg it specifically refers to the Egg of an Ostrich. And if we analyze the shape of the Egg of an Ostrich – it too is Geo Spherical in shape. Who could have mentioned 1400 years ago that the shape of the earth is geo spherical?

The atheist may say may be your Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) he was an intelligent person. Don’t argue, continue.

The light of the Moon is it its own light or is it a reflected light? Atheist will tell you previously we thought that the light of the Moon was its own light. Recently in Science, 100 years back, 200 years back, 300 years back we came to know that the light of the Moon is not it’s own light but it is reflected light. Qur’an mentions in

Surah Furqan, Chapter No.25, Verse No.61,

“Blessed is He who has made the constellations in the sky, and placed therein having its own light, and Moon having a reflection of light.”, having borrowed light.

The Arabic word used for Sun is ‘Shams’. It’s always described as ‘Siraj’ or Wahaj’ meaning a torch or a blazing lamp. The Arabic word for used in the Qur’an for Moon is ‘Qamar’. Its light is always described as ‘Munir’ or ‘Noor’, meaning borrowed light or a reflection of light. No where does the Qur’an refer to the moon light as its own light. Who could have mentioned this in the Qur’an 1400 years ago? The atheist may be after a long pause he will say, may be your Prophet, he was extra intelligent. Don’t argue, continue.

When I was in school, I passed my school in 1982, I’d learnt in the subject of Science and Geography that the Sun, though it revolved it did not rotate about its own axis. The atheist will ask is this mentioned in the Qur’an? I will tell him, no-no, this is what I learnt in school. More than 25 years back, this is what I learnt in school. But when I read the verse of the Qur’an in

Surah Ambiya’ Chapter No. 21 Verse No. 33, it says,

“Huwal Ladhi Khalaqal Layla Wan Nahara”

“It is Allah who has created the night and the day”

“Wash Shamsa Wal Qamar”

“The Sun and the Moon”

“Kullun Fi Falakin Yasbahun.”

“Each one traveling in orbit, with its own motion’”

The Arabic word ‘Yasbahoon’, describes the motion of a moving body. Indicating that the Sun besides revolving it is also rotating about its own axis. And today science tells us that the Sun takes about approximately 25 days to complete one rotation. Who could have mentioned this in the Qur’an 1400 years ago, which science has discovered recently, just a couple of decades earlier. When I was in school I didn’t know about this.

Now all the text books they say very clearly that the Sun besides revolving even rotates about its own axis. Who could have mentioned this in the Qur’an? And most probably the atheist he’ll be silent. Don’t wait for the reply, continue.

Today science tells us that our Universe is expanding which we discovered recently a couple of hundred years back. Qur’an mentions in

Surah Dhaariyaat, Chapter No. 51, Verse No. 47, that

“We have created the expanding universe”, the vastness of space.

The Arabic word ‘Musioona’, it means the expanding universe, the vastness of space.

There may be many critics of Islam who will say, “It is nothing great that the Qur’an speaks about Astronomy, since the Arabs were advanced in the field of Astronomy.” And I do agree with them that the Arabs were advanced in the field of Astronomy. But I would like to remind them, it was centuries after the Qur’an was revealed that the Arabs became advanced in the field of Astronomy. So it is from the Qur’an, that the Arabs learnt about Astronomy, and not the vice versa.

In the field of Hydrology, when we ask the atheist that when did we come to know about water cycle? So he will tell you that Sir Bernard Palissy in 1580 was the first person who described the present water cycle. How does the water evaporates from the ocean, it forms in to clouds, moves into the interior, it falls down as rain and the water cycle is replenished. This water cycle is mentioned in the Qur’an in great detail 1400 years ago. The Qur’an mentions too, that the water evaporates from the ocean. Forms into clouds, the clouds join then moves into the interior, then the water falls down and the water cycle is replenished. The Qur’an speaks about Hydrology and the water cycle in great detail in several verses,

in Surah Az-Zumar, Chapter No. 39, Verse No. 21,

in Surah Room, Chapter No. 30, Verse No. 24,

in Surah Mu’minoon, Chapter No. 23, Verse No. 18,

in Surah Al-Hijr, Chapter No. 15, Verse No. 22,

in Surah Noor, Chapter No. 24, Verse No. 43,

in Surah Room, Chapter No. 30, Verse No. 48,

in Surah A’raaf, Chapter No. 7, Verse 57,

in Surah Ra’d, Chapter No. 13, Verse No. 17,

in Surah Furqaan, Chapter No. 25, Verse No. 48 and 49,

in Surah Faatir, Chapter No. 35, Verse No. 9,

in Surah Yaa Seen, Chapter No. 36, Verse No. 34,

in Surah Jathiyah, Chapter No. 45, Verse No. 5,

in Surah Qaaf, Chapter No. 50, Verse No. 9 and 10,

in Surah Waaqi’ah, Chapter No. 56, Verse No. 68 to 70,

in Surah Mulk, Chapter No. 67, Verse No. 30,

in Surah Taariq, Chapter 86, Verse No. 11,

You can quote, only keep on quoting the references, the Qur’an speaks about the water cycle in great detail. Who could have mentioned this in the Qur’an 1400 years ago? Don’t wait for the answer, continue.

The Qur’an, it speaks about Geology that the mountains have got pegs which give stability to the earth. It’s mentioned in

Surah Nabaa’, Chapter No. 78, Verse No. 6 and 7.

In the field of Oceanology, we knew that there were two types of water salt and sweet but the Qur’an goes ahead and says in

Surah Furqaan, Chapter No. 25, Verse No. 53,

“It is He Who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: one palatable and sweet and the other salty and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them a partition that is forbidden to be passed.”

And today we know that this ‘Barzakh’ what the Qur’an speaks about, today those people who are expert in the subject of Oceanology, they say this is called as the unseen barrier.

The Qur’an it speaks about Biology in

Surah Ambiya’, Chapter 21, Verse No. 30,

“Wa Ja`alna Minal Maa’i Kulla Shay’in Hayyin”

“We have created every living thing from water.”

Who could have believed in the deserts of Arabia, 1400 years ago where there is scarcity of water that every living creature is made of water. But today science has testified that.

In the field of ‘Botany’, the Qur’an says in Surah Taa Haa, Chapter 20, Verse 53,

“That we have created plants in pairs, male and female.”

Previously we did not know that even the plants are created in male and female. Qur’an says in

Surah Ra’d, Chapter No. 13, Verse No. 3,

“That we have created every kind of fruit in pairs”

In the field of Zoology, the Qur’an says in

Surah An’aam, Chapter No. 6, Verse No. 38, that the birds and the animals live in community like the human beings which we came to know recently.

Qur’an speaks about the life style of the Bee in Surah Nahl, Chapter 16, Verse 68 and 69.

The Qur’an speaks about the life style of the Spider, in Surah Ankaboot, Chapter No. 29, Verse No. 41.

The Qur’an speaks about the life style of the Ants, in Surah Naml, Chapter No. 27, Verse No. 17 and 18, all of which we have come to know recently, 50 years back, 100 years back, 200 years back.

In the field on medicine, The Qur’an says in Surah Nahl, Chapter No. 16, Verse No. 68 and 69 that we give to the human beings a drink of varying colours coming from the belly of the bee in which there is healing for mankind. Today we have come to know recently that the honey is derived from the belly of the bee. And in the honey it has got antiseptic properties, no wonder the Russians used honey to cover up their wounds. This we came to know recently.

In the field of ‘Physiology’, the Qur’an speaks about the blood circulation and the production of milk in a nut shell in Surah Nahl, Chapter No. 16, Verse 66.

In the field of Genetics, the Qur’an says in Surah Najm, Chapter No. 53, Verse No. 45, 46, as well as

Surah Qiyaamah, Chapter 75, Verse No. 37 to 39,

that it is the male fluid the sperm which is responsible for the sex of the child, which we have come to know recently.

The Qur’an speaks about Embryology in great detail in

Surah Alaq, Chapter 96, Verse No. 1

That We have created the human beings from Alaqa, that’s a leech like substance, something which clings, it is also called as the congealed clot of blood. The Qur’an speaks about the various embryological stages in great detail which modern embryology has just discovered recently. In

Surah Mu’minoon Chapter 23, Verse No. 12 to 14. I’ll just mention a couple more.

Normally the unbelievers they object that how can Almighty God once we have died and we have been buried in the ground, in the dust, how will Almighty God be able to reassemble our bones after our bones have got disintegrated? On the Day of Judgment how will be able to reassemble the bones?

And Almighty God says in Surah Qiyaamah, Chapter No. 75, Verse No. 3 and 4, that

“He can not only reassemble the bones, He can even reassemble the very tips of the finger in perfect order.” And it was in 1880 that Sir Francis Gold discovered the finger printing method and said that no two fingerprints; even in a millions of human beings; even a millions of human beings you gather, no two finger prints are identical. What the CIA, the police, the CID, the FBI today they use the finger printing method to identify the criminal, Allah mentions 1400 years ago,

‘He can not only reassemble your bones, he can even reconstruct in perfect order the very tips of your finger’.

When we ask the atheist that who could have mentioned this in the Qur’an? The only reply he can give you is the creator, it is the manufacturer, it is the inventor, it is the maker, it is the producer. This creator, this manufacturer, this inventor, this maker, this producer, we Muslims we call him as ‘Allah’.

I’ve tried to summarize my two hours lecture of “Is the Qur’an God’s Word?” in only approximately fifteen minutes so that we can have more time for question and answer session. Just for the benefit of the multiple times number of people that are here.

According to Albert Einstein, he said, that ‘Science without religion is lame, and religion without science is blind’. Let me remind you the Glorious Qur’an is not a ‘Book of Science’, S-C-I-E-N-C-E; but it’s a book of ‘Signs’, S-I-G-N-S; it’s a book of Ayaats. And in the Glorious Qur’an there are more than 6,000 Signs, more than 6,000 signs Ayaats out of which more than a thousand speak about Science.

I’m not trying to take the help of science to prove the authenticity of the Qur’an. For us Muslims the Qur’an is the yardstick but for the Non Muslims, for the atheist, for him Science is a yardstick. So I am taking his yardstick and comparing with our yardstick and trying to prove that what your yardstick has mentioned yesterday, 50 years back, 100 years back, 200 years back, our yardstick the Glorious Qur’an has already mentioned 1400 years ago.

That’s the reason today science is not eliminating ‘God’ but it is eliminating ‘models of god’, ‘La Ilaha Ilallah’.

So this Glorious Qur’an has the solution to the problems of mankind and its author is the Creator, the Sustainer, the Cherisher of the whole humankind, the whole universe.

There were several revelations sent by Almighty God on the face of the earth. But all the revelations that came before the last and final revelation, the Glorious Qur’an, were meant only for a particular group of people and it were meant to be followed only for a particular time period.

But since the Qur’an was the last and final revelation of Almighty God, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), it was not only sent for the Muslims or the Arabs it was sent for the whole of humankind.

Its mentioned in the Qur’an in

Surah Baqarah, Chapter No. 2, Verse No. 185, that

“Ramadhaan was the month in which the Qur’an was revealed as a criteria for judgment from right and wrong and as a guidance for the whole of humankind.”

Not only for the Muslims or for the Arabs, for the whole of humankind. The same message is repeated in

Surah Ibraheem, Chapter No. 14, Verse No. 1,

In Surah Ibraheem, Chapter No. 14, Verse 52 as well as in

Surah Al Zumar, Chapter 39, Verse No. 41 that the Qur’an has been sent for the whole of humankind.

Similarly all the messengers that came last and final Messenger Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) they were only sent for a particular group of people and the message which they brought was meant to be followed only till a particular time period, but since Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the last and final messenger, he was not only sent for the Muslims or for the Arabs, the Qur’an says in

Surah Ambiya’, Chapter 21, Verse No. 107,

“Wa Ma ‘Arsalnaaka ‘Illa Rahmatan Lil`Alameen”

That “We have sent Thee not, but As a Mercy to the whole of humanity, as a mercy to all the creatures, as a mercy to all the worlds.”

The same message is repeated in Surah Sabaa’, Chapter 34, Verse No. 28,

“Wa Ma ‘Arsalnaaka ‘Illa Kaffatan Lilnnas Bashiran Wa Nadhiran”

“We have sent Thee not but as a universal Messenger, giving them glad tidings, and warning them against sin, but most of the human beings yet do not know.”

And because most of the human beings yet do not know, that’s the reason we are having such conferences and such lectures.

But today if we read, if we hear, if we notice the international media, there is virulent propaganda about Islam in the international media whether it be the international newspapers, the international magazines the radio broadcast stations, the international TV Channels, the international Satellite Channels, we find in the international media, they are spreading many misconceptions about Islam. There is virulent propaganda about Islam.

And according to an article which came in the Newsweek Magazine on 16th of April, 1979, is says that in the span of 150 years, from 1800 to 1950 more than 60,000 books have been written against Islam. And if we calculate, if we divide the number of days and the number of books written, more than one book was written against Islam every day. And after 9/11, that is 11th of September 2001, this has reached epidemic level. Every day several books are written against Islam. If you want to get famous, if you write a book against Islam the chances that it will become a best seller is high. And we notice that the international media, they use several strategies to spread these misconceptions about Islam.

Number one is, they pick up the black sheep of the community and they portray as though they are exemplary Muslims. There are black sheeps in every community. So what the media does they pick up the black sheep amongst the Muslims, they are not actually practicing Muslims, they are namesake Muslims. They pick them up and they portray as though they are exemplary Muslims. If you want to know how good is the car and if you put behind the steering wheel a person who does not know how to drive the car and if he has an accident, if he bangs the car, who will you blame? Will you blame the car or the driver? Who will you blame? The car or the driver? But natural the driver. If you want to know how good the car is you have to analyze the specification. What is the fuel consumption of the car? What is the speed? What is the gear ratio? What are the safety measures? After analyzing these, then can you judge how good the car is.

And if you want to really test drive the car, put behind the steering wheel a person who is an expert driver. And if you want to judge Islam, how good Islam is and you really want to analyze an exemplary Muslim, the best example it is our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam).

Look at his Seerah, analyze the history of the Prophet and undoubtedly you will have to agree that this religion and the follower of this religion Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) he was the major benefactor for the spreading of peace.

Second strategy used is, many a times they give quotations of the Qur’an and the religious scriptures of Islam out of context and we find that many critics, if you read many of the books against Islam, if you go on the internet, many sites against Islam and they give references from the Qur’an as well as the quotation and one quotation which is very often used by the critics is of

Surah Tawbah, Chapter No. 9, Verse No. 5

And this was also used by Arun Shourie, one of the staunchest critics of Islam in this country India, his name is Arun Shourie. And he writes in his book “The World of Fatwas”, and he gives the reference that Qur’an says in Surah Tawbah, Chapter 9, Verse No. 5, and it tells the Muslims, that wherever you find a Kaafir, into brackets he’s indicating Hindu’s. He’s saying that the Qur’an says in Surah Tawbah, Chapter 9, Verse No. 5, that wherever you find the Kaafir, you have to kill them.

And if you read the Qur’an, if you open the Qur’an and if you read the translation what he is saying is correct. Surah Tawbah, Chapter No. 9, Verse No. 5 does say that “wherever you find the Kafir, you kill them.” But it is quoted out of context, for context you have to start from verse number one of Surah Tawbah, Chapter 9 and when you read the context and know the background, why was this verse revealed, we come to know that there was a peace treaty between the Muslims and the Mushriks of Makkah. And this peace treaty was unilaterally broken by the Mushriks of Makkah. So when this peace treaty was unilaterally broken by the Mushriks of Makkah. Almighty God, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) in the Qur’an, He says in

Surah Tawbah, Chapter 9, Verse No. 2 that

“He is giving four months time; otherwise there is a declaration of war.”

And it’s mentioned in

Surah Tawbah, Chapter 9, Verse No. 5 that

After the four forbidden months, it tells the Muslims that you fight and you kill the pagans, that means your enemies, wherever you find them and cease them and wait for them in every stratagem of war.

So in context we come to know this verse was revealed in the battlefield. That in the battlefield when the peace treaty is broken and when the enemies come to fight you don’t get scared, fight back and kill them where you find them. But natural any army general, in the battlefield to boost up the morale of the soldier, he will say fight them.

Suppose there is a war going on between USA and Vietnam. And if Army General of USA, if he says that wherever you find the Vietnamese, you kill them. But natural it’s in context, but if I quote out of context and say that today the Army General of America says wherever you find the Vietnamese today, you kill them. I will make him sound like a butcher. But natural to boost up the morale, Almighty God will not say that “ok run away”. To boost up the morale he has to say that don’t get scared, fight and it’s a fight between truth and falsehood. And such examples you’ll find in the Bible, if you see the Gospel of Matthew, you’ll find in the Hindu scriptures, in Bhagawad Gita, full Bhagawad Gita speaks about that.

That lord Krishna he is giving advice to Arjun, Arjun in the battlefield. He says in

Bhagawad Gita, Chapter No. 1, Verse No. 46, 47, 48, in the battlefield he puts his weapons and says, I would prefer being killed unarmed than to fight my relatives. So Shri Krishna says just a few verse later in

Bhagawad Gita, Chapter No. 2, Verse No. 2 and 3, that

“O Arjun, how can you be so impotent? It is the duty of the Kshatriya, it is the duty of the warrior to fight and only if you fight will you go to the heavenly planets, to the paradise…”

And it goes on and on you can see my cassette on ‘Terrorism and Jihad’ where I have spoken in detail. But when the Qur’an speaks about this Non Muslims have a problem. Imagine if I say that Bhagawad Gita is saying kill your relatives, it will be devilish. And Bhagawad Gita does say that. If I say that Bhagawad Gita says kill your relatives, it will be devilish. In context it says that when you have to fight against untruth, if you have to fight against oppression, stand for truth even if it be against your relatives. And as far as this message of Bhagawad Gita is concerned we are for it. Qur’an says the same. Therefore to make the Non Muslim understand Islam according to me the master key given in the Qur’an by our creator Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) is

Surah Ale ‘Imran, Chapter 3, Verse 64 which says,

“Ta`alaw ‘Ila Kalimatin Sawaa’in Baynana Wa Baynakum”.

“Come to common terms as between us and you”

The best way to make the Non Muslims understand Islam and Qur’an is,

“Ta`alaw ‘Ila Kalimatin Sawaa’in Baynana Wa Baynakum”.

“Come to common terms as between us and you”

Which is the first term?

“Allah Na`buda ‘Illallaah”.

“That we worship none but one Almighty God, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala)”

And Arun Shourie after quoting verse number 5 of Surah Tawbah, he jumps to verse number 7. You know why? Verse No. 6 has the answer to his sickness. Verse number 6 of Surah Tawbah Chapter No. 9 says that any of the pagans, if any of the disbelievers, if any of your enemies seek asylum, if they want peace, grant it to them so that they may hear the word of Almighty God and escort them to a place of security because these are men who do not understand.

The Qur’an does not say that let them go. Today if the enemy wants peace maximum the army general will say ok let him go. Qur’an does not say that, Qur’an says escort them to a place of security. Because these are men who do not understand.

Just a few months back when I was giving a similar example there was a Non Muslim from the audience who said Brother Zakir even you are quoting out of context, you haven’t quoted the full verse of Surah Tawbah, Chapter 9, Verse No. 5, that the full verse reads, after saying that in the battlefield wherever you find the Kaafir kill them and slay them wait for them in every stratagem of war. It continues and says but if they repent and if they establish prayers, regular prayers and regular charity then let them go for Allah is forgiving and merciful. So he is telling, we come to know that only if they accept Islam do you have to leave them. See many a times it becomes difficult for us to give the full explanation otherwise the lecture would be may be 10 hours long, as it is people say that I am a marathon speaker but I thank that Hindu brother and said Jazakallah for giving me an opportunity for clarifying more. Verse number 5 of Surah Tawbah does refer that if the unbeliever if he repents and establishes regular prayer and gives regular charity, indicating that he becomes a Muslim, then let him go. If he becomes a Muslim let him go. But verse no. 6 says that if the unbeliever seeks asylum, wants peace don’t just let him go, escort him to a place of security. If he becomes a Muslim let him go. But if he does not become a Muslim and wants peace don’t just leave him escort him to a place of security because may be now he is in between, he’s on the fence. Those who accept Islam fine they’re Muslims, he wants peace may be the non Muslims they may kill him, may be the non Muslims would like to take revenge while we wanting for peace. So Almighty God says in the Qur’an don’t leave them, escort them to a place of security.

So that’s the reason critics like Arun Shourie they skip verses, they quote out of context and you can give hundreds of such examples. If you go on the internet it’s very common and we find now many of the Non Muslims they go on the internet and to speak against the Qur’an has become easy, therefore more books are being published, very easy. You know internet is a boon and a bane. Initially when it started they were more websites against Islam than for Islam. Now Muslims have caught up. There are good sites also. But you don’t have to be a scholar to find alleged mistakes in the Qur’an and it’s difficult to reply, the moment you keep on replying more and more keep on coming that’s the reason we have open question and answer sessions. So strategy number two is they quote the verses of the Qur’an and the Islamic scriptures out of context.

Third strategy is they say things about Islam which are alien to Islam. It does not exist in Islam, for example many critics say that Islam is an unscientific religion. Just to give you one example. Time will not permit me to give several examples since now a days we are having a controversy on the famous Bangladeshi writer, Taslima Nasreen, she says that the Qur’an mentions that the “Sun revolves around the earth and if we have to believe in such an outdated book how can the Muslims advance?” And I challenge anyone to point out any verse of the Qur’an which says that “the Sun revolves around the earth.” And I said this several years back when I had a debate about her in the Bombay Union of Journalist. What she is referring to is the verse of the Qur’an which I quoted earlier in my talk in

Surah Ambiya’ Chapter No. 21 Verse No. 33, which says,

“Huwal Ladhi Khalaqal Layla Wan Nahara”

“It is Allah who has created the night and the day”

“Wash Shamsa Wal Qamar”

“The Sun and the Moon”

“Kullun Fi Falakin Yasbahun.”

“Each one traveling in its own orbit’”

So here the Qur’an says that the Sun is revolving in motion. No where does the Qur’an say that the Sun is revolving around the earth. It’s her own understanding, her own interpretation. The word ‘Ard’ is not there in the verse of the Qur’an. The Qur’an says it revolves in a motion which I explained earlier. The Qur’an says besides revolving it also rotates. When I was in school I didn’t know about that and now science has testified that. So many a time the critics of Islam they say things about Islam which are alien to Islam.

And very often, fourth strategy used, they mention things about Islam and after that they say, that because of this “Islam is the problem for humanity.” Today the problem that you have in the world is mainly because of Islam and they say Muslims are terrorist, they are fundamentalist, they are extremist. Islam is a intolerant religion. Because of all these things, “Islam is the problem for humanity.” And many a time we Muslims are apologetic which I would rather use the strategy of turn the tables over.

And today Muslims are called as fundamentalist. What is the meaning of the word fundamentalist? Fundamentalist by definition means a person who follows the fundamentals of one particular field. For example if a person wants to be a good Mathematician, he should know, follow and practice the fundamentals of Maths. Unless he is a fundamentalist in the field of Maths, he cannot be a good Mathematician. For a person to be a good scientist, he should know, follow and practice the fundamentals of Science. Unless he is a fundamentalist in the field of Science, he cannot be a good scientist.

You cannot paint all fundamentalists with the same brush, that all are bad or all are bad. Depending in which field the person is a fundamentalist, you have to label him accordingly.

For example, if we have a fundamentalist robber, whose profession is to rob, he is bad for the society; he is a bane for the society. On the other hand, if we have a fundamentalist doctor, who saves hundreds of human lives, he is a boon for the society. You cannot paint all fundamentalists with the same brush that all are bad or all are good. Depending in which field is the person is a fundamentalist; you have to label him accordingly. As far as I am concerned, I am a fundamentalist Muslim and I am proud to be a fundamentalist Muslim. Because I know, I strive and I follow the principles of Islam and I know that there is not a single fundamental of Islam, not a single teaching of Islam, which is against humanity as a whole. There may be a few teachings of Islam which some Non Muslims may feel are against humanity, but the moment you give the logical reasoning the statistics behind the teaching, there is not a single human being who’s unbiased who can point out a single fundamental of Islam, which is against humanity as a whole.

And this word fundamentalism was first coined, according to the Webster’s Dictionary; it was used to describe the Protestant Christians in the early part of the 20th century in America. So this word first was used for the Americans, for the Protestant Christians because they protested against the Church. The Church believed that the message of the Bible was from God. These Protestant Christians they protested that not only is the message of the Bible from God, every word, every letter of the Bible is from God. If someone can prove that every letter, every word of the Bible is from God, this fundamentalism movement, it’s a good movement. On the other hand if someone can prove that every word of the Bible is not from Almighty God, then this movement is not a good movement.

When we read the Oxford dictionary we find out, and it says that, ‘fundamentalist’ is a person who strictly adheres to the ancient doctrine of any religion. But when I read one of the revised edition of the Oxford Dictionary, there was a slight change, it says that “‘Fundamentalist’ is a person who strictly adheres to the ancient doctrines of any religion, especially Islam!” So ‘especially Islam’ has been added in the revised edition of Oxford Dictionary. The moment you see a Muslim your mind goes that he’s a fundamentalist. And we Muslims are apologetic, I’m not a fundamentalist. I say I’m a fundamentalist. What’s the problem? Yu cannot be a good Muslim until you are a fundamentalist Muslim.

The media says “Muslims are Extremists”, I say yes I’m an extremist. I’m extremely kind, I’m extremely loving, I’m extremely merciful, I’m extremely honest, I’m extremely just. What’s wrong in being extremely kind, extremely merciful, extremely loving, extremely just, extremely honest? You can’t be partly honest. When it benefits you, you’re honest. When it does not benefit you aren’t honest. According to the Qur’an you have to be extremely kind, extremely merciful. If you are a Muslim you have to be an extremist Muslim, you have to be extremely kind, you have to be extremely honest, you have to be extremely just.

I want a single human being to tell me what is wrong in being extremely honest? You have to be extremist in the right direction. We Muslim should not be apologetic. “No-No-No, I’m a moderate Muslim.” What’s a moderate Muslim? You can follow Islam or don’t follow Islam. Allah says in the Qur’an,

“Ud’khulu Fis-Silmi Kaaffah”

“Enter into Islam whole-heartedly”

Surah Baqarah Chapter 2 Verse No. 208.

You can’t say I want to follow part of Islam. You have to be fully just; you have to be fully honest, extremely honest.

Today Muslims are given the label, that “Muslims are Terrorist”. I say, in context every Muslim, he should be a terrorist. What it the meaning of the word ‘Terrorist’? ‘Terrorist’ by definition means a person who causes terror. Whenever a criminal sees a policeman, he is terrified. So for the criminal, the policeman is a terrorist. In this context, in this context every Muslim should be a terrorist to the criminal. Whenever any criminal sees a Muslim he should be terrified. Whenever any robber sees a Muslim he should be terrified terrorist. Whenever any rapist sees a Muslim he should be terrified. If every Muslim is truly terrorist in right way, terrorizing the criminals then you’ll have the solution for humanity. If every human being becomes a fundamentalist Muslim, following the fundamentals of Islam the problems of humanity will be solved. If every human being is an extremist Muslim, extremely kind, extremely loving, extremely honest, extremely just, extremely the problems of humanity will be solved.

Many a time, two different labels are given to the same individual for his same activity. For example 60 years back, 70 years back there were many Indians who were fighting for the freedom of the country. When the Britishers were ruling India, these Indians by the British Government they were called as ‘terrorists’. But the same people for their same activity we common Indians we call them as freedom fighters, as patriots. Same people, same activity, two different labels. If you agree with the view of the British Government that they had a right to rule over India, then you have to call these Indians as terrorist. But if you agree with the view of the common Indians that the Britishers came to India to do business, they have no right to rule over us then you’ll call these people as ‘freedom fighters’, as ‘patriots’. Same people, same activity, two different labels. And we find several such examples in history, several.

We know during the American Revolution in 1775 when the Britishers, when they had occupied America, there were many Americans who were fighting for the freedom and number one terrorist according to the British government was George Washington. George Washington by the British government was called as number 1 terrorist in 1775. Later on he becomes a President of America, USA. Imagine Terrorist No. 1 becomes the President of USA. And he happens to be the godfather of all the Presidents to come including George Bush. And what are my comments on George Bush you can see my tape, “Terrorism and Jihad: An Islamic Perspective.”

And we find several such examples. Before South Africa was free it was ruled by the White Apartheid Government. This White Apartheid Government had imprisoned Nelson Mandela for more than 25 years in Robin Islands and they said that he was ‘Terrorist No. 1.’ Later on after the Apartheid Government was removed in South Africa, when the new government came they released Nelson Mandela and later on he got the Noble Prize for Peace. Imagine ‘Terrorist No. 1’ getting Noble Prize for Peace. Not that he was bad and then he became good. Not that he killed many people and then he became good. For the same activity for which he was called ‘Terrorist No. 1’ he was given the Noble Prize for Peace. So what we come to know today, it’s in the hands of the media. Whoever is in power, whatever label he gives to a person it gets stuck whether it’s truth or not, that is secondary, whoever is in power, whoever has control of the media, what they portray about a person that label gets stuck to that person. Therefore before giving a label, firstly we have to identify for what reason that person was striving and then give the label. And Qur’an clearly mentions in

Surah Ma’idah Chapter No. 5 Verse No. 32,

“That if anyone kills any other human being unless it be for murder or for spreading corruption in the land it is as though he has killed the whole of humanity.”

Most of the religion say that killing innocent human being is wrong. Qur’an goes a step further and says that if you kill any innocent human being, it is as though you have killed the whole of humanity. And it does not stop there it goes further and says that if you save any human life it is as though you have saved the whole of humankind.

I being a student of comparative religion I’ve not come across any such verse in any religious scriptures besides the Qur’an. Most of the religious scripture do say you should not kill innocent human being; Qur’an goes a step further and says that if you kill any innocent human being you have killed the whole of humanity and if you have save any human being, you have saved the whole of humanity.

Yet Islam is called as an ‘Intolerant Religion.’ And I do say that Islam is an intolerant religion. Islam is intolerant towards corruption. Islam is intolerant towards injustice. Islam is intolerant towards discrimination. Islam is intolerant towards dishonesty. Islam is intolerant towards racism. Islam is intolerant towards victimization. It is an intolerant religion!

See theoretically all the countries say that dishonesty is wrong. All the countries and all the religions they say corruption is wrong. All of the people they say discrimination is wrong, they say racism is wrong, they say victimization is wrong. But that is only a theory, in most of the countries. Most of the countries have corruption. There’s dishonesty in most of the countries. So just because Islam is intolerant towards the practices which are prevalent in many countries, I do agree Islam is an intolerant religion. Islam is intolerant towards those things which Almighty God knows are wrong for the human being, which today many human beings feel it is a part and parcel of society. They think if you do these things you are advanced. So Islam is intolerant to those things which the Creator feels is wrong and many of the human beings today feel are right. Islam is intolerant towards Alcoholism; Islam is intolerant towards Drug Addiction, towards Pornography, towards Prostitution, towards Adultery, towards fornication. Islam is an intolerant religion! It’s intolerant towards the evils of the society. Because if you’re intolerant towards these things then only will you have the solution to the problems of humanity. Many people go on the defense; “O Islam is not an intolerant religion.” It is intolerant towards the vices but tolerant towards the things which are good.

It does not force anyone at the point of the sword. Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Baqarah Chapter 2, Verse 256,

“La ‘Ikraha Fid Deen”

“There’s no compulsion in religion”

Many people quote this and put a full stop. That’s not the end of the verse, the verse continues,

“La ‘Ikraha Fid Deen”

“There’s no compulsion in religion”

“Truth stands out clear from error”

You have to present the truth. If you want to accept it, accept it. If you don’t want to accept it, no problem. No one can force you to accept Islam at the point of the sword or at the point of the gun. In this way it is the most tolerant religion.

When we analyze most of the religions they speak good things. So what’s the difference between Islam and the other religions? The difference between Islam and the other religions is that Islam besides speaking good things it shows you a way how to achieve that state of goodness.

For example, most of the religions say that you should not rob. Hinduism says that, Christianity says that, Islam says the same. So what’s the difference between Islam and the other religions? The difference is, Islam besides saying that you should not rob, it shows you a way how to achieve that state in which people will not rob.

Islam has a system of Zakaat. One of the Pillars of Islam is Zakaat, that every rich person who has a saving of more than the Nisaab level. More than 85 grams of Gold, he or she should give 2.5% of that wealth every lunar year in charity to the poor people. If every rich human being gives charity, gives Zakaat, poverty will be eradicated from this world. There will not be a single human being who will die of hunger.

Yet even after no human being will die of hunger yet there are people who would yet want to rob to get wealth easily, to fulfill the desires which are wrong. Islam has the solution for that also. After Zakaat, Almighty God says in the Qur’an in

Surah Ma’idah Chapter No. 5 Verse No. 38,

“As to the thief be it a man or a woman chop of his or her hand as a punishment from Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala)”

Non Muslim will say chopping of the hands? In this 21st century? Islam is a barbaric religion, it’s a ruthless way of life and they think that every second person you come across in Saudi Arabia where this law is practiced, you will find that every second person will have his hand chopped off.

I’ve been to Saudi Arabia several times, more than 20, 30 times. Never have I come across a single human being whose hands have been chopped off. Surely there will be some people whose hands may have been chopped off, but the law is so strict a person will think a million time before robbing. Not that the police of Saudi Arabia is very intelligent but the law is so strict that the moment you implement the law you get results. The moment you make the law easy, if this law is relaxed in Saudi Arabia robbery will start in Saudi Arabia also. And today, we look up to America as a country which is most advanced. Do you know? It is the country which has one of the highest rates of theft and robbery.

I am asking you the question that if you implement the Islamic Shariah in America, in USA, that every rich person who has a saving of more than 85 grams of Gold, should give 2.5% of his excess wealth in charity and after that if any person robs chop of his or her hands, I’m asking you the question, will the rate of theft and robbery in America, will it increase? Will it remain the same or will it decrease? It will decrease. It’s a practical law. It is not a very intelligent question that you have answered. It is simple logic. You implement the Shariah and you get results. So Islam is the only solution to the problems of humankind.

Let me give you one more example. Most of the religions, they say that you should not molest a woman, that you should not rape a woman. Hinduism says that, Christianity says that, Islam says the same. So what’s the difference between Islam and the other religions?

The difference is, Islam besides saying that you should not molest a woman, that you should not rape a woman, it shows you a way in which you can achieve a society in which there will be no molestation, there will not be any rape.

Islam speaks about the system of Hijaab. Most of the people talk about the Hijaab for the women. But Almighty God in the Qur’an first speaks about the Hijaab for the man and then for the women. Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Noor, Chapter No. 24. Verse No. 30,

Say to the believing man that whenever he looks at a woman, if any brazen thought comes, any unashamed thought comes he should lower his gaze.

There was a Muslim person, Muslim man who was staring at a girl for a long time I told him brother what are you doing? It’s not allowed in Islam. So he told me our beloved Prophet said that the first glance is forgiven, the second is prohibited I’ve not completed my first glance. What did the Prophet mean that the first glance is forgiven, the second is prohibited? That does not mean you can look at a woman for 10 minutes without blinking and saying I’ve not completed my glance. What the Prophet meant, that unintentionally if you look at a woman do not look at her again to feast on her beauty. The next verse speaks about the Hijaab for the woman.

Almighty God says in Surah Noor, Chapter No. 24. Verse No. 31, Allah says that,

“Say to the believing women that she should lower her gaze and guard her modesty; and display not her beauty except what appears ordinary of; and draw a head covering over her bosoms and display not her beauty except in front of her fathers, her brother, her husband…….”

And a big list of Mehram, the close relatives who she cannot marry is given. In short there are six criteria for Hijaab mentioned in the Qur’an and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam).

The first is the extent. For the man it’s from the naval to the knee. For the women the complete body should be covered, the only part that can be seen are the face and the hands up to the wrist. The remaining five criteria are the same for the man and the woman.

The second is the clothes they wear it should not be tight so that it reveals the figure.

Third, it should not be translucent or transparent, so that you can see through the clothes.

The fourth, the clothes should not be so glamorous so that it attracts the opposite sex.

Fifth, it should not resemble that of the unbelievers.

And sixth it should not resemble that of the opposite sex.

And the Qur’an says in Surah Ahzaab, Chapter No. 33, Verse No. 59,

“O Prophet tell your wives your daughters and the believing woman that when they go abroad they should put on the Jilbaab, they should put on the overcoat, over cloak, so that they shall be recognized and it will prevent them from being molested.”

Qur’an says Hijaab has been prescribed for the woman so that they shall be recognized, they are modest and it will prevent them from being molested.

I would like to ask you a simple question, that suppose there are twin sisters who are very beautiful, who are equally beautiful and one of them, she is wearing the western clothes, mini skirts or shorts and the other twin sister she is wearing the Islamic Hijaab, complete body covered except the face and the hands up to the wrist. And if they are walking down the streets of Bombay may be at Peddar Road or Napeansea Road where we have many bird watchers. If they are walking down the streets of Peddar Road or Napeansea Road and if round the corner there is a hooligan who’s wafting for a catch, who’s waiting to tease a girl, I’m asking you the question which girl will he tease? Will he tease the girl wearing the mini skirts or shorts or will he tease the girl wearing the Islamic Hijaab? Which girl will he tease? But natural the girl wearing the mini skirt.

So Qur’an rightly says that Hijaab has been prescribed for the woman so that they shall be recognized, that they are modest and it will prevent them from being molested. After that, the Islamic Shariah says, any man rapes any woman; he gets capital punishment, death penalty. Many non Muslim will say death penalty in this age of science and technology, in the 21st century, Islam is a barbaric religion, it’s a ruthless way of life. But when you ask this question and I’ve this question to thousands of Non Muslims that God forbid, suppose someone rapes your mother or someone rapes your sister and if you are made the judge and if the rapist is brought in front of you, what punishment will you give to that rapist? And believe me, 100%, 100% of the Non Muslims they said we will put him to death. Some went to the extreme of saying we will torture him to death. There was only one Smart Alec, when I went to USA, he told me brother Zakir, I will give him five years imprisonment, I said fine, then I told him that according to the statistics of America out of those people who are convicted for rape and they are given imprisonment when they come out 95% rape again. So if you want your mother to be raped again you’re most welcome. We Muslims don’t want that. So he told me if that’s the case then I would give him death penalty at the first short.

Today America, we look up to America as the most advanced country in the world. Do you know it is the country which has one of the highest rates of rape. According to the statistics of the FBI in 1990 alone every day 1756 rapes took place. Again repeated in 1996 it says that every day on an average 2713 cases of rape took place in America that means every 32 second one rape is taking place in America. We are here for one and a half hour, already more than a hundred rapes may have taken place in America since the time we are here. I’m asking you the question, that if you implement the Islamic Shariah in America, that any man looks at the woman, if any unashamed thought comes in his mind he should lower his gaze after that every woman she should be modestly dressed, complete body covered except the face and the hands up to the wrist and after that if any man rapes a woman he gets capital punishment, death penalty. I’m asking you the question will the rate of rape in America will it increase, will it remain the same or will it decrease?

It will decrease! Easy question, easy answer. You don’t have to be a scholar to know this. You implement the Shariah and you get results. But because Islam gives the solution it does not go down their throat.

But a few years ago the Home Minister of India L. K. Advani he had said in the parliament and he proposed that India also there should be death penalty for the rapist. And I congratulate him for that. I may not agree with his other policies, but as far this policy is concerned I agree with him that death penalty for the rapist. May be the next Home Minister will say that every woman in India should have the Hijaab on, InshaAllah. If you want no rape to take place in India anywhere in the world, whether it be America, UK, you implement the Shariah you’ll get results immediately. That’s the reason the least rate of rape in any country in the world, it’s in Saudi Arabia. Any country which implements the Islamic Shariah, whatever part they implement they get results, whatever part they don’t implement they don’t get results.

Today we find that the religion of Islam, it is said to be a religion which degrades the women, which subjugates the women. For the complete answer you can refer to my video cassette “Women’s Rights in Islam”. Time does not permit me to speak in detail. But if we analyze today, the western society claiming to uplift the women is actually, they are degrading the women. The western talk of women’s liberalization is nothing but a disguised form of deprivation of honor, degradation of her soul as well as exploitation of her body. The Western society claiming to uplift the women; have actually degraded her to a status of concubine, mistresses and society butterflies, which are mere tools in the hands of pleasure seekers hidden behind the colorful screen of art and culture. In the name of art and culture and women’s liberalization what is the western world doing? They are selling our daughters; they are selling our mothers they are selling our sisters. And India after a few years what the western country does, we find India is following that. Follow the good things, I have got no problem. You know when I was in school, more than 20 years back, most of the newspapers they were clean. You could hardly find any obscene photographs. But now, if you pick up any newspaper, whether leading newspaper, daily newspaper, most of them, all most all they have to have obscene photographs in it.

Even on the sports page, what do they have? Football star, then they show their girlfriend. Now what have the girlfriend to do with football? They want to sell their paper. Women’s liberalization! Ronaldinho or what’s the name I don’t know all the names of the football stars. And then they show the girlfriend. Then you find a cricketer and then they show their girlfriend. So even on the sports page, if there’s no news of women then they show their girlfriend. Invariably all the newspapers and many newspapers have supplements, supplements like ‘Times of India’, the most famous newspaper. It’s the largest selling English Newspaper of the world. Largest selling Daily Newspaper of the world. It has supplement called Bombay Times and people of Bombay know, what is Bombay Times famous for, especially page number three. And this was their strategy and I do agree, after getting this strategy the sale of ‘Times of India’ has increased.

I’m not against ‘Times of India’ only, I’m talking about ‘’Times of India’ because that’s the paper I read daily. You talk about any other newspaper, DNA, Hindustan Times, Indian Times up or down, less or more you’ll find these, women who are semi nude, in the name of ‘Women’s Liberalization’. So I use to tell my vendor, my newspaperman, that only give me ‘Times of India’, I don’t want ‘Bombay Times’, he’s saying ‘Saab Yeh Free Hai Free, Muft Mein’. I said if you give me ‘Bombay Times’, I won’t pay you money. He’s telling me ‘Free Hai Free.’ Don’t worry Sir it is free. I said I don’t want it. Only give me the main newspaper. That I had mentioned a few years back. But today, but today even in the main newspaper you have women. Either on the sports page, either on international news, either on the front page. Somewhere or the other you’ll find, no wonder the selling of most of the newspaper has increased.

And we find in the name of women’s liberalization, in the name of art and culture. In Ads you’ll find, most of the Ad’s have got women. If you see an ad of a motorcycle, whether it be abroad or whether it be in India, how many women ride motorcycle? How many? Percentage is less than 1%. In India less than 1% in abroad also. But invariably in a motorcycle ad you’ll find a woman, for what? And I was told about the very famous BMW ad. You know BMW Ad is very famous, the BMW car, the car which has a status with Mercedes. But for the youngsters the BMW is famous. It has a good pick up, it’s a faster car. So someone told me that one of the ad’s of BMW it had a girl in a bikini in front on the car and the caption was ‘Test Drive Her Now.’ Who? The girl or the car? What are we doing are you’ll selling your daughters, your mothers, your sisters? Islam does not believe in such kind of liberalization. If you say this is liberalization, we are happy with what we are. We love our sisters, we love our mothers, we love our wives, we love them, we respect them and we want to protect them. And we give them equal rights. For more details about rights of woman in Islam, refer to my video cassette ‘Women’s Rights in Islam.’

I would like to end my talk by trying to clarify the last misconception that “Islam was spread by the sword.” If you translate, ‘Peace was spread by the sword’, Peace was spread by the sword and you had noticed that in the exhibition in the panels we had certain common misnomers, common misnomers like the world is flat, you have a squared triangle, 2+2=5, Islamic Terrorism, it’s the same. How the world is not flat, it’s a common misnomer. 2+2 is not equal to five, similarly ‘Islam’ and ‘Terrorism’ it’s exactly the opposite. But it’s a very common misconception and the reply was given very well by De Lacy O’Leary, a very famous historian, in the book ‘Islam at the Crossroads’ on page no. 8 and he says that, “History makes it clear, that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping across the world, forcing Islam at the point of the sword is the most fantastic absurd myth that historians have ever repeated.”

“It is the most absurd myth that historians have ever repeated.”

And we know from history that we Muslims, we ruled Spain for about 800 years. We did not force anyone at the point of the sword; neither did we give our message. We didn’t convey our message. Later on the crusaders came, they wiped out the Muslims – there was not a single Muslim who could openly give the Adhaan. If we wanted we could have forced everyone to accept Islam at the point of the sword but we didn’t do it.

We Muslims, the Arabs, we have been the lord of the Arab lands for the past 1400 years. For a few years the Britishers came, for a few years the French came. But over all we have been the lord of the Arab lands for the past 1400 years. Yet today, there are more than 14 million Arabs who are Coptic Christians. Coptic Christians means that they are Christians since generations. These 14 million Arab Coptic Christians, they are giving Shahadah, they are bearing witness that Islam wasn’t spread at the point of the sword.

We Muslims, we ruled this great country India for about 1000 years. The Moghuls. If we wanted, we could have forced every Indian to accept Islam at the point of the sword. But we didn’t do it. Today more than 80% Indian’s they are non-Muslims. These 80% non-Muslim Indian they are giving Shahaadah, they are bearing witness, that Islam wasn’t spread at the point of the sword.

Today the country which has the largest population of Muslims is Indonesia. Which army went to Indonesia? Which army went to Malaysia? Which has more than 50% Muslims. Which Muslim army went to the East Coast of Africa? Which sword? It is the sword of the intellect. As Allah says in the Qur’an in

Surah Nahl, Chapter No. 16 Verse No. 125,

“Ud`u ‘Ila Sabili Rabbika Bil-Hikmah Wal Maw`izatil Hasanah Wa Jaadilhum Bilati Hiya ‘Ahsan”

“Invite all to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching and argue with them and reason with them in the ways that are best and most gracious.”

It is the sword of the intellect which is conquering the hearts. It’s not the sword of steel. It is the sword of reasoning and understanding which is winning over people.

According to an article which came in “The Plain Truth” Magazine. Which was repeated in the Reader’s Digest Almanac year book 1984. It gave the statistics of the increase in the major world religions in a span of 50 years, from 1934 to 1984. And number one religion which increased the maximum was Islam, 235%, Christianity only 47%. I’m asking the question, which war took place in this span of 50 years, from 1934 to 1984 which forced millions of human beings to accept Islam? Which war? Which sword? It is the sword of intellect, sword of reasoning. Today according to statistics the fastest growing religion in America, in USA is Islam. The fastest growing religion in Europe is Islam. I’m asking the question who is forcing these Americans to accept Islam? Who is forcing the Europeans to accept Islam?

And when the media says that Islam is subjugating the women, do you know? Out of those people who are accepting Islam in the world about 2/3rd, more than 65% they are women. More than 65% who are accepting Islam in America they are women. More than 65% who are accepting Islam in Europe they are women. I am asking you the question, if Islam subjugates the women then why are the American women accepting Islam, why are the European women accepting Islam, why are the Indian women accepting Islam? Why? Because ‘Islam has the solution for the problem of womankind.’

They have seen the world. When they see the world they find that Islam is the only solution for the problems of womankind. And today we find, as I mentioned earlier that there is virulent propaganda about Islam. On the media we find that they are spreading misconceptions. But the more they are doing that. We find after 9/11 this has reached epidemic levels. Writing against Islam, misconceptions about Islam, the propaganda against Islam increased. But I believe in the verse of the Qur’an of Surah Imran, Chapter No. 3, Verse No. 54 where Allah says,

“Makaru Wa Makarallaahu Wallaahu Khayrul Maakirin”

That

“They planned and plotted. Allah too planned, Allah is the best of planners”

After 9/11 the amount of propaganda they are doing against Islam, do you know after 9/11 the spread of Islam has increased. Only in a span of 10 months in USA alone, after 9/11 more than 34,000 Americans accepted Islam. In Europe alone more than 22,000 accepted Islam in 10 months time after 9/11. And I go to Europe, I go to UK very often, I go to America and I find that after 9/11 when I give talks there are more Americans coming for my talks, there are more Europeans coming for my talk. It’s good. They want to know what kind of religion is this. Some come to attack, some come to learn. We welcome both of them, we welcome both of them. I like people who attack with reasoning. I love them. And we know Hadhrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of the staunchest enemy of Islam and the Prophet prayed for his Hidaaya, he got Hidaaya, then he became one of the staunchest supporters of Islam. That’s the reason when Muslim youngsters say that ‘Death to George Bush’, I say don’t say ‘Death to George Bush’, say may Allah give ‘Hidaaya to George Bush’.

And we find that the more they are attacking Islam, the more Islam is spreading. See after 9/11 the crowd is increasing. Even here and we find even in Bombay, non Muslims are coming. Previously we use to give chance to anyone to ask a question. Since the last few years in my talks, Non Muslim first preference. But the Muslims complain that they never get a chance. And even today InshaAllah the first chance will be to Non Muslims only, InshaAllah. Allah gives the promise in the Glorious Qur’an in no less than three different places.

In Surah Tawbah Chapter No. 9, Verse No. 33,

In Surah Fath Chapter 48, Verse No. 28, as well as in

Surah Saff Chapter 61, Verse No. 9,

“Huwal ladhi ‘Arsala Rasulahu Bil-Huda Wa Dinil Haqq Liyuzhirahu `Alad-Dini Kullih”

“Allah has sent his Messenger with guidance and religion of truth so that it will prevail over all the other ways of life. Over all the other ‘Ism’s, however much the disbelievers don’t like it’”

“Wa Kafa Billaahi Shahidaa”

“And enough is Allah is a witness”

This Deen, this religion of Peace, submitting your will to Almighty God is the only solution for the problems of humankind.

I would like to end my with the quotation of the Glorious Qur’an from Surah Ale ‘Imran, Chapter No. 3, Verse No. 19 which says,

“Innad Dina `Indallaahil ‘Islam”

Allah the Creator in this last and final revelation says, that,

“Innad Dina `Indallaahil ‘Islam”

“The only way of life, the only religion acceptable in the sight of Almighty God is Peace acquired by submitting your will to Almighty God”

Wa Aakhiru Da’wana Anil Hamdu Lillahi Rabbill Aalameen.


Is Islam the Solution for Humanity?

By

Dr. Zakir Naik

Question & Answer Session

(Duration – 2 hours and 3 minutes)

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Takbeer…. JazakAllah Khair Brothers and Sisters for your patient and progressive kind of approach to this huge gathering that is collected here.

Now we would have the open question and answer session. We would request you to kindly maintain the peaceful and calm atmosphere. Dr. Zakir will be answering your questions. We would like everyone to know there’s an estimated more than a hundred thousand people collected here, I think more than 75% are Muslims… are they peaceful or not? Are they disciplined or not? You pick up one or two people as terrorist… you cannot present them as an examples… this is an example for the people of India, for the people of the world watching on Peace TV…. See we are so well disciplined. And we can analyze our topics and debate our topics critically, realistically and we also have open question and answer forums as now.

We start with the open question and answer session in which you are welcome to ask any question on the topic ‘Is Peace or Is Islam the Solution for Humanity?’

We have three microphones arranged on the grounds, one next to the stage on my left and one on my left in the rear sections for the brothers and we have one microphone in the rear section arranged for the sisters. The ladies can put forward their question from that microphone.

Your question has to be on the topic, it must be brief and to the point. This is question time for you not a lecture time, please note. You may ask only one question at a time and then go back at the queue and await your second chance.

As Dr. Zakir had just mentioned, we will allow non Muslims…. First preference, they would have preference over Muslim brothers to put forward their question and they can move ahead in the queue, the volunteers would help you to come in the front ahead of the Muslim brother or sister, when put forward your question. I would request our Non Muslim brothers and sisters, feel free, feel safe, we are your brothers and sisters in analyzing this topic. We are protectors; we are your custodians for this lecture in a very peaceful manner.

May we have the first question from the ladies section. The sisters, we’ll give them the first chance and you may kindly state your name and profession before putting forward your questions so that Dr. Zakir can give an more appropriate and relevant response.

Yes sister…

Questioner: I’m Mrs. Bhavana Ansari, so kindly please bear with me and please excuse me humbly and peacefully… I have been born in a Jain society, living in a Hindu society, educated in a pure convent and married a Muslim. I have married as per the Indian Marriage Act. And I am staunchly, eagerly waiting to accept Islam as my whole hearted religion. But please my brothers and sisters, what you preached, what you said about Islam, I’m very thankful to you for enlighting me. I am really reborn today, but what you preach and what you say and what is in Islam, excuse me, I don’t find people practicing that whole heartedly, they are not attracting me. Can you please give me a solution? Because when you speak of fundamentalism in Islam, it is positive. When you speak of intolerance, its positive, but in practice I don’t find. So can you please guide me?

Dr. Zakir Naik: Sister has asked a very good question. First of all I would like to congratulate her and I welcome her, and as she says she’s reborn, the right word in Islam is revert. Because according to our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam), every child is born in Deen-ul-Fitr, is born as a Muslim. Muslim means a person who submits his will to Almighty God. Every human being initially when he’s born he submits his will to Almighty God, later on the Prophet said that he’s influenced by the parents, by the elders, by the teachers, then he may become a fire worshipper, may go on the wrong track. So therefore when a person comes back to the original faith, to Deen-ul-Fitr, the right word is not convert, not reborn, it is revert. So sister I welcome you back to this faith of Peace and submitting your will to Almighty God.

As far as your question is concerned, that you have heard the lectures and you agree with the points, you’ve read about Islam, but your one objection is that Muslims or most of the Muslims according to you, they are not following the teachings, what is the solution?

Sister, I do agree with you. I do agree with you that many don’t follow. But according to statistics, the religion which is the maximum followed, I’m not talking in numbers… if you count the heads, those who profess a religion, number one would be Christianity, somewhere close to 2 Billion. Islam, 1.3 Billion to 1.4 Billion, but the percentage which practices and follows the religion maximum … is Islam.. number one. Maximum. But yet I do agree with you that in terms of numbers, because 1.3 Billion followers, even if it be a small percentage, the numbers will run in millions of Muslim don’t follow their religion.

Therefore sister… to understand Islam, don’t look at Muslims, please. And I always say, to understand any religion, don’t look at the followers of the religion, but look at the authentic sources, please don’t look at me. Don’t look at the Muslims around you. And I gave you the example of the car and the driver. If we want to know how good the car is and if a person who does not know how to drive, sits behind the steering wheel and he has an accident, he bangs up the car, who will you blame? The car or the driver? You’ll blame the driver. So please don’t understand Islam by looking at the Muslims. That’s the reason we are giving these lectures. For both Muslims and Non Muslims alike. Those Muslims who have short comings, we are trying to get them closer to the truth, because they may be name sake Muslims, we are trying to make them practicing Muslim, at the same time we are delivering the message of Islam to the Non Muslims also so that you understand this religion. And though you were born, you were born in a Jain family and you had Non Muslim around you…. You are married to a Muslim, but today may be after hearing the lecture and after learning about Islam, you have come back to the faith. And as you said, previously may be only for the sake of name, you may have adopted the surname Ansari, but today you have come back to this true faith, and we congratulate sister…and please sister if you want to look at a Muslim, to understand Islam, the best example is the last and final messenger Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

This book, the Qur’an, and the sayings of the Prophet have the solution to the problems of humanity. Don’t look at the Muslims. Some Muslims may be close to Islam, some may be far away from Islam. So look at the main source…understand it, follow it, InshaAllah you will get Peace in this world as well as the hereafter.

Questioner: InshaAllah… thank you very much.

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Thank you sister for your question. Yes brother…

Questioner: Sir, my name is Professor Sethi, I’m a Engineer by profession and I’m into a teaching profession… by God’s grace, I’m very strong in my Maths. To start with, I appreciate your hard work and pray to God, to give you double your age God has allotted you and I thank all the Muslims here for giving me first priority to ask my question.

Sir, I’ve gone through Bhagavad Gita, I’ve gone through Ramayan, being Hindu.. I was after Temples…and everything. But my brother in law is a Muslim. He gave me Qur’an. I’ve gone through it twice, and I can say in open I’m following your Qur’an very strictly. I’ve converted your Namaaz into English, “In the name of God, the Most Gracious and the Most Merciful, the Creator, Cherisher, Sustainer of the Worlds. The Master of the Day of Judgment”. I’m reading it 12 times, 15 times, 20 times, I don’t see timings, I just stand and pray to God and I’m very satisfied with that.

The only one question I’m not getting it… my source of income. Being very strong in Maths, I’m also a technical analyst with Stock Market. I’m very strong in FNO market, Future and Options. I don’t know how many people understand stock market here… with the very intellectual mathematics and very intellectual playing the game.. I’m always secure and always in profit after the end of the month. It’s a mathematic game which people don’t understand.. Is it ok to go ahead with such income? I’m suffering from this from last three years. I’m..i’m earning money.. I can earn money, whatever level I want to earn..but I’m very… I don’t want to earn anything wrong, if it is wrong I will leave that for ever and I will go into teaching profession for ever.

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Alhumdulillah

Dr. Zakir Naik: The brother has asked a very good question.. and I appreciate that after reading the Bhagavad Gita, Ramayan..the Hindu scriptures, he read the Qur’an twice and he agrees with it. He has a brother in law who’s a Muslim. And he’s very strong in Maths.. and even I happen to be strong in Maths. And in school days right from standard one to standard ninth, tenth.. I always bagged the prize…

Questioner: With saying sir, mind boggling memory…I’ve never seen a person like you

Dr. Zakir Naik: It’s God grace

Questioner: And if God.. if God grace… I will be at your place for ever… if the God… Agar Ishwar Ki Marzi Hui, Allah Ki Marzi Hui..Toh Aapka Shishya Banoonga Is hi Platform Par.

Dr. Zakir Naik: InshaAllah… InshaAllah…. If Allah wills…. Insha Allah.

First I’ll come to the question and then InshaAllah I’ll reply to his last comment.

As far your question is concerned that you are in the Stock Market about Futures and Options etc. And you’re so good in maths and analyzing that always on the end of the month you make a profit. So your question is, is this earning Halaal or Haraam.

As far as the stock market is concerned…stock per se is not Haraam.. per se. As long as the stocks you deal in, it is according to the guidelines of Islam. What is Haraam in Islam is Riba, its Interest. There are many verses in the Qur’an no less than eight different places, Almighty God says in the Qur’an, Riba is Haraam.

In Surah Imran, Chapter No. 3, Verse No. 130,

In Surah Nisa, Chapter 4, Verse 161,

In Surah Baqarah, Chapter 2, Verse No. 275…thrice

In Surah Baqarah, Chapter 2, Verse 276.. as well as

In Surah Baqarah, Chapter 2, Verse No. 278, it says that,

“Give up your demands of Riba, of Interest, of Usury”

“And those who do not give up their demands of Riba and Usury…” Verse no. 279…

Allah says, “Take notice of a war from Allah and his Rasool, Allah and His Messenger.”

So dealing in interest is Haraam, but share market is somewhat following the principles of Islam, of profit and loss sharing. Share per se…. instead of taking a loan from the bank, we make partners…because the banking system makes a rich person more rich, poor person more poor. It encourages things evil in societies. Like in 80’s… the banks fund gambling den, alcohol bars. In Islamic system its different, Islamic Banking is different. So Islam encourages profit and loss sharing. In the stock market what you do? You buy a share. So you become a partner in that company, whether 1%, 10% .1%, .01%, so being partner in profit and loss sharing is encouraged in Islam.

So if your dealing in stock market and shares as long as it is within the purview of the Islamic Shariah, as long as you do not buy shares of a company which deals in alcohol, company which deals in interest, financial companies, whether it be banks, whether financial instrument companies, company which deal in media obscenity, pornography. So all the evils of society, if the company you invest in, is not investing in the evil of society. Alcoholism, or drugs, or drug… pharmaceutical companies are allowed ah… drug means? Cocaine and brown sugar. Or dealing with obscenity, it may be film industry. So if you buy shares of these companies its Haraam.

Secondly if you involve in speculation, that is gambling you know? You being in the stock market, people buy now after two minutes again they sell… because of prior information or because of…. You know? So gambling is prohibited is Islam. So if your stock market is good.. you want to invest in it, you want to stay for good, be a partner, make… and even I’m involved in stock market and….

Questioner: Sir, you’re not replying to the right point I’m asking. It is futures and options.

Dr. Zakir Naik: That’s right.

Questioner: It is putting call.

Dr. Zakir Naik: I’m coming to that

Questioner: You can…

Dr. Zakir Naik: I’m coming to it.

Questioner: You can just pay ten rupees and buy stocks for hundred rupees and you keep it for years and years, years together.

Dr. Zakir Naik: I’m coming to it.

Questioner: Yes Sir.

Dr. Zakir Naik: I like giving holistic reply rather than…

Questioner: Ok, thanks a lot Sir… sorry for disturbing.

Dr. Zakir Naik: Now coming to the futures..option, that you buy part of the shares and you deal with in etc. talking about future, if you pay part and have it with you… I know you can sell, then you can have security on that, then there’s another person, which, there’re derivatives which can even…. I know about this. I may not be a expert like you, but even this is.

So dealing in futures, it’s not permitted…its not. Margin Trading in certain things like real estate, you buy 10% of that and then it increases because you have to make timely payment. If you buy a flat suppose, the payment time is two years, you pay 10% now, 20% later, the rates go up, you sell… that’s fine. But in shares it doesn’t work like that. In futures it doesn’t work like that. So because we don’t posses in our hands, you’ve paid part of the money and then someone else backs you up, that if it goes down, then there hedged, you know hedging? They hedge it… so all these things are not permitted in Islam. But pure stock as long as the thing which you deal in if it’s Islamic, it allowed.

And you asked me the question that all these thing that you get, you get a large money, income…if it’s not allowed you wouldn’t like. See the money that you earn, as you said if its not permitted you’ll stop it. So what we are interested, we are interested in Peace in this world and the Aakhirah. The Peace in the next world is longer Peace, so if your earnings are Halaal, InshaAllah you’ll get good in this world as well as in the Aakhirah and I pray to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) for your Peace and success in this world as well as in the Aakhirah, in the next world.

Hope that answers your question

Questioner: Thanks lot…thanks for your appreciation…for giving me so much of time…definitely I’ll be following it strictly sir. Thank You.

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Yes brother..

Questioner: My name is Abhishek. When I was 14, I ran from my home, fighting my family. A man from Saudi take me to Kerela, aaa.. he teach me Islam. Two years before I accepted Islam…now also I’m accepting Islam in front of all.

Ash Hadu Allah Ilaaha Illallaah. Wa Ash Hadu Anna Muhammadan Abduhu Wa Rasoolahu.

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Takbeer……. Your question brother… Any question you have for Dr. Zakir?

Questioner: No Sir.

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Dr. Zakir would you like to comment on that?

Dr. Zakir Naik: Dear brother I welcome you. And I congratulate you to this religion of Peace. And surely you can testify that no sword was used by that Saudi… did he use any sword on you brother?

Questioner: No.

Dr. Zakir Naik: Any force?

Questioner: No.

Dr. Zakir Naik: Any gun?

Questioner: No. … I accepted from my heart.

Dr. Zakir Naik: Masha… other wise the IB will question me. MashaAllah. I would like to give you a translation of the Qur’an. If you can come on the stage. Because I remember the first time I gave a talk eight days back. There was a sister there who had accepted Islam.. believe me I cant see the face. I can only see the face of the questioner who’s on my left, on the first mike. I can’t see your face; I can’t see the face of the lady who accepted on the first day. On Saturday… the IB came questioning, the intelligence… that… where is that lady? I said I don’t even know her face. May be on the television you saw her, the gathering is so vast. So surely the people on the television see your face, I haven’t seen your face. So you can testify to the people that there was no force used on you and no one can use force on you to accept Islam. If you like it with your heart… and this country of ours…this country India, is one of the few countries in the world in whose constitution is mentioned that every citizen of India has the right to preach, practice and propagate his religion. It is the democratic country. But I’m proud of this country that we have the right to preach, practice and propagate the religion. Forcing anyone to accept any religion… is prohibited. Is not only prohibited in the Indian government law, it is prohibited even in Islam. You can’t force anyone to accept the religion of Islam. You deliver the message, if he accepts, good. If he doesn’t accept, also no problem. Because we can at least testify to God Almighty on the Day of Judgment that we delivered the message of Peace to you.

Thank you brother for accepting the religion of Peace. Thank you very much.

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Yes.. any sister on the mike?

Questioner: Good evening sir, I’m Dr. Pooja. I’m a physiotherapist. Sir during your oration you just said these lines, I would just like to repeat them… you said, every person who is an extremist Muslim the problems of the humanity will be solved. I would just like to make a correction; I’m too young to correct you sorry for that. But from the core of my heart I believe this sentence would have been more authentic if we put it this way. “Every person who’s an extremist the problems of the humanity will be solved”…may so ever he’s a Muslim, a Hindu, a Christian… whosoever.

Dr. Zakir Naik: Dr. Pooja has asked a very good question.. and sister if I’m wrong I’m ready to accept the mistake, the question and answer is meant for that. If I say by mistake 2+2=5, you have a right to correct me its not five, its four… I’m a human being, I’m not a human computer, I’m a human being I can make mistake, that’s the reason we have open question and answer session. But coming to your comment, I said that if everyone would have been extremist Muslim the problem would have solved and you corrected me by saying that if you would have said that every human being would have been extremist the problem would have solved. Extremist in which way? An extremist…..

Questioner: The way…… The way you said…

Dr. Zakir Naik: Yes

Questioner: Extremist the way you said…. To be extremely kind, extremely lovable…

Dr. Zakir Naik: Sister, if you heard my talk, I said an extremist Muslim is a person who’s extremely kind, extremely merciful, extremely loving, extremely honest, extremely just. Other wise there can be an extremist robber who wants to rob. There can be a extremist rapist. So if I just say extremist, the problem will not be solved, the rapist will be happy with me. They’ll say I’m an extremist rapist… you know? I am an extremist terrorist… in the wrong sense, not terrorizing the anti social element, terrorizing the innocent human being. Because normally the word terrorist is used to…terrorize innocent human being. In this context no Muslim should ever be a terrorist.

So sister if you translate the full into English you’ll understand more correctly, what I meant was that if every human being becomes and extremist Muslim means, if every human being becomes an extremist, peaceful person, submitting his will to God, then the problems of humanity will be solved. Now because I used the Arabic word it does not go down the throats of many people, I’m not talking about you sister.

Questioner: No..No…No.

Dr. Zakir Naik: I’m talking about the media. When I use Islam, Muslim, it doesn’t go down their throat. So I would like to rephrase the question for the benefit of the non Muslims, if every human being becomes an extremely peaceful person submitting his will to Almighty God. the problems of humanity will be solved.

Questioner: May so ever he’s a Muslim, Hindu, or Christian

Dr. Zakir Naik: If you add may so ever he’s a Muslim, Hindu, or Christian, rapist , robber, then the formula doesn’t work sister… because.. if you say may so ever he be a Muslim, if he submits his will to Almighty God, he has to be a Muslim.

Questioner: And if a Hindu submits to God, he is not..

Dr. Zakir Naik: Very good..

Questioner: ..Acceptable by God?

Dr. Zakir Naik: No No No

Questioner: ..its not like that..

Dr. Zakir Naik: Yes sister..wait let me.. you ask a second question I give a second answer

Questioner: no sir..

Dr. Zakir Naik: You’re perfectly right. What’s the definition of the word Hindu.. sister? Hindu is a geographical definition meaning those people living in the land of India, in that definition I’m a Hindu, sister. I’m a Hindu-Muslim by geographical definition. But this word Hindu was first used by the Arabs when they came to India. When I go to Saudi Arabia they say “Yeh Hindi Hai… Hindi Hai” Hindu… you know…so this Hindu actually is a geographical definition but today it is used as a misnomer to describe as a religion.

According to Swami Vivekananda, he says the followers should actually be called as Vedantist because they follow the Vedas. So Hindu is a misnomer. You ask any scholar. So if you say, can a Hindu be a Muslim, geographical definition I’m a Hindu, I’m living in India, I submit my will to God, I’m a peaceful person…

(Simultaneously) Dr. Zakir Naik: But every one….

Questioner: Let me put…

Dr. Zakir Naik: But, but sister, even the Americans can be good, even the English can be good. If I say every one in the world should live in India, as there is it is population. As it is….

(Simultaneously) Dr. Zakir Naik: we are more than 1 billion people

Questioner: I would like to…

Questioner: …reframe my question

Dr. Zakir Naik: Sister, please let me complete the answer you asked a question I’m giving the answer. You asked a question I’m giving the answer. We’ll give you a second chance, no problem sister…. Surely. But at least let me clarify, therefore the words that you use, you should understand the meaning of the word. If every human being should live in India, then the Indian Government will have a problem. As it is they say “Hum Do Humare Do”, “Ek Ke Baad Abhi Nahi Do Ke Baad Kabhi Nahi”, they’re talking about family planning. “We Two and our Two”, “Hum Dao Humare Do”, “Ek Ke Baad Abhi Nahi Do Ke Baad Kabhi Nahi”, means “After one let there be a gap. After two you should not at all produce.” Family planning, you can hear my answer in Qur’an and Modern Science.

So sister, therefore the words that you speak, if it’s not in English, people sometime have confusion. So if you’re a Hindu, submitting your will to God, submitting and following the Vedas. If you see my talk sister on ‘Similarities between Islam and Hinduism’, the Vedas say, that you should believe in one God. If you follow the Vedas,

It’s mentioned in Upanishad,

Chandogya Upanishad, Chapter No. 6, Section No. 2, Verse No. 1, it says that,

“Ekam Evadvitiyam”, “God is only one without a second”.

It’s mentioned in the Veda,

Yajurveda, Chapter No. 32, Verse No. 3,

“Na Tasya Pratima Asti”,

“Of that God there is no Pratima”

Pratima means image, statue, sculptor, photograph.”

Of that God according to Veda there are no images, there are no photographs, there are no sculptors, there are no statues, if you’re such a Hindu. Its mentioned in the Veda of another messenger to come, the final messenger who’s name is Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), he’s Prophesied in the

Kalki Avatar, Chapter No. 2, Verse No. 5, Verse No. 7, Verse No. 9, Verse No. 11, Verse No. 15, that

This Kalki Avatar he’ll be born in the city of Peace, that is Makkah. His fathers name shall be ‘Vishnuyash’, Servant of God, translated ‘Abdullah’ which was the name of the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam)’s father. His mother’s name shall be ‘Sumati’, means peaceful, serenity, in Arabic its ‘Aaminah’ which was the name of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam)’s mother. He will be born on 12th month of Madhav, we know he was born on 12th Rabbi Aval. He’ll have 4 companions, the first 4 Khulfa Rashadeen.

I can go on and on and on I have given a lecture on ‘Similarities between Islam and Hinduism’. What I say sister that let us agree that at least one book is the word of God. Hindus will say that the Veda is the word of God, Christian will say Bible is word of God, Muslim will say Qur’an is the word of God. Let us at least agree to follow what is common in the scriptures.

‘ta’alawila kalimatin sawa-in baynana wabaynakum’

Come to common terms as between us and you.

Now what is not common sister lets not fight on that we’ll discuss that tomorrow, fine. So let us agree all the religious scriptures, all the major religious scriptures whether it be the Bible, whether it be the Bible, whether it be the Qur’an, whether it be the Parsi scriptures, whether it be the Sikh scriptures; they say you have to believe in one God. Most of the major religions they Prophesize the coming of the last and final messenger. Its mentioned even in the

Bible in Deuteronomy ch. No. 18 verse no. 18,

Book of Deuteronomy ch. No. 18 verse no. 19, in the

Book of Isaiah ch. No. 29 verse no. 12.

It’s prophesied in the

Song of Solomon ch. No. 5 verse no. 16.

In the New Testament

Gospel of John ch. No. 14 verse no. 16, in the

Gospel of John ch. No. 15 verse no. 26, in the

Gospel of John ch. No. 16 verse no. 7, in the

Gospel of John ch. No. 16 verse no. 12 to 14

Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) says “I have many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now for he when the sprit of truth shall come he shall guide you unto all truth. He shall not speak of himself, all that he hears shall he speak.”

So what we come to know from all these major scriptures that you have to believe in one God who has got no images, who has got no idols, you have to believe in the last and final messenger so let us agree sister. Lets not fight on the difference, lets agree to follow what is common in the Hindu scriptures, in the Parsi scriptures, in the Christian scriptures.. you’re talking Hindu, Muslim I’m talking about Parsism, I’m talking about Islam. Let us agree to follow what is common and InshaAllah all the human beings who believe in God they’ll have to agree that there is one God who has got no images, who has got no statues and have to believe that one last ad final messenger has to come who’s name is Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) then we will have every human being should be an extremely peaceful person submitting his will to All Mighty God then the problems of humanity will be solved. Hope that answers the question sister.

Questioner: Ya thank you sir.

Dr. Mohammad Naik: We have brother Abhishek who had just asked the previous question and he’s already at the back of the stage and doesn’t want to miss the opportunity to receive another Qur’an from Dr. Zakir Naik. We allow him to accept it.

Takbeer!

The brother came at the back of the stage and he is requesting volunteers I would like to receive… Alhamdulillah, we said we accept it. Yes brother the next question.

Questioner: Ah.. Zakir bhai… mein hindi mein question karega. Ye jo idhar bahut Muslim bhai aur behan hai toh unka feelings hurt hoeyga toh mein maafi chaahuga. Mera naam hai Mahesh Mehta aur mein Businessman hoon. Ye jo Qur’an hai who Khuda ki bheji hui kitaab nahi hai, kyon? Kyonki yeh jo Torah, Injeel, Zuboor jo bejha, Musa (Alaihe Salaam) ko bejha, Zaboor Dawood (Alaihe Salaam) ko Bejha aur Isa (Alaihe Salaam) ko Injeel diya toh ye abhi jo present form mein nahi hai teeno kitaab yeh log ne gadbad kar diya aisa bolte hai Muslim, job hi aap… baat.. dusra baat yeh bhi hai ke jo Qur’an mein “people of the book”, “people of the book” kai baar kehtein hai yahoodi logn aur isai logn ko toh jo.. jo apna Allah rahega toh khud apna message dega jaisa Krishna Bagvad Geeta mein bolta hai ye karo ye nahi karo toh ye Geeta koi Aadmi ne likha hai. woh jo pachis… twenty five joh Prophets hain, jo Bible mein hain poore who sab, wahi Qur’an mein hai toh ye kya hai? Ye jo abhi jo itna bada Allah hai joh poora universe usne banaaya hai toh ye baat nahi bolega ke ye Yahoodi logn, yeh Isaai logn matlab Yahoodi, Isai logn ko bhi who jaanta tha. Yeh aadmi ka hi kaam hai mere hisaab se aisa mujhe lagta hai. And I want to ask other question also. One minute. You know… I trav…

Dr. Zakir: Brother.. Brother

Questioner: I travel to so many..

Mohammad Naik: Let him answer the first question then…

Questioner: Haan okay.

Mohammad Naik: … we will allow you a second one brother.

Dr. Zakir: Brother asked a question he says… and I know Mahesh bhai. He’s been coming to IRF since 1991

Questioner: Haan.

Dr. Zakir: And he takes more video cassettes from IRF even than the Muslims. So his list in IRF which is maximum number of video cassettes, literature etc. Mahesh Bhai asked a question that as the earlier scriptures as the Qur’an says Torah, Zaboor, Injeel it revealed to Moses, David, Jesus Christ (peace be upon them) that the Muslims say it has changed so in the Qur’an when the Qur’an speaks about the Jews that “O people of the Book”, Jews and Christians so when it speaks about in such a way so isn’t the Qur’an also written by the human beings? Correct? Your argument is that how does it speaks about the Jews and Christians? Brother if you had come for my earlier talk ‘Is the Qur’an God’s word?’ Were you there for the talk?

Questioner: No I was not there.

Dr. Zakir: That talk deals with the topic in detail. I don’t intend repeating the full talk. And it deals in detail that how people allege that Prophet Muhammad wrote it being a human being, for what reason, for power, for gain, etc. it’s a two hours lecture which I can’t repeat. But coming to your main question that because it says that “O people of the Book”, it’s telling so that means it indicates that it’s written by a human being. Brother if you analyze in the Qur’an as you rightly said that there are 25 messengers mentioned by name and most of the messengers mentioned of All Mighty God they are Jewish and if you see these names are also mentioned in the Bible. About one third of the Qur’an is addressed to the Jews, why? Giving examples that All Mighty God did favors to the people of Israel

“Ya bani Israel! Don’t you know the favors We did onto you? But you did so and so, so and so thing.” So these are examples given in the Qur’an by All Mighty God that they were Prophets who came earlier to these people, some people rejected the Prophets, some people accepted the Prophet so when He’s giving an example it says

“Qul, “Ya Ahlal Kitaab””

“Say, “O People of the Book””

“ta’alawila kalimatin sawa-in baynana wabaynakum.”

“Come to common terms as between us and you.” So the Qur’an is telling us Muslims that you have to speak to the ‘people of the book’. People of the book means the people of the revelation. Indicating in this Qur’an specifically when the word ‘people of the book’ is used its referring to Yahood and Nasara, to the Jews and the Christians. So Allah is telling the Muslims to talk to the ‘Ahle Kitaab’. Allah also says “Ya Ahlal Kitaab”, ‘O people of the Book. So that means Qur’an is addressing not only to the Muslims or to the Arabs but to the Ahle Kitaab also. Therefore I mentioned that this last and final revelation, the glorious Qur’an was not sent only for the Muslims or the Arabs, it was sent for the whole of humanity. If it was a human work, if it was a human work, as you say, then All Mighty God will never mention that go and ask the Jews and Christians it is mentioned in their scriptures. At that time there were many who did not know about the Jews and Christians what happened in the past. When they checked up it turned out to be true. Further it says, it talks even about Prophesy that’s what’s going to happen in the future. So all these things brother it cannot be the work of a human being. For more details you can refer to my talk ‘Is the Qur’an God’s word?’ hope that answers the question.

Questioner: Ah…. One more…. You know I travel more than 55 countries and Qur’an and Ahadith they prohibits the idol worship. But you go.. you… other religion Christianity, this one..ah… Buddhism and Chinese religion, Jainism all other religion they have idol worship and you know Muslim may be they are 15 to 20% in this world total, percentage wise. So other people are wrong? You know Christian, one minute.. any culture, jo Russian orthodox, Greek orthodox, or Catholic or Protestant, you know Chinese there was a big statue of the god. So all.. all they are wrong?

Dr. Zakir: Brother asked a very good question. He’s saying that the Muslims are approximately 15-20%. Some say 25% whatever it is. You say 15%-20% I have got no problem. So he is telling that Christians they do idol worship, fine I agree with you, he says that Buddhism, create big statue, what you think they are wrong? Brother the majority doesn’t vary in Islam. In Islam the truth prevails. The majority people a couple of 100 years ago said the world was flat, majority. Do you know that? Majority of the people few hundred years back said that the world is flat. Is the world flat brother Mahesh?

Questioner: Naa

Dr. Zakir: Naa, so majority people can be wrong. In Islam, Allah says in the Qur’an in

Surah Isra ch. No. 17 verse no. 81

“Waqul jaa alhaqqu wazahaqa albatilu inna albatila kana zahooqan.”

“Say that truth has arrived and falsehood perish, for falsehood is by its nature bound to perish.”

Therefore in Islam majority never wins. If you go to America, in America pornography is legalized. Do you believe in pornography?

Questioner: No. So many countries European countries…

Dr. Zakir: No-no. Do you believe in pornography brother Mahesh?

Questioner: I don’t believe.

Dr. Zakir: Very good. Very good human being. I congratulate you but the majority people in western world believe in pornography. So will you believe in pornography?

Questioner: No.

Dr. Zakir: Will you see pornography?… Very good, good boy. See you are close to the truth. So majority never wins. As far as you say in Christianity idol worship is there. In Christianity idol worship is not there, Christians do idol worship. Like some Muslims do wrong things. If you read the Christian bible. Which you have read the Christian Bible I am sure. Its mentioned in the bible in the

Book of Deuteronomy ch. No. 5 verse no. 7, 8 and 9

“Thou shall not have any graven image of me”

All Mighty God, he’s telling in the Old Testament …

“Thou shall have no graven image of me of anything, of any likeness in the heaven above, in the earth beneath and the water beneath the earth. Thou shall not serve them, nor bow down to them for I, thy God, thy Lord is a jealous God.”

Same message is repeated in the

Book of Exodus ch. No. 20 verse no. 3 to 5 that

“Thou shall have no graven image of Me, of anything, of any likeness in the heaven above, in the earth beneath and the water beneath the earth. Thou shall not bow down to them, nor serve them for I thy God, thy Lord is a jealous God.”

So according to the old testament idol worship is prohibited. And Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) said, it’s mentioned in the

Gospel of Matthew ch. No. 5 verse no. 17 to 20

“Think not that I have come to destroy the law or the Prophets. I have come not to destroy but to fulfill. Whosoever shall break one of the least commandments and teach men to do so shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. And whosoever shall keep the commandments shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees in no way shall you enter the kingdom of heaven”

That means if you want to enter the kingdom of heaven according to Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) you have to follow the each and every law of the old testament of Moses (peace be upon him). No making images of All Mighty God. Yet they make, why? All the Christians don’t make, the Protestants don’t make. Your knowledge of Christians is a bit less. You’re a student yet. The Catholics, they make. They make a statue. That’s the reason the Protestants they protest. What you’re doing is wrong. So according to the Bible you should not make images of All Mighty God. I agree with you most of the Hindus, they do idol worship and I quoted earlier

“Na tasiya pratima asti”

Of that God there is no pratima, there are no images, there are no sculptures, there are no statues. Brother do you do idol worship?

Questioner: No, I am doing now.

Dr. Zakir: Haan, but you’re not following the Veda.

Questioner: Because I believe in all religions no. all they are same.

Dr. Zakir: All religions…

Questioner: You know because God knows this. All the religions. You know…

Dr. Zakir: Brother if you’re believing in all the religion that means irrespective whether you are following other religions or not. You are not following Hinduism. Brother you are not following Hinduism.

Questioner: But now what I am telling you God is sleeping now? He knows everything. He created all the earth and heaven. So he knows every religion have their own place. Like Islam…

Dr. Zakir: Brother lets have one question at a time. There is a big queue there. I will answer your next question after that go behind the queue you are most welcome to ask, fine? You asked whether is God sleeping? Allah gives this answer in the Qur’an in

Surah Baqarah ch. No. 2 verse no. 255, Allah says

“Allahu la ilaha illa huwa alhayyu alqayyoomu la takhuthuhu sinatun wala nawmun”

That Allah is eternal, absolute. He is self existing. He does not require to sleep. No slumber can cease him nor does he require rest.

You and I require to sleep. You and I require rest. God does not require to sleep. Allah clearly says in the Qur’an If He wanted he could made each and every human being accept Islam, submit to the will. If he wanted it is very easy. Just “Kun fai kun”. But this is a test for the hereafter. God is testing you, God is testing me. If God wants He can easily make you not do idol worship. But where is the test? The test is God has given you the rules now do you follow the rule or not? You say I you follow all the religions, you are not following Hinduism, you are not following Islam, you are not following Christianity, you are not following Sikhism, you are not following Buddhism. Buddhism quote me any reference from Dhrama Padh, form any Buddhist scriptures where Buddha said make a statue of me. He never said that. Where did he say that?

Tomorrow suppose… tomorrow if any Muslim makes a statue of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), if he makes a statue and calls him a Muslim I say he’s wrong. The prophet never said make a statue of him. So just because someone diverts under a wrong thing whether he is in minority or majority that does not become the truth. Buddha never said make a statue of him. So if someone is against the Buddhist sculpture, they are helping the Buddhist follow their religion. So just because they made a big statue of Buddha that does not mean they are following Buddha. Therefore I said if you want to understand a religion don’t look at followers. Brother Mahesh, don’t look at me, look at the scriptures. Look at the Qur’an, read the Qur’an, read the Veda. At least what is common, follow. What is not common keep it aside. If you say you follow all the religions you are not following Hinduism, you are not following Christianity, you’re not following Islam. Leave aside all, I am requesting you at least follow what is common. What is not common we can discuss later on. You are not even following what is common leave aside following all the religions. So the day you stop doing idol worship then I can say at least you are following one major part of all the religions. The day you believe in Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as the last messenger then I can say you are following the two major pillars in most of the major religions. Hope that answers the question brother.

Questioner: Okay thank you.

Dr. Mohammed Naik: Thank you brother. Can we have the next question? Is there a brother who’s a non-muslim?

Questioner: Ya good evening Doctor. My name is Jay Majedia. I have completed my engineering this year. And first of all this is my first time I’m visiting your open talk. And it was really appreciable the knowledge of all the scriptures you have and the confidence you have. And lot of Muslim supporters which really follow you. Now my question to you is a bit political. I would like to ask you doctor, do you advice all the Muslims to follow the principals of Mahatma Gandhi? Ah… like example of non-violence, Satyagragh which he fought for us to get an independence from Britishers. As I believe, I respect all the holy books like Qur’an, Geeta, Bible apart from that in today’s world I feel I am more an Indian. So would you advice the Muslims to follow the principals of Mahatma Gandhi like non violence, Satyagraha or any other principals of Mahatma Gandhi?

Dr. Zakir: Brother’s asked a question that do I suggest the Muslims to follow the Principals of Mahatma Gandhi then he changed it to any principal of Mahatma Gandhi i.e. non violence and Satyagragh.

Questioner: Or, or, or… Sorry…sorry to interrupt doctor. Or any of the principals of Mahatma Gandhi?

Dr. Zakir: Yes I agree. I got your question. Starting you said principals meaning all the principals then you said any principal. I’ll give answers to both. All those principals of Mahatma Gandhi which match with the Qur’an, which match with our Creator, match with the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) I have got no objection in telling the Muslims follow it wholesale. For example the Satyagarah movement of Mahatma Gandhi, non violence the Prophet did the same. Not that he copied from Mahatma Gandhi it is Mahatma Gandhi who copied from the Prophet which I will come to it later on. If you see the Makki age of the Prophet, the first approximate 13 years that he spent in Makkah. He told the followers no violence. Many non-muslims who accepted Islam they were fierce warriors the Prophet said your Jihaad is Sabr. Sabar means patience. Many Muslims were killed and butchered the pagan Makkans that time they targeted the weak Muslims, they tortured them, they killed them. So those who were powerful they wee angry they said that they killed our brothers, we will take revenge. The Prophet said your Jihaad is Sabar. See someone who has the power to fight back and he fights back its good. But someone who has the power to fight back and the commandment is don’t fight back and then he restrains himself that is real Jihaad. Jihaad in Arabic means to struggle, it means to strive. Here the Prophet’s commandment was non violence. They went on the streets only saying that we bear witness that “There is no God but Allah and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the messenger of Allah.” People stoned them they did not retaliate, people abused them, they did not retaliate. The Prophet went to Taif people stoned him, he didn’t retaliate. So this is one of the strategies but not the only strategy. Brother do you want me to complete the answer?

Questioner: No sir

Dr. Mohammed Naik: After… after Dr. Zakir Naik completes your question we’ll allow you to ask. You have to have some patience brother.

Questioner: Okay, okay sir.

Dr. Zakir: You have asked the question. I have to give the reply. So this part of Mahatma Gandhi of non violence depending upon situation. But now if you tell the Indian government you know the person is robbing non violence. Don’t arrest him. The person is raping non violence don’t arrest him. The Indian government will agree? Every country has a police force. This force is meant to let peace prevail in that country. So sometimes they use force against the criminal to let peace prevail. You can’t tell the government, you can’t tell the police commissioner of Bombay that “see Mahatma Gandhi said non violence so if person is robbing let him rob. Only do siksha “bhai don’t rob”.” Suppose they come and rape your sister you’ll say “okay don’t rape, don’t rape” non violence. So non violence is the best. In Islam there is something like ‘Zulm’. Zulm…Zulm in Arabic the best translation of Zulm can be oppression. And a person who does oppression is called as a Zalim, Zalim person, and who is more Zalim than a person who can stop the oppression and does not stop the oppression.

Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) said in the Hadith of Sahih Muslim that

“If you see an evil, you stop it with your hand. If you cannot stop it with your hand then stop it with your tongue. If you cannot stop it with your tongue then curse in your heart and if you curse in your heart you are the lowest level of Momin”, you are the lowest level of Muslim.

Suppose you see a rape taking place, Mahatma Gandhi said oh don’t rape, don’t rape. The best is if you have the power to stop, stop it with your hand. She may not be your sister, she may not be your mother, if you see someone raping if you can stop it with your hand, you stop it with your hand. If you cannot, if you are weak, if you don’t have the power at least say “O bhai-saab rape mat karo, balaatkaar mat karo.” “Dear brother don’t rape.” At least with your tongue. If you think if I say with my tongue he’ll kill me at least curse in your heart. So depending upon the situation the strategy keeps on changing. When Prophet went to Madinah there he was peaceful. He did Sulah Hudabiyah. He signed a contract between the pagans unbelievers and the Muslims. They broke the contract when they come for war then the All Mighty God said when they come for war don’t get scared fight, kill them.

So depending upon the situation. And according to the people, historians Michael H. Hart he wrote a book on 100 most people in human history. No. 1 he gave to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) but I am not mentioning him for that. Among the important misses was Mahatma Gandhi. Michael H Hart a famous historian after mentioning the 100 most influential people in history he mentioned the important misses. And in that he mentioned Mahatma Gandhi. And he says the Satyagraha movement of Mahatma Gandhi which was one of the important movements which led the Britishers go back. But what he said even if this movement wasn’t there yet India would have got independence. According to the famous historian Michael H. Hart. So what we realize that depending upon the situation we have to use the strategy. You can’t say always non violence. Sometimes violence has to be used to let peace prevail. Like how you have police in every country, in every state so anyone who goes beyond the limits, who rapes, who robs, who harms other people that time as a last resort like the country says police can use force similarly Islam says as a last resort, as a last alternative sometimes force can be used to let peace prevail. Hope that answers the question. If you have any other question you are most welcome brother.

Questioner: No sir I am convinced with it and thanks for your answer.

Dr. Zakir: That’s the reason I said don’t interrupt me…

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Alhamdulillah.

Dr. Zakir: …it’s my profession. I’m in the field. If I give the complete answer people are convinced. I start the answer people want to object. When you’re putting your hand up, your mind is going on the question… you aren’t paying attention on the answer. So when you listen with an open mind, InshaAllah, I’ll answer your question. If not, InshaAllah, we will give you a second opportunity.

Questioner: Okay. I would also like to advice all the Muslim people over here you have a great scholar like Dr. Naik so please follow Muslims 100% as a .. there are some doubts like people don’t follow it 100% so I hope all the Muslims will follow Muslim religion 100% and make India proud. Thank you.

Dr. Zakir: Thank you very much brother.. I would request all the Muslims should follow Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the last and final revelation glorious Qur’an. As far as the brother he said the Muslims should follow me 100% I request him even he should follow me at least what I speak about the Qur’an and Sahih Ahadith. So brother we are waiting for an opportunity I want you also to follow me. Me, as long as I match with the Qur’an and the Sahih Ahadith. If I don’t match with Qur’an and Sahih Ahadith even Dr. Zakir Naik is zero. Zakir Naik has got no value. What I say if it matches with the last and final commandment the glorious Qur’an and last and final messenger Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) you follow me I request you even you should follow me what I speak about the Qur’an and the Sahih Ahadith.

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Yes sister, the next question.

Questioner: Asalamualikum! This is Bageshri Savant. I am a non muslim. I want to accept Islam in front of everybody because I want all these people to viewing on my Shahadah on the day of Judgment. Ashadu Anna ill al.. ill Allah, Ashadu anna Mohammad u.. rabuu. Ullah. Rasoolullah.

Dr. Zakir: Masha Allah sister.

Dr. Mohammad Naik: I think Dr. Zakir can pronounce it properly and she can repeat.

Dr. Zakir: I feel if I say it and you can say. Ashadu Allah Illa ha

Questioner: Ashadu Annna Illa ha

Dr. Zakir: Ill Allah

Questioner: Ill Allah

Dr. Zakir: Wa Ashadu anna

Questioner: Wa Ashadu anna

Dr. Zakir: Muhammadan

Questioner: Muhammadan

Dr. Zakir: Rasoolullah

Questioner: Rasoolullah

Dr. Zakir: I bear witness

Questioner: I bear witness

Dr. Zakir: that there is no God but Allah

Questioner: there is no God but Allah

Dr. Zakir: and Prophet Muhammad

Questioner: and Prophet Muhammad

Dr. Zakir: peace be upon him

Questioner: peace be upon him

Dr. Zakir: Is the servant and messenger of All Mighty God

Questioner: Is the servant and messenger of All Mighty God

Dr. Zakir: Welcome to the religion of peace sister.

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Takbeer!

Questioner: Thank you.

Dr. Zakir: We find that in the 10-Day Conference that we have… This 10 day conference there are many people who accepted Islam and many questions were asked to several of the speakers and they were convinced that this was the only solution for humanity and we appreciate that sister. And I pray to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) to grant you Jannah, peace in this world and the next world InshaAllah.

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Any questions sister you are most welcome to ask

Questioner: This non-Muslim sister she does not want to disclose her identity.

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Welcome! Without disclosing her identity she can ask her question.

Questioner: She is a student of MBA she asks why is Allah referred to ‘Allah’, why not any other name?

Dr. Zakir: The sister’s asked a question that why is Allah referred to as Allah and why not other names. The reply is given is the Qur’an in

Surah Isra ch. No. 17 verse no. 110, it’s mentioned in the Qur’an

“Quli odAAoo Allaha awi odAAoo alrrahmana ayyan ma tadAAoo falahu al-asmao alhusna”

“Say call upon him by Allah or call upon him by Rehamaan by whichever name you cal upon Him, to Him belongs the most beautiful names.

You can call All Mighty God, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) by any name but it should be a pure name, it should be a correct name. it should be a name given by Himself. And there are no less than 99 attributes given in the glorious Qur’an and the Sahih Ahadith. Ar-Rehaman, Ar-Raheem, Al-Karim, Al-Hakim, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate, Most Wise, no less than 99. And the crowing one is Allah. And this message that to Allah belongs the most beautiful names besides

Surah Isra ach. 17 verse 110. its also repeated in

Surah Ta’ha ch. No. 20 verse no. 8, in

Surah Araaf ch. No. 7 verse no. 80 and

Surah Al Hashar ch. O. 59 verse no. 24 where Allah says that

“To Him belongs the most beautiful names”

But the crowning name is Allah.

Now why do we Muslims prefer calling Allah by the Arabic word Allah instead of the English word God. The reason is sister, all the other names and words, they can be played around with. For example the English word God if you add ‘S’ to God it becomes ‘gods’, plural of God. There is nothing like plural Allah. Qul hu allahu Ahad. Say “He is Allah one and only” if you add ‘dess’ to God, it becomes ‘Goddess’ a female God. In Islam there is nothing like male Allah or female Allah. Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) has no gender. If you add the ‘father’ to ‘God’ it becomes ‘God-father’. He’s my godfather, he’s my guardian. There is no word like ‘Allah-Abba’ or ‘Allah-father’. If you add a ‘mother’ to ‘God’, it becomes ‘God-mother’. There is nothing like ‘Allah-mother’ or Allah-Ammi’ in Islam. If you prefix tin before God, it becomes ‘tin-god’ meaning fake God. There is nothing like ‘tin Allah’ in Islam. That’s the reason we Muslims prefer calling Allah by the Arabic word ‘Allah’.

And that’s the reason this word Allah is also present in most of the major religious scriptures. If you read the Sikh scriptures one of the attributes given to All Mighty God is Allah.

If you read the Christian Bible in the

Gospel of Mark ch. 15 verse no. 34, in the

Gospel of Matthew ch. No. 27 verse no. 46 where

Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) when he was put on the cross he cried out

“Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”

O God, O God why has thou forsaken me?

Does “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” sound like O God, O God why has thou forsaken me? No. but if you translate into Arabic it says “Allah, Allah Lema tarak tani ?” Similar… So Hebrew and Arabic they are sister languages and if you read the Schopheal dictionary it pronounces Allah also,… Eloi also as Allah ‘A-L-A-H’ same. So Allah is even mentioned in the Bible.

Even in the Hindu scriptures. It’s mentioned in the Vedas. There is a separate Upanishad by the name of ‘Aloi Upanishad’. So this word Allah is also mentioned by name in the major world religious scriptures. This is a proper name of true All Mighty God. Hope that answers the question.

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Yes brother

Questioner: Mein Dr Balwant Shastri, Bihar Pravaashn ke Raashtariya Adyaksh hoon aur bambai mein bahut din se reh raha hoon, Abu Asim Azmi saab bhi hum logon ko pechaante hai. kai baar mulaakat karte hai. aapke Antrarashtri Samelan mein aane ke soobagay prapt hua iske liye sabhi baayioon ko mera atrash namashkar.

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Shukriya.

Questioner: Mein ek cheez bahut utsukta…se..bus mein kehnaa chata hoon ke Hindu philosophy ke andar mein

‘Vasuday Kutoonb kum’… ‘Vasuday wa Kutoonb kum’.

Poora prithivi mera kutoonb hai, parivar hai. aisa hindu philosophy mein kaha hai. aur

‘Sarve bhavanu sukhinasta sarve santou niravya’

matlab

Sab sukhi ho, sab aanandit rahe aur sab apne roji rooti kamaate hue aanand se rahe.

Yeh sandesh hamare Hindu philosophy mein diya hai. Mere khyal se aapke philosophy mein bhi, aapke darshan shaaastra mein bhi isi tarah ka sandesh hoga aur iss sandesh ko aap logon ne samay-samay se prachaar bhi kiya hai lekin ek aashraya ke saath mein aur utsookta bus mein aapko engkit karke kehna chaata hoon ki yaan to aap logon nei Qur’an ke sahih maane ko sahih tareeka se Vishva level mein rakhe nahi yaa Qur’an ke sandesh ko yadee aap rakhe toh samajne waala kitna samjaa.

Dusri baat toh yeh hai ki aaj poore vishva ke andar mein jitney prathistha ki nazar se Qur’an aur Islam ko jo pehle dekha jaata tha kuch barso se usmein kami aai hai. Jaise katarpanti, charampanti, aatangvaad aur kahi na kahi toh mein kya samjoo? Ya aapke prastaav rakhne mein galti hui hai ya Qur’an ka sahi Sandesh pahoochaya nahi gaya ya hum iss sandesh mein pade hue hai ki jo itna bada Qur’an, jo bhaichara ka sandesh pehla raha hai, chaaron taraf shaanti ka pegaam dena chaata hai who aaj vishwa level mein aur uski chabi kya hai? Danyawad.

Dr. Zakir: The brother asked a very good important question. He has said that in Hindu philosophy we believe that the full world, the whole humanity is like a family. And everyone should live happily in this family, earn money, live happily enjoy life. That is this question. Is it similar in Islam? And he is sure that in Islam will be some what similar. And then he comes to his question and asks that this Qur’an this should reach the full world. Is there a mistake in the Muslims explaining the Qur’an or is there a mistake in the people understanding it that today we find Muslims are being labeled as terrorists, as fundamentalists, as extremists. So what is real problem?

As far as his first question I do agree with him that Hinduism does say that whole world is a family, we should live happily, earn, enjoy. Islam says somewhat similar except for the ending. Allah says in the Qur’an in

Surah Hujuraat Ch. 49 verse no. 13

“Ya ayyuha alnnasu inna khalaqnakum min thakarin waontha waja’alnakum shu’ooban waqaba-ila lita’arafoo inna akramakum AAinda Allahi atqakum inna Allaha aleemun khabeer”

“O humankind we have created you from a single pair of male and female and have divided you into nations and tribes so that you may recognize each other not that you may despise each other”

So the Qur’an says that all the human kind have got one common grand-grand-grand-grand great-great-great-grand-grand grand parents Adam and Eve, may Allah be pleased with them both, And Allah has divided us into nations and tribes different color different languages so that they may recognize each other. And the criteria for judgment in the sight of All mighty God its not wealth, it’s not cast, its not color, its not sex, but it is Taqwa. And God All mighty said most honored, in the same verse

Surah Hujurat ch. 49 verse no. 13, Allah concludes and says

And the most honored amongst you is the person who has Taqwa. The criteria for judgment in the sight of All Mighty God…

Brother if you talk then how will you listen to me? You’ll have a counter question. Brother… let me first finish the answer. Normally people want to discuss the question with somebody else. This is my field brother, fine. You have asked a question I haven’t completed, I’ve just started.

Questioner: Mein yeh chahata hoon…

Dr. Zakir: Brother I have understood your question…

Questioner: …Mein aapke… aapke saath mein, mein angrazi mein baat nahi kar saktaa..

Dr. Zakir: Brother mein Urdu mein..

Questioner: Mein yeh chaha raha tha ki aap jaise vidwaan yadhi isi ko… agar aapke bagal mein ko aisa vidwaan hota jo hindi mein bhi vyakyaa karta thoda urdu ke saat mein vyakhya karta toh logon ko samaj mein toh aata…

Dr. Zakir: Bhai-saab, Bhai-saab meri hindi aapse… aapke jaisei shudh nahi hai but mein hindi mein bhi baat kar sakta hoon.

Questioner: Haan toh phir gyaan hota..

Dr. Zakir: Lekin aaj… lekin aaj ka majma jo jama hua hai Bhai-saab

Questioner: Ek thodasa prashn aa raha hai saab

Dr. Zakir: Bhai-saab, Bhai-saab, prashana ke pehle bhai-saab suniye meri baat.

Questioner: Haan haan Boliye

Dr. Zakir: Aap suniya zara. Hume rules-regulations ko follow karma chahiye. Nahi toh logn boolenge Zakir justice ki baat karta hai. Mein extremist hoon justice mein, mein extremist hoon, shidhat se justice pasand karta hoon. Logn bolenge thik hai bhai-saab ko line todne di, maan liya bhai, aap zara politician hoyenge thik hai. phir aap urdu mein sawaal kiye, hindi mein sawaal kiye who bhi maan liye, aap bolenge hindi mein jawaab doh toh baaki log bolenge ishtiyaar toh diya angrazi ka, baat kare hindi mein. Itne hamaare desh-videsh se, Australia se, America se, UK se, Saudi se in log hindi nahi jaante. Aap samaj rahe hai naa? toh mein agar hindi mein jawaab dunga toh mein injustice karunga. Aap ko sawaal karne ka mein ne moka de diya uska mein tarjuma kar raha hoon, jawaab de raha hoon. Agar jawaab nahi samajte toh recording mil jaayengi aapko aur baad mein InshaAllah Abu Asim Azmi saab se bol dunga ke aapko tarjuma kar ke samjaa de, InshaAllah. Thik hai naa?

Questioner: Dhanyawad.

Dr. Zakir: So as I was saying the criteria for Judgment in Hinduism.. he said that we have to lead our life happily, earn. In Islam you to lead your life happily, yes but on the basis of Taqwa. The only criterion which makes you superior, it is Taqwa, it is righteousness, it is God consciousness. Its not money, its not wealth, it’s not cast, its not sex.

Now coming to his question that the Qur’an is such a good book is it that there is problem in communication regarding the preachings of Qur’an or are we not able to understand? That’s the reason brother we are having this talk ‘Islam – The Solution for Humanity’. The problem is in media portraying Islam and we Muslims, it’s our fault. I do agree with you. We aren’t expert in media. We Muslims are to be blamed as it is the duty of every Muslim to convey the message of Islam, to convey the message of the Qur’an to the whole of humanity. We aren’t doing are full job, we are trying. We are trying our level best. Today the best way you can reach the masses… now see the gathering, surely hundreds of thousands I don’t know how many. But for us it is retail. 100 thousand is retail for me. We believe in millions. Therefore we are showing live on the satellite channel. And the estimate viewership is of more than 60 million people watching, 60 million. Hundred thousand, two hundred thousand is peanuts. I can give Shahadah to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) that we have delivered the message to humankind. And 60 million is at least 1%, yet it is nothing. 1% of humankind if you count it to be 6 billion. What we want that we Muslims should be more forward in media. There should be more channels, it should spread much more.

And I do agree with you there is a problem in understanding that’s the reason as you mentioned that we are being labeled as extremist, as fundamentalists, as terrorists and my talk was based on that that how should you reply when a person says that you are a fundamentalist, you are a terrorist, you are extremist, so hopefully you’ll get the translation after this lecture, hopefully. Hope that answers your question brother.

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Yes is there a brother non-Muslim there? Yes brother.

Questioner: Ah.. Sir my name is Gil Roy from Bombay. I am a businessman. And thank you for the opportunity to speak here. I really enjoyed today, my first time. And my question is about conversions into and out of Islam. Now many Muslim countries do not permit conversion out of Islam. Some even use the sword and they have death penalty. But correct me if I am wrong I don’t know any non-Muslim majority country which prohibits people from converting into Islam. Now wha… what is the right thing in Islam because as you say you don’t need the sword for Islam and thousands and millions of followers will anyway get into Islam. Then why if someone wants to convert those countries are they right I mean why can’t they allow people and see for themselves if someone wants to convert out of Islam. For example, if America today which is largely Christian more than… majority Christians, if they would prohibit conversions.. how.. say conversions into Islam then what would be your response?

Dr. Zakir: The brother asked a very good question and a very important question. This question has got 2 parts. The first part is that why don’t some of the Muslim countries allow conversion or allow propagation. They don’t allow the propagation to take place; they don’t allow conversion from anyone to convert Muslim to a non-Muslim. Basic question, whether it be anyone. And secondly what about the death penalty for conversion. What if America, today does not allow propagation, does not allow conversion what will be your state? Very good question.

Brother, as far as the propagation is concerned there are countries for example, Saudi Arabia which does not allow propagation. The only country which I know very well which does not allow propagation, it is Saudi Arabia. And the reason is that suppose brother you want to start a school, if you want to start a school you are taking an interview of a Maths teacher. So when you take the interview of a Maths teacher you ask the question 2 + 2 is equal to how much? So one Maths teacher says 2 + 2 = 3. the second Maths teacher says 2 + 2 = 4. The third Maths teacher says 2 + 2 = 5. Now many people say what’s the problem? Let them preach any religion whoever wants to accept let them accept. I will ask you a question. Will you allow Maths teacher in your school to teach 2 + 2 = 3? Will you select the Maths teacher who says 2 + 2 = 5? You’ll say no I know Maths. I am definite about it. In Maths 2 + 2 = 4 and nothing else.

So as far as religion is concerned Saudi Arabia is very confirmed, it agrees with the verse of the Qur’an in

Surah Imran ch. 3 verse no. 19

“Innad deena inda Allahial-islam”

“The only religion acceptable in the sight of All Mighty God is peace acquired by submitting your will to All Mighty God”

They will not allow anyone else to preach anything wrong. But in science and technology they say to the Americans ‘Ahlan wa Sahlan’ you’re most welcome, they get people from England, they get people from India, no problem. In science and technology they are not no. 1. So in science and technology they have people coming from America, from England, from Singapore, from Philippines, from India, form all over the world. But as far as Deen is concerned they are cocksure, they are 100% sure this is right. Same as you are cocksure that 2 + 2 = 4 you will not allow any wrong teaching same way I agree with that. I am a student of comparative religion brother. There is no religious scripture on the face of this earth besides the Qur’an which says that this is the only true religion. You read the scriptures of the Hindus, you read the scriptures of the Christians, the Bible; nowhere does the Bible say that Christianity is right. The word Christianity doesn’t exist in the Bible. Do you know that? The word Christianity doesn’t exist in the Bible. The word Hindu doesn’t exist in the Vedas. Do you know that? Nowhere does the Veda say that this is the only right religion. Nowhere does the Bible say that this in the only right religion.

So Qur’an is the only religious scripture on the face of the earth where All Mighty God says emphatically

“Inna addeena AAinda Allahial-islam”

The only religion acceptable in the sight of All Mighty God is Islam.

So as far as preaching, propagating any religion is concerned, I’m sure that if you know what is confirmed they will not allow anyone else to preach something which is wrong. This India it’s a secular country. It’s not a Hindu country. It’s in the constitution of the people, for the people, by the people. I am an Indian, geographically I’m a Hindu because I am an Indian but practicing Muslim, I am a practicing Muslim. It’s by birth right in this country to preach, propagate and practice this religion. That is what is in the constitution. So you have to change your constitution.

What we realize that America is a democratic country. It’s mentioned in their constitution about freedom of speech. So what we realize brother that if you say that what if they don’t allow propagation, what if they don’t.. How will I feel? It is not mentioned in the Christian scriptures so I will say that they are not following their Christianity, they are not following the Bible. Even if you agree that this is a Hindu country which this is not, it’s a secular country nowhere it is mentioned you being a Christian I want you to point out one statement from the Bible which says that Christianity is the only right religion. Yes brother…

Questioner: Ah.. sir you know it is about the interpretation of the Bible, the Old and the New Testament. It is not difficult for Theologians to find an interpretation which says if a Christian converts out of Christianity he should be put to death. As it was in Spain during the inquisition but that was 500 years ago. And today because of human values I don’t know of any Christian majority country which puts or prohibits, I am not talking of propagation, I am not talking of preaching I am talking of an individual. Suppose an individual in some Muslim country in Pakistan…

Dr. Zakir: Brother…

Questioner: Say Pakistan…

Dr. Zakir: Brother, brother, that was the second part of the question that’s the reason let me complete my answer. You keep on… …didn’t I say I the starting, I repeated your question for the benefit of the audience the brother has got 2 parts. The first part I covered and your hand is going up… now when your hand is going up, I am a medical doctor, your mind is not paying attention to my answer, correct? We give you opportunity to ask the question, give me opportunity to answer over… and if I keep on talking everyone else will understand, you will not understand. I want even you to understand, I want even you to accept the religion of Peace. Correct brother.

Coming to your second part of your question. What if someone wants to accept, wants to come out of Islam Qur’an clearly mentions in

Surah Baqarah ch. No. 2 verse no. 256

“La iqra fi deen”

There is no compulsion in religion, Truth stands out clear from error.

So as per say someone wants to convert from Islam to any other religion, fine. In the hereafter he’ll be amongst the losers. As far as the death penalty is concerned only if that person after converting if he propagates his new faith and speaks against Islam then the penalty of death is there. And this is the same law, somewhat similar law in most countries including India. There’s something like apostasy in India. In India if suppose someone sells the secrets of the country to an enemy, fine. What he’s selling may be the truth. He may have blue prints some countries will give death penalty; some countries will give life imprisonment even though if he is speaking the truth. So every country has its law. So in Islam if someone changes from a Muslim, after accepting to any other religion and propagates it and preaches it and speaks against it only if it’s an Islamic country, if someone does that in India no one can kill him here. If he is in a country which follows the Islamic law, now what he’s doing, he’s causing corruption. He is spreading things which are unpeaceful. So for this if it’s an Islamic country, al the so called Islamic country don’t follow the Islamic law, I would like to tell you. You can count on your fingertips that also some people follow this law; some countries follow the other law. I don’t know any country in the world which is 100% Islamic, I don’t know any, I don’t know any. So what we have to realize brother that if it’s a Islamic country following the Islamic law and if that country such institution takes place like in India if someone sells the secrets of the country he’ll be put in prison, for how many years I don’t know or may be put to death like in America the same thing… Similarly this is the law of the country; the country is based on the law of the religion. So based on that I hope that answers the question.

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Thank you brother. Can we have the next question from the sister’s side?

Questioner: Assalamu Alaikum Zakir bhai! Mera naam Neelam Shirke hai, mein Hindu family ki hoon. Meine aapka lecture Azaad maidan mein ‘Similarity of Hindus and Muslims’ suna tha aur us din se mein Islam pasand karti hoon. Aaj sabke saamne mein Islam kabool kar rahi hoon

“La ila ill Allah Mohammadur Rasoolullah, Aameen”

Dr. Zakir: Masha Allah, I congratulate you sister. Just for the benefit of those who don’t understand Hindi. The sister said that she had heard my lecture the first time a few years back in Aazad Maidan in Bombay on the topic ‘Similarities between Islam and Hinduism’ and since that day she has been appreciating Islam and today she has accepted Islam as her lifestyle. And we welcome you to the religion of peace so we pray to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) that may Allah accept and InshaAllah you get Jannah, get the best of this world and the Aakhira. Thank you sister.

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Any question?

Questioner: Ya, I was Sandhya, now I am Zahra Bilal Khan. I converted to Islam. I wanted to check one thing that you were saying like there is no Murti and something like that but there is one place in Kerela, it is like.. there’s one statue which is coming from the rock and it is growing. Then why is it so?

Dr. Zakir: Sister’s asked a question that there is nothing like Murti I said but she knows of a place in Kerala in which there is a statue in the mountain or the rock she’s saying, it is growing. How it is growing? The question, that means there’s something in that statue. Sister do you know even mountains grow? Do you know that?

Questioner: Ya.

Dr. Zakir: Ya. So if you know that’s how the statue can grow. That does not mean, that does not mean it has got life in it.

Questioner: No it’s coming from …ah… like inside the rock. There is nothing statue on the rock. It is coming from inside the rock.

Dr. Zakir: So that’s what I am telling you sister it’s coming from inside the rock. Even the mountain can grow sister. How does it grow you know in geology we study that it can keep on growing and there are many such examples. For example we know that a few years back there was a Ganesh statue which was drinking milk. It’s a simple scientific phenomena osmosis. It’s a simple phenomena of osmosis that if you have a jug with a sprout and you put on a milk it will automatic rise. It’s osmosis. That doesn’t mean that the statue is drinking milk. And that’s how the many TV channels they exposed.

So what we have to realize sister that these are inanimate objects. As the Veda clearly mentions in

YajurVeda Ch. No. 32 verse no. 3

“Na Tasya Pratima asti”

Of that God there is no pratima, there is no image, there is no statue, there is no sculpture, there is no photograph. Hope that answers the question sister.

Questioner: But one thing.. then how was the shape coming from the inside the rock. There is one shape which is coming outside.

Dr. Zakir: Sister you know shape as far as shape is concerned a human being can give shape by chiseling, automatically naturally it can come, there is no problem. There are so many statements mentioning that there are trees which are mentioning ‘Om’ some tree is mentioning ‘La ila ha ill Allah’. See all these things don’t carry weight at all. We are talking about truth, sister. And there are many mountains which look like human faces. Haven’t you seen? So it is by nature, if it resembles something that doesn’t mean it’s a miracle. We have to follow the Hindu scriptures, and the Qur’an and the Bible which say All Mighty God has got no images. The stone can look like a man, can look like an image, can look like a statue that doesn’t mean it is God sister.

Questioner: Thank you.

Dr. Zakir: And many of these stones and images and idols if it falls it breaks, when it cannot help itself how will it help you and me sister? Hope that answers the question.

Questioner: Asamualikum. Thank you.

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Thank you sister. Yes brother the next question.

Questioner: Good evening sir. My name is Subash Kambale. I’m lecturer from chemistry department, Thana collage. In the beginning of your lecture you said that Qur’an talks about.. ah.. Giving peace to humanity. I … My question is that if it is talking about peace then why so many young men from various countries are falling to the prey of terrorism in the name if Jihaad. What is the concept of Jihaad? Thank you sir.

Dr. Zakir: The brother’s asked a good question that if Islam and Qur’an speak about peace to humanity then how come there are so many Muslims and other Muslims from different countries who are fighting and were talking about Jihaad? What is the concept of Jihad.

As far as the word Jihad is concerned ‘Jihad’ comes from the Arabic word ‘Jahada’ which means to strive, it means to struggle. So Jihaad basically means to strive and struggle. Jihad does not mean holy war. Holy war if you translate into Arabic means ‘Harbo Mukadssa’. There is no Arabic word “Harbe Mukadassa’ in the Qur’an or any of the Sahih Ahadith. This is a mistranslation by the media and the orientlist. There is no holy war; Jihaad does not mean holy war. Jihaad means to strive, to struggle. Further more in Islamic context it means to strive and struggle to improve the humanity. It means to strive and struggle to bring peace in humanity. It also means to strive and struggle in battle field in self defense. It also means to strive and struggle against oppression. Jihaad basically means to strive and struggle.

Now coming to your question that then how come so many youngsters from different countries, they are fighting? Point no. 1 There are possibilities and it’s a fact that some of the Muslims they are being misled by the anti-social elements that fight its there in Islam etc. misquoting out of context. But this is a small percentage. The major reason according to me is how the media portrays. Like in India we very often read in the newspapers that Muslim terrorist in Kashmir, killing so many people, headlines, regularly you read. I was called to Kashmir the first time in 2003 and I was thinking should I go or not, should I go or not, so much of chaos. First time in Kashmir the government gave permission after 14 years to hold a public lecture and the gathering of some what big, 100 thousand people in Polo grounds, in the city of Shrinagar. And when I went there were guards, you know, with guns and all around me. And I was expecting but there wasn’t much problem. Next day I went to Assam I landed on the airport there were 4 guards with guns, machine guns. I was like what is this? There is killing in Assam. Killing in Assam? Where it takes place? And there if I did not have the guards I wouldn’t be here to give a talk. But in the papers where do we hear about the killing going on in Assam? There are more people being killed in Assam than in Kashmir. Who hears about the LTT? You know the LTT, the tamilians they are called as Tamil Tigers. They are not called as Hindu terrorists, why? If Kashmiri Muslims do it they are called as Muslim terrorists. If the Hindus in Assam do it it’s a local problem. If the LTT does it, local problem. In India you ask anyone who has the knowledge of law and order, he will tell you the maximum killing is done by the Maoists. How many times do we read in the news paper? We read in the news paper in news brief. Okay so many people killed in Assam, news brief. Muslims do it, headlines, why? There are black sheeps in every community. Then one person came and told me you know you should understand this is a problem of land. Assam is not a problem of land? It is the Kashmir which is the problem of land. Both the countries are fighting and the poor Kashmiris are being, they are being harassed. Neither here neither there. If you go to Afghanistan that’s the problem of land. The Americans have come there and you call them terrorists. See what’s happening in Palestine. The Jews, the Jews were kicked out by Hitler, kicked out from Germany. The Palestinians, the Arab cousins they said Ahlan wa Sahalan, you are most welcome in our house. Now imagine suppose a traveler is homeless without a roof you allow him to come to your house after a few days he kicks you out and at the doorstep you are saying “He has taken my house give my house back.” They call him a terrorist. What terrorist? So you realize this is the media, it is media. So what we realize… what’s happening in Bosnia? The Muslims.. Correct I do agree with you the Muslims are coming in the picture but they are being harassed. Where is humanity? What have you done for the people of Palestine? For the people of Iraq? Weapons of mass destruction, I am not in favour of Saddam Hussain. I don’t consider him a good Muslim but there were problems when Saddam was ruling. After the Americans came the problems have multiplied, correct? So what you are talking about weapons of mass destruction? Just because George Bush says go and attack and you are attacking. The person that has killed the maximum number of human beings it is George Bush. So no. 1 terrorist is George Bush.

So what we realize brother it is the media. The Muslims are being harassed, they are the sufferers and you call them terrorists. So that’s the reason but there are black sheeps in your community also. But the black sheeps are a minority, it’s a minority. The major thing is the media. You know IRA, Irish Republican Army in UK, it’s a fight between the Catholic and the Protestants. No one calls them a Catholic terrorists, why? More than 100 years but Tony Blair and the new prime minister are more worried about the Muslim terrorists. They aren’t worried about IRA which has killed hundreds of people. How many bomb blasts have they done? They are more having secret meetings about how to stop, how to stop Muslim terrorists. And it’s very common. Any Politian he wants a vote bank the new prime minister came then there was Gasco bombing.

You know Sabeel Ahmed, have you heard Sabeel Ahmad? Very good. I have heard him I haven’t seen him. It came in the Indian papers you know Sabeel Ahmed? Sabeel Ahmed was a fan of Dr. Zakir Naik. And he organized Dr. Zakir Naik’s lecture in Bangalore. In the full article on terrorism then they talk about Sabeel Ahmed then they talk about Dr. Zakir Naik, Why? Because Dr. Zakir Naik is popular. Article will carry more weight. Then they continue saying that Dr. Zakir Naik however is vehemently against terrorism. They include my name in the article, you know the issue of Lal Masjid in Pakistan… CDs were found of Dr. Zakir Naik. So you should be happy when the Indian press is saying that Dr. Zakir Naik is against terrorism you should be happy that Sabeel Ahmed has my DVDs, you should be happy that Lal Masjid has my DVDs. If I am against terrorism so you should realize that may be there were tens of thousands of Muslims who have done terrorists act because they are my fan they have stopped doing terrorism. Because if a person is sick he has to go to a doctor, correct? So you can’t say that the sick people are going to the hospital. A sick person should go to the hospital. So if you assume that these are terrorists organizations and they are hearing my lectures the Indian government should be happy. When Dr. Zakir Naik speaks against terrorism they should be happy that these people are listening to me. I may not be able to convince everyone but at least quite a few I am convincing. But in the article they write my name for weightage, you know so it becomes.. if you write against Islam the chances your article will be selected will be very easy. And that’s common.

Same with Kushwant Singh. You know Kushwant Singh? Now his age is 94. Year before last year he wrote a article against me, couple of weeks back in November he wrote a article against me. He says, in the first article he mentioned that I watch Dr. Zakir Naik’s programme religiously everyday, he writes. He praises me, talks about my memory. And then criticizes me in his style. Again he wrote an article that in Delhi there was a book exhibition and the hot seller was Dr. Zakir Naik’s book on answers to the twenty common questions asked by non-muslims. “Oh that person has fantastic memory bla, bla, bla, bla but I will reply to 4 of his questions”.

And he replies to pork, to alcohol, to polygamy as well as Purdah, Hijaab. And you read the article. Time will not permit me to speak about everything; in pork I say that it is the most shameless animal, more than 70 diseases. It is the only animal that invites its friends to have sex with its mate. So I said if you eat pig you behave like pig. It’s the only animal that invites its friends to have sex with its mate. So he said I did not know that and he says I don’t know that the western country they are having pig and I don’t see any epidemic or any disease. See doctors tell us today that don’t go to a prostitute you’ll have AIDS but everyone that goes to a prostitute does not get AIDS. The percentage is small. The minority of the people get. Similarly everyone who eats pork doesn’t get these diseases. But today more than 50% of the Americans they are suffering from hypertension. And one of the cause is because of pig-eating.

He talks about alcoholism. Dr. Zakir Naik says because of alcohol you have so many diseases so he says Qur’an is not against alcohol, it’s against getting intoxicated. Now he is trying to interpret the Qur’an. This is the media. And he says that I am the age of 94 years old I am drinking everyday in my life, I have never got intoxicated, I have never got sick and I have never hurt any individual. Now all these 3 things, age of 94 has never got intoxicated I know so many common friends who tell me that they have seen him intoxicated so many times. Never seen a doctor! May be he forgot, age of 94. He has never hurt anyone! He has hurt me. So what we realize that when you write articles against Islam, against people who are famous you get good readership, you get good viewership. So similarly you realize that today the image that we have of Muslim terrorists some may be fighting for the freedom of the country. Imagine if I tell you that the British government said that Baghat Singh was a terrorist. Was Baghat Singh a terrorist? Was he or not?

Questioner: Yes sir.

Dr. Zakir: Was Baghat Singh a terrorist or not?

Questioner: His act was like terrorist.

Dr. Zakir: But was he a terrorist according to you?

Questioner: No.

Dr. Zakir: According to me also he was not a terrorist. But just because the British government says that Baghat Singh is a terrorist that doesn’t mean I have to agree with the British Government. So what we have to realize this is major, the ploy of the media. That’s the reason this talk was based on that so that we can spread peace. Hope that answers the question.

Questioner: Thank you sir.

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Yes brother.

Questioner: Pranaam guru. My name is Advaid Vilas Kakade. I am from Nair hospital, I’m a medical student. My question is we are actually very fortunate to get this human form of life. This is very-very rare which comes from millions and millions years so in what respect we should utilize the human form of life? Or what is the most sublime aim in our life or what is the real goal of human form of life?

Dr. Zakir: The brother said that he’s a medical student from Nair Hospital. I would like to mention that even I passed from Nair hospital, same hospital. I passed from the same medical college, Nair hospital. I passed in 1991. Approximately 16 years back. The brother’s asked a question that we get this human life. How should we utilize this human life? Allah says in the Qur’an in

Surah Dhariyat ch. No. 51 verse no. 56

“Wama khalaqtu aljinna wal-insailla liyaAAbudoon”

“That we have created the Mankind not but to worship Me.”

Worship Him means obeying him. So the best we can do in this human life is to obey the commandments of All Mighty God and let peace prevail in this world and the hereafter. The Creator of the human beings He will be the best person to give this answer. It’s mentioned in

Surah Mulk ch. No. 67 verse no. 2

“Allathee khalaqa almawta walhayataliya”

“It’s Allah who has created death and life to test which of you is good in deeds.”

This life that we have brother is a test for the hereafter. We’re undergoing a test. And if we follow the commandments of our Creator and lead lives according to what He has said and let peace prevail by submitting our will to the Creator. We will be successful in this world as well as the hereafter. Hope that answers the question.

Questioner: Yes but what we should… We young students, what should we do for that?

Dr. Zakir: Haan, what you should do? Brother you should read the Qur’an.

Questioner: Okay sir.

Dr. Zakir: Read the Qur’an and implement on the guidance of Qur’an. If you read the Veda, the Veda speaks about one God, no idol worship. The Veda says there is a Rishi to come, there’s a Kalki Avtar to come, he will show you good things. That Kalki Avtar is Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam). This Qur’an is the last and final revelation of All Mighty God to the last and final messenger Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Read this message; accept it so that there is peace in this world as well as in the Aakhira. Hope that answers the question brother.

Questioner: Thank you very much sir.

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Yes sister.

Questioner: Myself Aarti, I am a non-Muslim. I’d like to ask a question that first of all very thanks for your giving me this opportunity to listen to you and understand Islam. Ah.. What I understood from your talk is mainly it’s a religion which believes in peace and harmony and scientific and rational believes. If it is so then how does it believe in the whole idea of God and how does it believe in the whole idea of heaven or the hell if it’s so rational.

Dr. Zakir: Sister’s asked a question that she’s heard the lecture and she is very happy to know Islam is the religion of peace and it’s a scientific religion, it’s a rational religion. You’re asking if Islam is a rational religion then how come it believes In God, it believes in heaven and hell. Sister the only way you can believe in God is through science. Today if I have to prove to an atheist, the only way I can prove is through the Qur’an with the help of science. The best tool I have got today previously it was miracles, then came the age of literature and poetry, every age.. Qur’an is a miracle of miracles. It’s a miracle of all times. So because of this if you heard my talk I have proved that because a person who believes in science if he is rational, he will have to agree that Qur’an is the word of God. If he does not believe in science, if he is not rational, if he is not understanding there is high chances he will not believe in Qur’an. That’s the reason I said today science is not eliminating God it is eliminating models of god. As far as science is concerned the concept of God most of the scientist they believe in the existence of God today. Previously according to Francis Bacon it says that

“Little knowledge of science makes you an atheist but in depth knowledge of science makes you a believer in God”.

Now coming to your second question about heaven and hell. Now if you analyze the Qur’an, whatever the Qur’an speaks about science approximately you can say that 80% what the Qur’an speaks about science has been proved to be 100% correct. About the creation of the universe, about the shape of the earth, light of the moon, that the sun rotates and revolves, water cycle, geology, botany, etc. 80% of what the Qur’an speaks about science is 100% proved to be correct. The remaining 20% it goes in the ambiguous slot, neither right neither wrong. So my logic says when 80% is 100% correct and the remaining 20% is neither right neither wrong, not even point 1 percent of that 20% has been proved to be wrong, my logic says that InshaAllah, God willing even that 20% will be right. So heaven and hell, angels, Jinn, science hasn’t advanced that far. Today science has advanced may be to understand 80% of the Qur’anic verses which speak about science. Tomorrow, may be 50 years later, 100 years later, 200 years later science will talk about heaven, will talk about hell, will talk about Jinn so my logic says, its not a illogical belief, it’s a logical belief when 80% is 100% correct and the remaining 20% not even point 1% is wrong. No scientist today can say that he can prove scientifically there is no hell. No scientifically prove there is no heaven. He can say I don’t know. May be it is, may be it is not. It’s ambiguous. So my logic says if 20% is ambiguous, neither right neither wrong, when 80% is 100% correct, I being a scientific person, I being a rational person I say that, InshaAllah, God willing even that 20% will be correct. That’s the reason I believe in hell, I believe in heaven and I also believe in angels and the Jinns. Hope that answers the question.

Questioner: Ah.. I… I still have some clarification, I still need some clarification.

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Anything connected with the same question?

Questioner: Yes. Actually you said that science also follows or believes in God or…also Islam do that then what is the exact explanation that it has given for God or for heaven or hell?

Dr. Zakir: Sister did you hear my full talk?

Questioner: Ya.

Dr. Zakir: Did you hear my talk which I gave earlier last week ‘Is the Qur’an God’s word’?

Questioner: No sir.

Dr. Zakir: Fine.

Questioner: This is my first talk.

Dr. Zakir: So in this talk I spent 15 mins time to repeat in a nutshell what I spoke in 2 hours. What I request you, you take my video cassette recording ‘Is the Qur’an God’s word?’ and I have proved there that Qur’an is God’s word and also proved to an atheist the existence of all Mighty God. Which I did today in a nutshell, in a fast way. So I have proved that God has to exist, if God did not exist who wrote this Qur’an. Who wrote this Qur’an 1400 years ago? Talking about…

Questioner: My question is also then who wrote this Qur’an?

Dr. Zakir: Who wrote it? The Creator wrote it, God wrote it. No human being can write. Sorry?

Questioner: What is the explanation for that?

Dr. Zakir: The explanation is my talk of 2 hours sister. You can take the video cassette and there’s a similar talk I’d given in Bombay in 1995 and I would request some of the volunteers, the lady volunteer to give her a copy of my talk which I said in 1995 in Birla Matushri. Take that talk, InshaAllah, it will give you more details about the explanation of God as well as the existence of God and Qur’an is the word of God. Hope that answers the Question.

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Sister you can collect the book also ‘The Qur’an and Modern Science’ on you way out as well as Is the Qur’an God’s word?’ These should satisfy most of your answers on that topic. Yes brother.

Questioner: Thank you Sir. Sir I am Dr. Rajesh. I am homeopathic doctor. And I have 2 questions that I have read that about Mohammad paigambar as the last and the final Prophet. Why the stress is given on the word last and the final? And are you afraid of any new one and if God decides and will send a new one don’t you welcome him? And agar mein uparwale ka deedar karma chata hoon toh islam mein iska kya solution hai? Thank you sir.

Dr. Zakir: Brother’s asked 2 questions. One thing is that why do you stress so much that he is the last Prophet? If God wants to send a second one can’t he sent? And the last question is if I want to see All Mighty God what is the solution. I’ll come to the last question later on.

Questioner: Yes sir. You’re right.

Dr. Zakir: The first question why do I stress that Prophet Muhammad is the last prophet? Not only I stress the Veda stress, the Purana stress, the Bible stresses as well as the Qur’an and the other scriptures. Allah says in the Qur’an in

Surah Azab ch. no. 33 verse no. 40

“Ma kana muhammadun abaahadin min rijalikum walakin rasoola Allahiwakhatama annabiyyeena wakana Allahubikulli shay-in AAaleema”

That “Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is not the father of any of you men but he is the prophet of All Mighty God. He is the seal of the Prophets. And Allah is all knowing, full of knowledge.”

Now when All Mighty God said, if All Mighty God wants to send he can surely send but All Mighty God does not speak a lie. All Mighty God doesn’t tell a lie. Its mentioned in the Qur’an in Ch. 33,

Surah Azhab Ch. 33 verse no. 40 that this is the last Prophet so All Mighty God knows. If He wanted to send another Prophet He would not have mentioned this is the last Prophet, so because he has mentioned this is the last Prophet, I believe in it. And since All mighty God, He knows the future, you and I don’t know the future, All Mighty God knows the future and He said that this is the last therefore I believe in it. Now depending upon the requirement what was required he has given. Some people say why didn’t send Prophet Muhammad in the day one. You know my son wants to do medicine. He says why don’t you put me in medical college directly? First you have to go to school Std. 1, Std. 2, Std. 3, pass school then medical, right? So depending upon how the humanity progressed, All Mighty God kept on sending messengers. And by name 4 are mentioned but there were many revelations Torah, Zaboor, Injeel by name is mentioned. Now all Mighty God thought it fit 1400 years back humanity reached a level to understand the Qur’an. Then he sent His last and final messenger Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), last and final message the Glorious Qur’an. Now if All Mighty God wanted he can surely sent but since he has mentioned he will not send, he will not send. And this religion is completed. The previous scriptures were not in the complete form. Allah mentions, All Mighty Go mentions in the Qur’an in

Surah Maidah ch. 5 verse no. 3 that

“On this day I have completed my favour upon you and chosen for you Islam. And completed the religion for you.”

After the religion of Islam has been completed nothing new can be added, nothing can be subtracted from this religion. It’s complete. That’s the reason if anyone today says that he gets revelation from All Mighty God anyone who says he is a Prophet of God, he has to go to a psychiatrist. Today there are hundreds of people claiming to be God, people claiming to be Prophets of God, they require physiatrist because after this no other revelation will come, after this no other Prophet will come.

Regarding the second part if the question. What can you do if you want to see God?

Questioner: Anyone if you tell what… what should I do?

Dr. Zakir: I’m telling you what to do….In this world you cannot see God. That when Moses (peace be upon him) it’s mentioned in the Qur’an, he wanted to see God. So All Mighty God said look at the mountain. I will show a glimpse of me to the mountain. So what happened to the mountain, by looking what happened to the mountain, Prophet Moses fainted. So in this world you cannot see but you can see in the next world if you go to Jannah. You’ll have everything, food, everything you’ll have. The people it’s mentioned in the Hadith, they will crave to see the face of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). So if you want to see All Mighty God you have to read the final revelation of God, the Glorious Qur’an and follow the final revelation and follow the last and final messenger Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). If you follow this scripture and the last and final revelation InshaAllah you will go to Jannah. If I follow I will go to Jannah. And there InshaAllah if we both have the same aim of us to go to Jannah and InshaAllah we will see All Mighty God. Hope that answers the question.

Questioner: Thank you sir.

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Yes brother.

Questioner: Mera naam Kishore hai. mein Manipur se aaya hoon. North of India say. Jaise aap logon ne bataaya ke Kashmir mein aap logon ko Jihaad ke naam pe Terrorist bataye jaa rahe hai vaise Manipur mein Manipuri jo rehte hai waha pe jitney uthrvadi karte hai unlog us hisaab se waha par humm logon ko terrorist bolte hain. Unke wajha se aaj mein yahan pe hoon aur mujhe wahan pe baataya gaya ke mein yahan pe mara hua hoon. Mere ghar walon ko yeh maloom hai ke mein Mar chukka hoon. Aur unse dark ke maare mein yaha par Bumbai mein aaya hoon aur Manipur mein aaj tak aplog ka ye Peace channel nahi dekha aur mein bahut acha religion catcher hoon, meri knowledge bahut achi hai. Mein Gurudawara gaya hua hoon, Church gaya hoon, Bible padhi hui hai sab jagha gaya hoon lekin aaj tak mujhe ye nahi maloom chala li Musalmaan yeah log jo dadhi rakhte hai aur Islam mein kya likha hua hai who Hindi mein aaj tak nahi mili aur naa English mein mili mujhe Manipur mein. Aur mein yeh chaata hoon ke Manipur mein ya fir kahi par bhi North-East zone mein agar aap log yeh bejhe toh bahut acha rahega. Aur mujhe ek English ya fir Hindi mein yaha par mile toh mein yeh kharidne ke liye tayaar hoon.

Dr. Zakir: The brother’ asked a question that like people are fighting in Kashmir and they are doing Jihaad similarly in Manipur the people are fighting and he had to leave the city and come here and because of the terrorist he’s 15 days here, he is happy to learn about Islam. He wants to know that why isn’t peace channel in Manipur.

Questioner: Ya.

Dr. Zakir: And he wants to know why do Muslims keep a beard. There are 2 basic questions. Brother, in Kashmir, as I mentioned I can’t say everyone is doing Jihaad. They are struggling, they are striving.

Questioner: Wait, wait, wait sir. You are thinking me as a wrong. I says you… you are the right.

Dr. Zakir: I’ve perfectly understood your question brother.

Questioner: okay.

Dr. Zakir: I never said that you are wrong. And your question is also very good brother. But I am trying to clarify that everyone fighting in Kashmir they may not be doing the true Jihaad. Some people may be for ulterior motive may be doing wrong things. Those who are truly following the commandments of the Qur’an and then fighting then you can say that they are doing Jihaad Fi sabi lillah. I cannot put a blanket rule that everyone in Kashmir is doing Jihaad, Jihaad fi sabi illah.

Now coming to your question of Manipur. I know that there is lot of fighting going on in Manipur and because of them you are here. May be it is Allah’s planning. All Mighty God has planned that because of fighting you are here. Leave aside peace in this world; you will get peace in the hereafter also, Correct? Now you have heard such a good lecture about Peace. This world peace is a temporary peace where you should strive. But the best peace is the peace in the hereafter.

Now coming to your question that why do Muslims keep a beard and why Peace channel is not seen in Manipur. As far as the Peace channel not seen in Manipur you can easily take the frequency. If you put a dish may be the cable operators may not be putting it but if you put a dish which cost just few thousand rupees and face it in the direction of 68 Degrees East towards Intel Sat 10, InshaAllah, you’ll get the Peace channel. You can try and tell the cable operator to see it. We cannot go to Manipur and try and force them but if they put the dish and face it to 68 degrees East and tune in to the frequency InshaAllah you’ll get it.

Coming to your question, why do Muslims keep a beard? What I say that if the label shows your intent wear it. I’d given a talk that ‘If the Label Shows Your Intent, Wear It!’ For example if you go to a conference of intellectuals the people wear a label, I am a doctor, I am an engineer, I am a scientist; it gives an informal introduction. When you go to a gathering, a conference only of doctors then the specialty is mentioned. Says, Dr. so and so is a Cardiologist, Neurologist, Nephrologist. If you have a heart problem you go to cardiologist. If you want to know about kidney then you go to Nephrologist. If you have any brain problem Neurologist, informal introduction. The Qur’an says in

Surah Anam ch no. 6 verse no. 54, the Qur’an says that

“Wa-itha jaaka allatheenayu minoona bi-ayatina faqul salamunAAalaykum.”

That when you meet those who believe in our signs you say Salamun-aalyakum you wish them Salam walekum.

Islam pays stress on saying Assalamualaikum it’s a religion of Peace. Now minimum in a day every Muslim at least has to pray 5 times a day. Now when he prays 5 times a day, even if he prays only the Fard Salaah, the compulsory Salaah 5 times into 2, when we end the Salaah we say ‘Asalualiku wa rehamtullah’, ‘Asalualiku wa rehamtullah’ May the peace and mercy and blessings of All Mighty God be on all the people on my right, May the peace, mercy and blessings of All Mighty God be on All the people on my left. Every Salaah I say twice. I have to read minimum 5 Salaah. Minimum 10 times I am wishing Salaah to all the people on my right, peace be on people on left. If I read the Sunnat-e-Mokada that is another 10 times. So minimum 20 times I wish Salaam to the people on my right and people on my left. If I read the normal Sunnah it may be more.

Anytime I meet a Muslim I have to wish him Assalamualaikum, may peace be on you. Its also mentioned in the Qur’an in

Surah Nisa ch. No. 4 verse no. 86, it says

“When anyone gives you a greeting, gives you a courteous greeting wish back more courteously or at least the same.”

So anyone wishes me Assalamualaikum I have to say Walekum Assalam wa Rahmatullahi. If anyone says peace be on you, I have to say may peace and mercy be on you.

If someone says Assalamualaikum wa Rehamtullah I have to say Walekum Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. I have to wish back better.

If someone says Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh I have to wish back at least the same Walekum Assalamualikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. If someone tells me Assalamualaikum and if I say WALEKUM ASSALAM! The words are the same but it’s coming from the bottom of the heart. Even that is better. So Allah says in the Qur’an wish back more courteously. Now when I am traveling and when I meet Muslims how will I know that he is a Muslim? So we have a identity, beard. But today in the media if you have a beard you are a terrorist.

Questioner: Ya. Now but… look at the…

Dr. Zakir: Brother let me complete the answer. Please let me complete the answer. If the Sikhs keep a beard and wear a turban they are called as staunch followers. If Muslims keep a beard they are called as terrorists. If the Christian Nun they cover their head they are called as religious. If Muslim women are covered they are called as subjugated. Media, media, media. See this beard; this beard can’t even harm a fly. And this cap of mine it can’t even harm a fly. If you read the Qur’an the Qur’an does not say you should keep a beard. There is only one verse in the Qur’an in Surah Ta’ha ch. No. 20 verse no. 94 where Moses (peace be upon him) he catches the beard of Haarun (Alaihe Salaam), Aaron (peace be upon him) and he says that “O son of my mother why do you catch me by my beard?” That is the only place where beard has come. But our beloved Prophet says in

Sahih Bukhari volume no. 7, Hadith no. 780 and 781, our beloved Prophet said

“Do the opposite of what the pagans do, trim your moustaches short and grow the beard.” Now because it’s the commandment of the Prophet, Allah says in the Qur’an

“AttiUllah wa Attiar Rasool”

“Obey Allah and obey the Messenger” Our Prophet has commanded and we obey. And it is a good way for me to identify.

Many people when I go to anywhere on the streets, I go to a foreign country they see a cap and a beard, Assalamualaikum, Assalamualaikum! Walekum Salaam. It’s an informal introduction. I am spreading peace. So what we realize that it is an informal introduction. And like for example if you go in a car if he’s a doctor he puts a cross, why? To identify that the car belongs to a doctor. If you have some emergency you can stop the car and you can ask for help. Now when you see a person having a beard as well as covering the head, you know he is a Muslim. I remember and if you ask your grandparents, you ask your grandparents, 50 years back, 100 years back they will tell you that the Non Muslims when they wanted to hire a taxi, a cab they looked for a driver who wore a cap and who had a beard. “Muslim driver! He won’t take me for a ride.” When they wanted to buy from a grocery they wanted to buy from a person who’s owner had a beard. Muslim! He will not cheat. But today if you wear a cap or a beard it means you are a terrorist. So if the name is maligned we have to reinstate that glory to this beard. Fine? And it is only a label. It’s a commandment of the Prophet, he said it therefore we do it. It cannot even harm a fly but it gives an informal introduction that we are Muslims. We can wish each other. And if you have any problem, if you require help it’s the duty of the Muslim to help the neighbor. You stop a man with a beard and a cap InshaAllah he will help you. Hope that answers the question.

Questioner: Thank you.

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Can we have the next question sister.

Questioner: Assalamualaikum Dr. Naik! My name is Monita, I am a media professional. I wanted to know if accepting Prasaad is haraam for a Muslim and why?

Dr. Zakir: The sister asked a question that is accepting Prasaad for a Muslim Haraam or not? Prasaad is the food that is given to god, to the idols etc. in Hinduism. Qur’an says in no less than 4 different places in

Surah Baqarah ch no. 2 verse no. 173, in

Surah Maidah ch. No.5 verse no. 3, in

Surah Anam ch. No. 6 verse 145, and

Surah Nahl ch. No. 16 verse no. 115 it says that

“Hurrimat AAalaykumu almaytatu waalddamu walahmu alkhinzeeri wama ohilla lighayri Allahi bihi.”

Forbidden to you fore food are dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine and any food on which ay name besides All Mighty God’s name is taken.

So any food on which any name besides All Mighty God’s name is taken it is called as Haraam. That’s the reason to accept Prasaad or to eat Prasaad is prohibited in Islam. And even if you read the Vedas, even in the Vedas since the Veda clearly mentions

“Na tasiya Pratima asti”

Of that God there is no pratima, there is no image, there is no idol, there is no sculpture, there is no photograph, there is no painting. Even giving food to the idol is prohibited in the Veda. So that’s the reason because it’s prohibited in the Veda, it is wrong to put food on the idols. Similarly because the Qur’an prohibits it, for us Muslims to accept it or to eat it is wrong sister. Hope that answers the question.

Questioner: Ah… Sir one more thing. I am a Sindhi and I go to the Gurudwara there is no idol in the Gurudwara. There’s just a Granth we still have Prasaad in the Gurudwara, its called Kana Prasaad. But you still can’t accept that. What is the reason for that?

Dr. Zakir: Sister’s asked a very good question…

Questioner: It’s not accepted… it’s not offered to an idol.

Dr. Zakir: That’s right. Sister I am a student of even the Gurugranth. And even according to the Sikh scriptures, the Adi Granth, Guru Granth it speaks about oneness of God and it says that All Mighty God has got no idols, no images, there are various attributes given to All Mighty God, Raheem, Karim, Allah, various. Till here we are going together. But unfortunately when you go to Gurudwara though Sikhism does not believe in the concept of God in which there are images but they worship the Granth as the guru as the Gurus have gone and on this when they give the food it’s indirectly similar. Though according to their scriptures idol worship is prohibited so because of this indirect giving of the food even according to the Guru Granth All Mighty God does not require to eat so where is the question of you giving food to All Mighty God? Qur’an says in

Surah Anam Ch. 6 verse no. 14

“Allah feedth everyone but does not require to be fed.”

So where is the question of you giving food to All Mighty God. So sister you are not following the Adhi Granth. Now because you are not following the Adhi Granth, All Mighty God does not require food. He can sustain without the food. He is the one who feedth everyone. Hope that answers the question.

Wa Aakhiru Da’waana Anil Hamdu Lillaahi Rabbil Alameen!

Dr. Mohammad Naik: I would request the brothers to be seated for 2 minutes as we close. I would request our honored speakers who have come from USA, Canada to kindly come on the stage the brothers would like to have a glimpse and we have our this grand successful… We would request Brother Yaasir Fazaga, Sheikh Jaafar Idris to kindly come on stage with Dr. Zakir Naik. Let our audience have a view of our wonderful speakers who have come all the way, thousands of miles. They have come here to share their views. Many of our audience was not here on the other days. We would like them to have an idea. We request the audience to kindly be seated for two minutes as we finish the closing ceremony. And I request brother Dr. Bilal Philips, Br. Yaasir Fazaga, Dr. Jaafar Idris from Suddan, Dr. Othman Siddique Ar Qari from Saudi Arabia, Qari Sharzad and Dr. Mamdooh Mohammad to kindly come on stage. Brothers and sisters kindly give them a good farewell from Mumbai.

Allahu Akbar! Takbeer..! Jazak Allah Khair for being with us. Captain Humood Alsumaimri from Saudi Arabia they have been giving talks for all the last 10 days we had 6 sessions everyday. And it was a wonderful time having them. We all have, the audience as well as the speakers have I am sure appreciated, enjoyed the session and on the whole the conference focus of creating a better awareness and understanding of Islam and its message of peace and help remove misconceptions of Islam has been served, Masha Allah! Allahu Akbar!

I would request Dr. Zakir to just thank them in a half a minute on the micro phone our wonderful speakers who have come all the way from USA, UK and other countries. Some of our speakers of course have already left. Brother Anwar Ibrahim, Abdur Raheem Green from UK, Salem Al Amry from UAE, Dr. Ahmad Saifuddin and others. And of course the former Imam of Masjid al Nabvi, Al Madina and others have already left. Those who are here are present here. Dr. Zakir to give his final words.

Dr. Zakir: Firstly I would like to thank Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) for making this 10-Day Islamic International Conference to be a grand success and its only because of Allah’s help this was possible. And secondly I’d like to thank our learned scholars and speakers, Masha Allah, who have come from different parts of the world, from different countries from USA, from UK, from Saudi Arabia, from UAE, from Malaysia and various different countries. Without them this event would not have been possible and though they are very busy. Masha Allah most of them stayed for ten days and I thank them for their efforts and InshaAllah, Allah will bless them and InshaAllah pray to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) to grant them Jannah and last but not the least I would like to thank…

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Brother Yusuf Estates.

Dr. Zakir: …all the audiences

Dr. Mohammad Naik: That’s brother Yusuf Estates from USA.

Dr. Zakir: …from Texas.

Dr. Mohammad Naik: From Texas USA. We have other speakers some in the TV studios.

Dr. Zakir: And I would like to thank to people of Bombay and the people of India who have come from different parts of Bombay to give us a patient hearing and to accept the message of Peace. Thank you.

Wa Aakhiru Da’waana Anil Hamdu Lillaahi Rabbil Alameen!

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Yes brother, Dr. Bilal Philips would like to have a word.

Dr. Bilal Philips: Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barkathu! I’d just like to thank you all on behalf of all of the speakers who have come ..ah.. we have been welcomed here in.. in Bombay, in India. We’ve had a very good time here and we thank you all for your support and benefit, your useful questions. And we ask Allah to bless you all, to guide those of you who haven’t found their way to Islam as yet. And we ask Allah to bring peace to this land and to the world through Islam. Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh!

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Jazak Allah Khair brothers. We request our audience to kindly as the speakers move down give them a hardy with a Takbeer Allahu Akbar as they move into the pavilions and may I… That’s captain Humood Alsumaimri, an ex pilot with the air force and also with the Saudi Arabian airlines. Yes.

Humood Alsumaimri: I would like just to say one word to the brothers may Allah reward them all beginning of Dr. Zakir Naik and the unknown soldiers, the people who’re behind the screen who have done a lot of good effort and duties all these 10 days. May Allah reward you. If we don’t know you Allah knows you. Allah will reward you, Insha Allahu Ta’la. We thank you all. Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh!

Yusuf Estates: One word ‘Peace’. Assalamu Alaikum you all.

Dr. Mohammad Naik: Thank you brother. We thank Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) for all for making this programme possible.

Dr. Zakir: And lastly…

Dr. Mohammad Naik: And we request you…

Dr. Zakir: …And lastly I would like to personally thank, as many are aware, we have got more than 2000 volunteers, 1000 from Bombay, 1000 from different cities of India and they have stayed here for more than 12-15 days. They have to come a couple of days earlier, this event would not have been possible if it was not for their effort so we thank them also and may Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) give them Ajar as well as all the other technical staff and the staff of our organization, we thank you all as well as the other supporters.

Wa Aakhiru Da’waana Anil Hamdu Lillaahi Rabbil Alameen!