Role of Muslims in a Non-Muslim Society
(London, UK, 3rd Dec. 2005)

Lecture

 (Duration – 1 hour and 38 minutes)

 

Shahid Akmal: We’re especially happy to see that, Alhumdulillah, we have in our midst an international scholar of the repute of Dr. Zakir Naik who shall be addressing you shortly. So please kindly take your seats and be ready and paired, InshaAllah, for what is going to be an amazing evening. JazakAllah Khair, Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah.

 

Qirat…

 

Mufti Abdul Qadir Barkatullah: Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah Wa Barkatuhu. I’ve been interested to present the brief translation of these few aayats. These Aayats are from Suraht ul Fajar and it explains about the shared problem of humanity. When Allah favors a human being by making him well off and rich then human beings become proud of themselves saying I am a person of honor. And when Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) puts human being through a trial of limited livelihood and hardship then human being becomes very pessimist and he says that Allah has made me live in a derogatory situation. But “Khalla-Bal” Allah Ta’la is saying there is no need to be proud or need to be put down yourself but we should work to “Kiru nal yateem”. We all human beings Muslims and non-Muslims should honor and dignify the orphans and we should encourage each other for this charitable work to feed the poor and should not try to eat up the common and shared Maal, request wealth in an unislamic manner, in an illegitimate manner. So the solution to all the differences in human being is to look after Yateem, to feed the poor and do charitable and good deed in our life and by this way, InshaAllah, we are going to make impact in this society where the majority people are non-Muslims and Islam and Muslims will earn good name InshaAllah. Jazakumullah…! 

 

Bashir Sattar: Bismillah Hir Rahmaan Hir Raheem. In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik, Sir Iqbal Sacrainie, respected guests and elders, brothers and sisters in Islam Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah Wa Barkatuhu, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon you all. I am truly humbled here before you for the opportunity that Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) has bestowed upon me to address this distinguished gathering and I thank him for this. May I take this opportunity of warmly welcoming you all to the lecture programme of Dr. Zakir Naik organized by the Islamic Association of North London in cooperation with the Harrow Central Mosque? Please allow me to introduce my panel to you and also to explain the programme format for tonight InshaAllah. But first let me introduce myself. My name is Bashir Sattar and I am chairman of the Islamic Association of North London, It is my pleasure to be your host and programme director for this evening, InshaAllah. 

 

To my right and from the far end we have Mufti Abdul Qadir Barkatullah who is the honorable secretary of the Islamic Association of North London and next to him we have Dr. Mumbre Zavan Khan who is vice chairman then we have brother Shahid Akmal who is chairman of the Harrow Central Mosque and then we have Sir Iqbal Sacrainie who is the secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain also known as MCB and sitting to his left the eminent scholar from Mumbai Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik.

 

I would now like to explain the format for this evening and this will be as follows. After myself I will be asking Sir Iqbal to introduce this evening’s guest speaker after Dr. Saab’s lecture there will be a question and answer session and I will provide the rules and the process for conducting this part of the programme which will be a little later on. The Q and A session would be followed by a reciting of reflection of the programme by brother Shahid Akmal. I would also just like to say that we at the Islamic Association of North London felt it was an opportunity in the aftermath of 7/7 to reflect on our duties and responsibilities and roles as Muslims in this non-Muslim society and put matters into perspective in the Islamic context for the benefit of both, Muslims and Non-Muslims and who else better than our very own Dr. Zakir Bhai to provide that very inspiration, InshaAllah. As many of you are aware this lecture has been arranged at very short notice so please forgive our shortcomings or errors. We hope that this lecture will bring benefit and enlightenment to us all and we sincerely hope you enjoy this evening, InshaAllah. May I now invite Sir Iqbal Sacrainie to the podium. JazakAllah Khair. 

 

Sir Iqbal Sacrainie: Bismillah Hir Rehaman Hir Raheem. Nahmaduhu wa nusalli ala Rasoolihil Kareem. Our distinguished scholar of this evening Dr. Zakir Naik, Brother Basheer and Brother Shahid, the management committee members of the Islamic North London Association and the Harrow Central Mosque, distinguished scholars, brothers and sisters Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rehamatullahi Wa Barkathu! 

 

It is indeed my privilege to introduce the Chief Guest of this evening. A person who perhaps requires no introduction whatsoever but however the introduction is needed to remind ourselves of the wonderful work in terms of Da’wah that is being carried out. The much needed Da’wah work in today’s times that is carried out by this personality which is beamed over around the world daily for sometimes 2 hours to up to 4 hours every single day by major national television stations and many other small channels trying to get the message, the central message as to who we are, what is the Deen of Islam and its role in the society at large. Dr. Naik, Alhamdulillah, is a medical doctor by profession. But it’s now more than 14 years that he felt that he had served to treat the body, the human body but perhaps it was now time to treat the soul and in that aspect the work that has been carried out is more of a full time work. He has established a renowned research institute in Bombay which employees more than 200 people with different scholars being trained to give lectures in different parts of the world. it is the much needed work that makes us feel comfortable that in all the challenges we are facing not just in the UK, in the Muslim worlds but the world over and it is such renowned speakers that can bring the message of understanding, message of mutual understanding, respect, tolerance and to give the true image of Islam which sadly is being confused and manipulated by those who do not wish to see Islam grow and progress in this modern world. Therefore with this few words I am delighted to introduce our respected scholar but before he comes in may I take the opportunity to thank the organizers of both the institutions, the Northern Islamic Association and the Harrow Central Mosque for organizing this wonderful event within such a short period of time and it shows the interest within the Muslim community to hear from such distinguished scholars the message that they want to convey to us so that we in our daily lives can try and bring that message to show the world at large who we are and what are the teachings of Islam. May Allah guide us through this difficult time that we are moving through and we hope and pray we’ll have more such opportunities in our daily lives to hear from our distinguished scholar, Dr. Zakir Naik.. Assalamu Alaikum! 

 

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

 

“Kuntum Khayra Ummatin Ukhrijat lilnnasi Ta’muroona Bil Ma’roofi wa Tanhawna Anil Munkar Wa Tu’minoona Billah”

 

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

The respected people on the dais, 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’… ‘May Peace, Mercy and Blessing of Allah (swt), of Almighty God be on all of you.

The topic of this evenings talk is ‘The role of the Muslims in a Non-Muslim society’ 

First let us understand what is the meaning of the word ‘Muslim’. Muslim means a person who follows Islam. Islam comes from the root word ‘Salam’ which means peace. It is also derived from the Arabic word ‘Silm’ which means to submit your will to Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala), to All Mighty God. In short Islam means peace acquired by submitting your will to Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala), to All Mighty God. And anyone who submits his will to All Mighty God and acquires peace is called as a Muslim. So in short Muslim is a person who acquires peace by submitting his will to Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala), to All Mighty God. 

 

As far as the role of the Muslims in a non-Muslim society is concerned it can be divided broadly into 2 categories. 

 

The first is the actions and deeds related to himself and the other is the actions and deeds related to the non-Muslims. 

 

As far as the first category is concerned that is the actions and deeds of a Muslim related to himself it is the same irrespective whether that Muslim lives in a Muslim society or a non-Muslim society. The actions and the deeds are the same. There are certain concessions given in certain situations but it does not differ whether the Muslim is living in a Muslim society or the non-Muslim society it is the same

.

For example what is Fard, what is compulsory for a Muslim in a Muslim society is also Fard, is also compulsory for a Muslim in a non-Muslim society. 

 

For example every Muslim has to believe and worship only one All Mighty God, Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala), irrespective whether he is living in a Muslim society or a non-Muslim society he should believe in Tawheed, he should worship only one Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala). 

 

A Muslim has to pray 5 times a day minimum. In a Muslim society the same has to be done by that Muslim even if he lives in a non-Muslim society fine there may be different situations in a Muslim society there may be a mosque in every area, there may be a mosque in every second street which may not be the case in a non-Muslim society but yet if a Muslim is living in a non-Muslim society he has to offer 5 times Salaah, it is compulsory, it is Fard. If the mosque is not close by or if he has to travel long and he cannot do that he has to offer Salaah may be in his office or at home but Salaah is Fard, he has no excuse to miss it. 

 

A Muslim irrespective whether he is living in a Muslim or a non-Muslim society he has to give Zakaat if he is entitled to give. If he has a saving of more than the Nisaab level, more than 85 grams of gold he or she should give 2.5% of that excess wealth of that saving every lunar year in charity. A Muslim cannot say that he is living in a non-Muslim society and the standard of living is high or the place where he is living it is expensive therefore he will not give Zakaat. If he has a saving of more than the Nisaab level, 85 grams of gold he or she should give Zakaat every year. 

 

A Muslim irrespective if he is living in a Muslim or a non-Muslim society he has to fast in the month of Ramadhaan. If the days are shortened in winter may be the timings will be less. If it is in summer where the days are long the timing of the fast will be longer but he has to fast compulsory, he has no excuse. If he lives in a non-Muslim society he has no excuse, he has to fast. 

 

Similarly, a Muslim, if he has the means to perform Hajj, if he is an adult, he should at least perform Hajj once in his lifetime. If he has the means, health and money he has to offer Hajj. There is no excuse even if he is living in the non-Muslim society. He may be living far away from Saudi Arabia, from Makkah, but if he has the means to travel that distance he has to offer Hajj at least once in his lifetime, it is Fard. 

 

In this way all the Faraiz, all the actions and deeds which are compulsory for a Muslim in a Muslim society is also compulsory in a non-Muslim society. 

 

A Muslim woman she has to do Hijaab irrespective whether she is living in a Muslim or non-Muslim society. She has no excuse that she is living in the non-Muslim society that’s the reason she will not do Hijaab, there is no excuse. It’s a Fard, it has to be done. In this way all the other Farz, being honest, speaking the truth it is the same, it does not differ. Similarly what is haraam for a Muslim in a Muslim society is also Haraam for a Muslim in a non-Muslim society whichever part of the world he lives in. Shirk is haraam, he is living in a Muslim society. It’s also haraam if he is living in a non-Muslim society there is no excuse that because he is staying in a non-Muslim society, a western country he can do shirk, It’s haraam throughout the world.

 

Similarly fornication and adultery, it is Haraam for a Muslim irrespective whether he is living in a Muslim or a non-Muslim society. Irrespective which part of the world he lives in, Pork is haraam whether he lives in a Muslim country or a non-Muslim country. Having non-zabiya food, non-halaal food, any meat which is not slaughtered by the Islamic method or which Qur’an does not give permission to. It is Haraam irrespective if he is living in a Muslim or a non-Muslim society. In short whatever is Fard and whatever is Haraam for a Muslim it is the same throughout the world. Irrespective if he is living in a Muslim or in a non-Muslim society. 

 

There are many Muslims who give excuse that because I am living in a western country or because I am living in a non-Muslim society some things are excused. What is Fard is Fard. What is Haraam is Haraam. 

 

As far as the other aspects are concerned regarding Mustahab, things  which are encouraged those which are considered as Sunnah, Mustahab things which is encouraged, it is the same also but there may be little bit leniency for example covering the head for a Muslim man or wearing a cap its Mustahab, it is a Sunnah of the Prophet but if you feel that you’re living in the non-Muslim society and you feel that wearing a cap may endanger your life and if you want to avoid that act you can do it because wearing a cap is not Fard in Islam. If you do it you’ll get plus points. If you don’t do it you have no loss but you will not get the plus points.

 

So living in a non-Muslim society the things which is Mustahab if you fear regarding certain aspects and you avoid it you will not get the plus points. Similarly things which are Makrooh, things which are discouraged are the same throughout the world but there can be little bit leniency for example going for the call of nature standing and doing the call of nature it is Makhrooh but if you know living in a western country and the toilets may not permit you and if you do it there is no problem but you will lose the plus points. You don’t get any negative points. So as far as the Fard and the Haraams are concerned there is no excuse at all. As far as the other aspects are concerned about the Sunnah and the Mahkrooh if you want to avoid it for certain reason you can do it, you will not get negative points but you will lose the positive points. This was in short regarding the first category of a behavior of a Muslim in a non-Muslim society.

 

As far as the second category is concerned the role of a Muslim in a non-Muslim society as far as relationships with a non-Muslim is concerned as far as actions and deeds with a non-Muslim is concerned it can be further divided into 3 sub categories. The first is general dealing with the non-Muslim. The second is special relations with the non-Muslims and the third is Da’wah with the non-Muslims.

 

As far as the first sub category is concerned regarding the general dealings of a Muslim with the non-Muslims it is the same. You have to be honest with the non-Muslim, you have to be kind to him, you have to be just with him, you have to be merciful.

 

As far as the general dealing is concerned in day to day life which does not directly concern harming your Eeman then how you deal with a Muslim, you have to deal the same way with a non-Muslim in general day to day dealings and there are many Muslims who say “Ah! He is a non-Muslim you know so if I cheat him it’s not a problem.” Islam does not give you permission to cheat anyone whether he is a Muslim or a non-Muslim. Islam does not give you permission to deal unjustly with a Muslim or with a non-Muslim, it’s the same. And this can be derived from 2 verses of the glorious Qur’an from Surah Mumtahinah ch. No. 60 verse no. 8 and 9 and Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala), says in the Qur’an in Surah Mumtahinah ch. No. 60 verse no. 8 that

 

“Allah forbids you not as far as those non-Muslims are concerned who fight you not for your faith nor drive you out of your homes from dealing with them with justice and kindness, for Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala), loves those who are just and kind.” 

 

So here Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala), tells us that as far as the non-Muslims are concerned as long as they do not fight you for your faith, for your Eeman or do not drive you out of your home, Allah forbids you not from dealing with them with justice and kindness for Allah loves those who are just and kind. 

 

But the next verse of the Qur’an, Allah says in Surah Mumtahinah ch. No. 60 verse no. 9 

 

“But Allah forbids you only as far as those non-Muslims are concerned who fight you for your faith and drive you out of your homes or support those people who indulge in these activities. Allah forbids you from keeping friendship and asking for protection from these people.” 

 

So if a non-Muslim fights you for your faith or drives you out of your home or supports those people who fight you for your faith or drive you out of your homes, Allah forbids you from going to them for friendship or for protection. So here Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala),  is very clear that under normal circumstances with a non-Muslim we have to deal justly and kindly unless he fights for your faith or drives you out of your home. 

 

And there is a verse of the Qur’an which many of the Muslims they misunderstand. 

 

Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Nisa ch. no. 4 verse no. 144 where Allah says 

“Ya ayyuha allazeena amanoo” “O you have believe, take not for Auliya the unbelievers in preference to the believers.” 

 

And many of the translations, they translate the Arabic word ‘Auliya’ as ‘friends’. So the translation reads that “O you who believe do not take for friends unbelievers in preference to believers.”

 

which I feel it’s a wrong translation, the correct translation is the word ‘Auliya’ should be translated as someone who is a protector. So the right translation is that “Ya ayyuha allazeena amanoo”, “O you who believe do not take for protectors, unbelievers in preference to believers. Do not take for protectors non-Muslims in preference to Muslims.”

 

And the same message is repeated in Surah Maidah ch. No. 5 verse no. 57 and 58 that 

 

“O you who believe do not take for friends and protectors those who make a mockery of your religion or take it as a sport.”

 

That means all those non-Muslims who take your Deen as a mockery don’t make friendship with them nor go to them for protection. These verses of the Qur’an are very clear but otherwise keeping acquaintship with a non-Muslim, keeping normal friendship with a non-Muslim is no problem at all. 

 

Under normal circumstances we should treat the non-Muslims with justice and kindness. In fact I say we should go a step further so that they are impressed with our religion, they are impressed with our Deen and you can find several examples in the life history of Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam), several. You can give a talk only on giving examples how the Prophet dealt with the non-Muslims. And many of us are aware of that incident where a non-Muslim he enters the mosque of the prophet and he urinates. The Sahabas are irritated, they want to teach the non-Muslim a lesson but the Prophet, he stops them and he says be calm, get some water and wash the floor, that’s it. 

 

We know of the famous incidence whenever Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam), used to walk there was a non-Muslim lady who used to throw dirt on the Prophet, everyday. Whenever he used to walk the non-Muslim lady used to throw dirt. One day when the Prophet walks below the house of that lady no dirt falls on him so he’s surprised. He goes to her house to find out why was no dirt thrown today. And he realizes that she was sick and he prays for her Shifa and that non-Muslim lady she is so impressed with the Prophet that she accepts Islam. 

 

We have the example in the Seerah of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) that there was a Jew by the name of Zaid. The Prophet had borrowed some money from him. But before the time was dew that Jew, he comes to the prophet and he demands for the money back and he is rude. He speaks rudely to the Prophet that give my money back! And the time was not yet up. Hazart Umar R.A. he gets angry and he says “O enemy of God had it not been for the treaty between the Muslims and the Jews I would have chopped off your head for speaking to the Prophet like that.”

 

Hazrat Umar R.A. we know that he was a man of justice. He gets irritated, how could someone speak to the Prophet of Allah like that. The Prophet immediately intervenes and he tells Hazrat Umar (r.a.)that be calm, he tells Hazrat Umar (r.a.) that give this Jew his money back and to it the amount of 20 gallons because you frightened him. Because Hazrat Umar (r.a.) frightened him, the man did not have the right to ask the money back because the time wasn’t yet up, the time wasn’t due, yet because Hazrat Umar (r.a.) he frightened that non-Muslim the Prophet said besides giving the money back to him add 20 gallons worth because he had frightened the Jew. And Alhumdulillah the Jew is impressed by the behavior of the Prophet and he accepts Islam. 

 

So generally the Muslims should be kind and just to the non-Muslims. 

We have to be the right example so that they will realize that we are the followers of the religion of peace. A Muslim is a person who acquires peace by submitting his will to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala). 

 

So as far as general dealing is concerned we have to be kind and just but there is a caution which I always mention in my talk whenever I a am dealing with this topic that keeping non-Muslims friends is no problem as long as you are having an influence on that non-Muslim. If it is the vice versa then there is a danger, If the non-Muslim friend is having a greater influence on you then there is a problem because whenever there is a relationship between the two human beings and when you keep on meeting very often no one can tell me that nothing happens either you are influencing him or he is influencing you. You can’t say that nothing is happening. So if you are having influence on him, Alhumdulillah, Suma Alhumdulillah, continue the relationship so that he understands the Deen ul Haqq, the religion of Islam better. But if he is having an influence on you then be careful, you may follow his path which may be wrong. 

 

So here if it’s a relationship in which your Deen is in danger then I feel you have to discontinue that relationship. You have to be careful, The Qur’an is very clear as far as protection is concerned if there are two options believer and unbeliever; a believer is preferable at all times. The verse says “do not take unbelievers for protectors in preference to believers.” so as far as your Deen is not in danger and if you are having an influence on the non-Muslim, Alhumdulillah. And I, by the grace of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala). I have hundreds of non-Muslim friends, MashaAllah, hundreds. Hindus, Christians, many and almost all that I know they respect me, MashaAllah. They know that I am a Da’ee I speak about the religion yet Alhumdulillah they respect me. So as long as you are having influence on them, it’s very good. 

 

In terms of special relationships where your Deen is in danger, I would like to give you an example. 

 

Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Baqarah ch. No. 2 verse no. 221 that 

 

“The believing man, a Muslim, should not marry a Mushrika, an idolatress, an unbelieving woman unless she believes. A believing who is a slave woman is better than an unbelieving woman even if she allures you”

 

That means a Muslims man cannot marry a non-Muslim woman, a woman who does idol worship, who does Shirk unless she believes, unless she becomes a Muslim, unless she becomes a Momin because a Muslimah, a Momina, a believing woman is far better than an unbelieving woman even if she allures you means in preference to marry a Muslim woman even if she may be a slave woman, she may be a bondwoman, she may be a very poor woman, she may be ugly woman if she has faith she is far superior than an unbelieving woman even if she allures you, she may be the most beautiful woman in the world, she may be the richest woman in the world yet a Muslimah, a believing woman who is poor and ugly is far superior than an unbelieving woman and the same goes vice versa that a believing woman should not marry an unbelieving man, a Mushrik man until he believes. A believing man even if he is a slave man he is far superior to a man who does shirk even he may allure you, he may be the most handsome man in the world, he may be the richest man in the world, he may be the king of the country but a believing man even if he is poor, even if he is ugly he is far better in marriage than a Mushrik man.

 

So here because the relationship is concerned that if you marry a non-Muslim, if you marry a Mushrika or a Mushrik your Deen is in danger. That is the reason it is prohibited for a Muslim to marry a non-Muslim, marry a Mushrik. Otherwise under normal circumstances in general dealing you have to be kind to a non-Muslim. 

 

We come to the third sub category of the role of a Muslim in a non-Muslim society that he is dealing with the non-Muslims.  And that third sub category is Da’wah. 

What is the meaning of the Arabic word ‘Dawah’? Those who, come from the Indian sub-continent, they know the meaning of the word ‘Dawat’. The moment you hear the word ‘Dawat’ you start thinking of a Birayani or a Pulao, Da’wah yaan Dawat does not mean Biryaani or Pulaho…Dawah means to call, to invite and an invitation can only be given to an outsider. So Da’wah specifically means inviting a non-Muslim towards Islam. 

When you speak about Islam to a Muslim the more appropriate word is ‘Islaah’ which means to repair, which means to improve but when we speak about Islam to a non-Muslim, inviting him towards Islam the more appropriate word is Da’wah though this word Da’wah is used synonymously both while speaking to Muslims as well as non-Muslims but specifically Da’wah means inviting the non-Muslims towards Islam. And this Da’wah is a Fard on every Muslim especially those muslims who are licing in a non-Muslims society.

I started my talk by quoting a verse from the glorious Qur’an, from Surah Ale-Imran ch. 3 verse 110 where Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala). says 

“Kuntum Khayra Ummatin Ukhrijat lilnnas”

 

“O ye Muslims, Ye are the best of people evolved for mankind”

 

Allah is giving us an honor and calling us ‘Khairah Ummah’, the best of people. 

 

Whenever there is honor it is followed up with a responsibility…there is no honor without responsibility.

 

For example, in a school the principle has got more honor than a teacher. A teacher has got more honor than a clerk but simultaneously the principle has got more responsibility than a teacher, a teacher has got more responsibility than a clerk; there is no honor without responsibility. Allah is giving us an honor, He’s calling us the ‘Khaira Ummah’, ye Muslims, “Ye are the best of people evolved for mankind”.  Don’t you think we have a responsibility? The reply is given in same verse, Allah continues and says;

 

“Ta’muroona Bil Ma’roofi wa Tanhawna Anil Munkar Wa Tu’minoona Billah”

 

Because we enjoin what is good and we forbid what is wrong and we believe in Allah

 

If we do not enjoin what is good and if we do not forbid what is wrong we aren’t fit to be called as ‘Khairah Ummah’, we aren’t fit to be called as Muslims. It is compulsory fro every Muslim that he invites the non-Muslims; he invites them towards good and forbids them from doing wrong and believe in Allah. 

 

Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Muhammad ch. No. 47 verse no. 38 that 

 

“If you do not do your job, if you do not follow the responsibility Allah has given you”, 

 

Allah says

 

“Wa-in tatawallaw yastabdil qawman ghayrakum”

 

“Allah will substitute in your place another people”

 

“Summa la yakoonoo amsalakum”

 

“And they will not be like you”

 

If you do not do your job, if you do not follow the commandment of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala), Allah will substitute in your place another people and they will not be like you. 

 

Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Baqarah Chapter No. 2 Verse No. 143, that “We have made you an ‘Ummat-e-Wast’ a middle most community so that you may be a witness over the nations as the Prophet will be a witness over you.”

 

It’s the duty of every Muslim to convey the message of Islam to the non-Muslims.

 

I would like to ask you a question suppose you go away from your home, from your house for work and your neighbor he abuses your mother, he uses foul language against your mother. When you come back home and when you come to know that your neighbor has used foul language against your mother, what will you do? What will you do when you get back home and you come to know that your neighbor has used foul language against your mother for no reason at all and when you get back home and when you come to know about this what will you do? What will you do? What will you do? Beat him up? What will you do? Bash him? What will you do? Kill him! One brother is saying beat him up, other brother is saying bash him, third person is saying kill him. When you get back home and you come to know that your neighbor he has abused, used foul language against your mother for no rhyme or reason.. Someone wants to beat him up, someone wants to bash him, someone wants to kill him. But you see to it that your neighbor is taught a lesson. Will you or not? Yes or no? Of course! If you cannot do it yourself, you will hire someone else to do the job. Yes or no? Of course! because we love our mother. We respect our mother, fine. We’ll see to it that we will teach that neighbor a lesson. I want to ask you a question that in this world who do you love the most, no. 1? Who do you love the most? Allah! We love Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala), more than our mother, more than our father, more than our wives, more than our children, we love Him no. 1. You ask any Muslim and the reply would be the same. That the person you love the most is Allah.

 

Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Maryam ch. No. 19 verse no. 88 to 92, Allah says 

 

“Waqaloot Takhaazar Rahmanu Waladan”

 

That

 

“They say, the non-Muslims, the Jews and the Christians, that Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala), has begotten a son” 

 

“Laqad Jitum Shay-an Iddan”

“Indeed they have put forth a thing which is most monstrous”

 

“Takadus Samawatu Yatafattarna Minhu”

“As though the skies are ready to burst”

 

“Watanshaqqu al-Ardu”

“The earth to split asunder”

 

“Watakhirrul Jibalu Haddan”

“And the mountains to fall down to utter ruin” 

 

Allah says in the Qur’an if anyone says that Allah has begotten a son, if the sky had feelings the sky would have burst open, if the earth had feelings, the earth would have split open, the mountains would have fallen down to utter ruin if anyone says that Allah has begotten a son. Because anyone who says that Allah has begotten a son it is one of the most heinous things you can say about Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) 

 

We see today, especially in the non-Muslim society, everyday our non-Muslim friends our non-Muslim colleagues they are abusing Allah (subhanahu wa ta’al) they are saying Allah has begotten a son and we can’t even open our mouth. When we ask a Muslim who do you love the most the reply is Allah. When someone wants to abuse our mother, use foul language against our mother you want to beat him up, you want to bash him, you want to kill him and everyday people abusing Allah (subhanahu wa ta’al) and you can’t even open your mouth. I am not telling that you go and bash him, I am not telling go and beat him, I am not saying go and kill him, it’s not allowed in Islam. You can’t kill a non-Muslim because he is abusing Allah (subhanahu wa ta’al), it’s not allowed, just for that at least open your mouth. When someone is abusing your mother; you want to beat him, you want to bash him, every day our non-Muslim friends, our non-Muslim colleagues they are abusing Allah (subhanahu wa ta’al) and we can’t even open our mouth. Leave aside opening our mouth, we go and become party to them, very soon after couple of weeks it’s going to be Christmas season and many of us Muslims we wish our Christian friends ‘Merry Christmas!’ Leave aside correcting them, you are becoming party to them. You know the Christians, they celebrate Christmas and they say that Jesus Christ pbuh is the son of God and God begot Jesus (pbuh), Nauzubillah, on 25th of December. Leave aside correcting them, you are congratulating them. You are giving Shahadah that Allah (subhanahu wa ta’al), Na’uzubillah, has begotten a son on the 25th of December. Leave aside correcting them, you are giving Shahadah. Merry Christmas! Means what? You are congratulating him and giving witness that Na’uzubillah, Allah has begotten a son on the 25th of December. 

 

We have to open our mouth. I am not saying go and beat them or bash them, at least open your mouth. Can’t you open your mouth? Non-Muslim society, whether it is a Christian society or a Hindu society same thing there are festivals which is very common from where I come i.e. Ganesh Chaturthi, Ganpati and many Muslims go to this festival and when they offer the Prasaad, the food which is put in front of the idol. The Muslims know it is haraam but how can they offend their friends, he’ll feel bad. So what they do, they say Bismillah and have it. So tomorrow they will say Bismillah and have pork, day after tomorrow they’ll say Bismillah and have alcohol. What’s happening to the Muslim Ummah? We can’t even open our mouth. Who are we afraid of? It is so easy believe me to talk is so easy, you just have to open your mouth. You don’t have to insult him, you don’t have to abuse him. 

 

Qur’an clearly says in Surah An’aam ch. no. 6 verse no. 108 

 

“Revile not those, abuse not those gods worshipped besides Allah lest in their ignorance they will abuse Allah (subhanahu wa ta’al) they will revile Allah (subhanahu wa ta’al)” 

 

 

So you do not have to use foul language against them only thing is that you have to ask them simple questions. It’s so easy but we Muslims we’re afraid to open our mouth, we are afraid to do Da’wah because if I open my mouth I will lose his friendship. We are more interested to keeping friends with a non-Muslim than the friendship with Allah (swt) and believe me if you really speak about Haqq, they will respect you. The experience I’ve had in my life, being in a medical college, I never had problems. In fact where I studied in Bombay the percentage of Muslims was very few 5, 6% when I used to speak with the non-Muslims all my Muslims friends would run away. “Ye toh pitwaenga.” Now he is going to give us a bashing. So they used to run away but I never had a problem. No non-Muslim has yet caught my collar, Alhumdulillah. When you speak the truth, they respect you. 

 

And when I was in medical college, it’s compulsory you have to pass in VIVA course, in VIVA. And 50% of the marks in all the subjects were VIVA. And I used to do Da’wah even with my professors. Many people said that if you do too much of Da’wah, they will fail you. So I said non problem Allah, if He wants that I should do Da’wah one more year with them no problem but Alhumdulillah what should you be afraid of? We should open our mouth but unfortunately we Muslims, we are afraid. We are more interested in keeping the friendship of our non-Muslims friends rather than friendship with Allah (swt). 

 

Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Baqarah ch. no. 2 verse no. 120  

 

“Walan tarda anka alyahoodu wala alnnasara hatta tattabi’a millatahum”, 

 

“The Jews and the Christians, they will never be satisfied until you follow their brand of religion, until you follow their way of life.” 

 

Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Baqarah ch. no. 2 verse no. 111

 

“Waqaloo lan yadkhula aljannata illa man kana hoodan aw nasara”,

 

“They say, the Jews and Christians, you Muslims you shall never enter Jannah, unless you become a Jew or a Christian”

 

With all your piety, with all your Salaah, with the mark on your forehead, with the fasting you do in the month of Ramadhan, with Hajj you have performed, you shall never enter Jannah unless you become a Jew or a Christian. 

 

Allah says 

“Tilka amaniyyuhum”

This is there wishful thinking, Bakwaas hai Bakwaas

 

“Qul”

Tell them  

 

“Hatoo Burhanakum” 

“Produce your proof” 

 

“In Kuntum Sadiqeen”

“But if you are truthful”

 

Allah says if anyone makes tall claims, tell them 

“Hatoo Burhanakum”

“Produce your proof” 

 

“In Kuntum sadiqeen”

But if you are truthful

 

And the Christians, they have produced the Bible in no less than 2000 different languages. They say my Bible says this, my Bible says that, say my Bible says this, my Bible says that. What do we have to do? Do we have to sallow the Bible hook, line and sinker? When anyone shows you his identity card what do you do? You verify whether that card is correct or not. So when they are telling you the Bible is the word of God, what do we have to do? We have to analyze their scriptures. How many of us Muslims are analyzing their scriptures? How many of us? Leave aside we doing Da’wah to them with their scriptures, these Christian missionaries, they are using our Qur’an, our Qur’an against us. The Christian missionaries, they come knocking at our door and they ask you the question. They come knocking at the doors of Muslims and they ask us the question that “Isn’t it mentioned in the Qur’an that Bible is the word of God?” And most of us we say “Yes”. Then their next question is “Then why don’t you follow the Bible?” then we have got no reply. 

 

They ask us the next question that “How many times is the name of your last and final messenger Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) mentioned in the Qur’an?” if you know you’ll say “5 times, 4 times as Muhammad and once as Ahmed (saws)” “How many times is the name of Jesus Christ pbuh mentioned in the Qur’an?” if you don’t know, they will tell you “Jesus Christ (pbuh) by name is mentioned 25 times in the Qur’an” 

 

They ask the next question “Who is greater, a person who’s mentioned 5 times by name is greater or a person who is mentioned 25 times by name in the Qur’an is greater?” They ask the question but they will not give you the reply, they’ll let your mind think. 

 

They ask the next question “Your Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) did he have a father and a mother?” We say “Yes, he had a father and a mother.” “Did Jesus Christ (pbuh), did he have a father and a mother?” We have to agree that as per the teachings of the Qur’an Isa (a.s.) Jesus Christ pbuh had a mother but he had no father. They ask the next question “Who is greater a person who has a father and a mother or a person who does not have a father is greater? A person who is born by the help of the father is greater or a person who is born without a father is greater?” Who is greater? A person who has a father is greater or a person who does not have a father is greater? Who is greater? Who is greater? They ask the question but they don’t give you the reply. They let your mind think. 

 

They are using us Muslims as punching bags, as door mats. They are making nest in our head and we can’t even open our mouth. It’s a shame. 

They ask the next question that “Did your Prophet Muhammad (saws) do any miracles?” We say “YES, he did several miracles.” “Do you know of any miracle in which he gave life to the dead?” and we have to agree that nowhere does the Qur’an or any Ahadith say that Muhammad (saws) gave life to the dead. They ask the next question, “Did Jesus Christ pbuh, did he give life to the dead?” and we have to agree the Qur’an says “Biznillah”, Wake up in the name of Allah. Yes he gave life to the dead. So who’s greater, a person who can give life to the dead is greater or a person who cannot give life to the dead is greater? Who’s greater? A person who can give life to the dead is greater or a person who cannot give life to the dead is greater? Who’s greater? Who’s greater? Who?

 

Someone from the audience: Both!

 

Dr. Zakir: the question is who’s greater, when you say who is greater in English it has to be one of the two unless your English is weak. 

        

They ask the question but they don’t give you the reply, they let your mind think. 

 

They ask the next question that “Your Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is he physically dead or alive?” and we have to agree physically Muhammad (saws) is dead, he’s buried in Madina. “Is Isa (a.s.) Jesus Christ (pbuh), is he physically dead or alive?” We have to agree that he is alive. The Qur’an says in Surah Nisa ch. 4 verse 158 that Allah (swt) has raised him up alive. So who is greater? A prophet who is dead is greater or a prophet who is alive is greater? They ask the question but they don’t give you the reply, they let your mind think. They use us Muslims as punching bags, as door mats and we can’t even open our mouth.

 

See doing Da’wah is very easy, If you read the Qur’an with understanding and if you keep your mind open, doing Da’wah is very easy. 

 

Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Ale ’Imran ch. no. 3 verse no. 64 

“Qul Ya 'Ahlal-Kitaab”,

“Say O people of the Book”

 

“Ta`alaw 'Ilá Kalimatin Sawa'in Baynana Wa Baynakum”

“Come to common terms as between us and you”

 

Which is the first term?

 

“Allah Na`buda 'Illallah”

“That we worship none but Allah”

 

“Wa La Nushrika Bihi Shay'an”                                                                

“That we associate no partners with him”

 

“Wa La Yattakhidha Ba`duna Ba`dan 'Arbaban Min Dunillahi”           

“That we erect not among ourselves Lords and Patrons other than Allah.”

 

“Fa'in Tawallaw”

“If then they turn back”

 

“Faqulush hadu”

“Say ye bear witness”

 

“Bi'anna Muslimun”

“That we are Muslims bowing our will to Allah (swt), to Almighty God.”

 

This verse of the Glorious Qur’an Surah Ale ’Imran Ch. no. 3 verse no. 64 according to me is the master key as far as Da’wah to non-Muslims is concerned. It’s the master key for Dawah. It says

 

“Ta`alaw 'Ilá Kalimatin Sawa'in Baynana Wa Baynakum”

“Come to common terms as between us and you”

 

Which is the first term?

 

“Allah Na`buda 'Illallah”

“That we worship none but Allah”

“Wa La Nushrika Bihi Shay'an”                                                                

“That we associate no partners with him”

 

And if you see the tapes and the lectures that I have given, all these questions have been answered. How to do Da’wah has been explained. It’s so easy; the only thing that you have to do is open your mouth. 

 

The non-Muslim society can be divided into further 3 categories. One is the category who is religious there are in the non-Muslim society since majority are Christians there is a small percentage who are religious, they are Christians and they follow the scripture, the Bible. In other society like in India where majority are Hindus, there is a small portion, a small percentage of Hindus who are religious, who follow their scriptures. 

 

The best way to do Da’wah with these people is 

 

“Ta`alaw 'Ilá Kalimatin Sawa'in Baynana Wa Baynakum”

“Come to common terms as between us and you”

 

Which is the first term?

 

“Allah Na`buda 'Illallah”

“That we worship none but Allah”

 

We have to speak from their scriptures trying to prove about one Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) the best thing about Da’wah, the most important aspect is proving about oneness of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) All the other aspects are secondary. If you cannot convince a non-Muslim about Tawheed, about monotheism it is useless. You may speak about other aspects of Islam but if we yet continue doing Shirk, it will never be forgiven. Shirk is the biggest sin in Islam, which Allah will never forgive unless you repent before death. And this way how to do Da’wah based on the verse of the Qur’an, I have dealt in various of my talks, ‘Similarities between Islam and Christianity’, ‘Similarities between Islam and Hinduism’ in how to do Da’wah. 

 

For example living in the western country where the majority claim to be Christians though a small percentage are religious. In bridging the gaps with the Christians, I have given a talk on ‘Islam and Christianity’. 

 

But I have mentioned there that Islam is the only non-Christian faith which makes an article of faith to believe in Jesus Christ pbuh, we believe that he was one of the mightiest messengers of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala). We believe that he was the Messiah translated Christ. We believe that he was born miraculously without any male interventions which many modern day Christians do not believe. We believe that he gave life to the dead with God’s permission. We believe that he healed those born blind and lepers with God’s permission. The Christians and the Muslims, we are going together. But one may ask that where is the parting of ways? The parting of ways is there are many Christians who say that Jesus Christ (pbuh), he claimed divinity, he said that he was All Mighty God. In fact if you read the Bible there is not a single unequivocal statement in the complete Bible, there is not a single unambiguous statement in the complete Bible where Jesus Christ pbuh himself says that I am God or where he says worship me. I am a student of Islam and comparative religion and I read the Bible, there is not a single unequivocal statement, not a single unambiguous statement in the complete Bible where Jesus Christ pbuh himself says that I am God or where he says worship me.

 

In fact if you read the Bible Jesus Christ (pbuh) himself said, it’s mentioned in the 

 

Gospel of John Ch. no. 14 verse no. 28, Jesus Christ pbuh himself said that 

“My Father is greater than I.” 

 

Gospel of John Ch no. 10 verse no. 29

“My Father is greater than all.”

 

Gospel of Mathew Ch. No. 12 verse no. 28

“I cast out Devil with the sprit of God.” 

 

Gospel of Luke Ch no. 11 verse no. 20

“I with the Finger of God I cast out Devil.”

 

Gospel of John Ch. No. 5 verse no. 30

“I can of my own self do nothing, as I hear I judge and my judgment is just for I seek not my will but the will of thy.” 

 

Anyone who says I seek not my will but the will of All Mighty God, he is a Muslim. Jesus Christ (pbuh) was a Muslim. 

 

And its clearly mentioned in the Book of Acts ch. no. 2 verse no. 22 that 

 

“Ye men of Israel, listen to this, Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God amongst you by wonders and miracles which God did by him and you were witnessed to it.” 

 

A man approved of God amongst you by wonders and signs and miracles which God did by him and you were witnessed to it. 

So if we read their scriptures we can prove from their scripture that Jesus Christ pbuh, he never claimed divinity. He was the messenger of All Mighty God, we can prove from the Bible about the coming, about the advent, about the prophesy of the last and final messenger Prophet Muhammad (saws), you can give a talk on that.

 

Its mentioned in the old testament, 

in the book of Deuteronomy ch. no. 18 verse no. 18, 

in the Book Isaiah ch. no. 29 verse no. 12, 

in the Song of Solomon ch. no. 5 verse no. 16, 

in the New Testament in the 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, 

 

You can only go on giving references from the Bible where the prophesy of Muhammad (saws) is mentioned. 

 

Time doesn’t permit us to talk about these aspects, you can refer to my video cassette on ‘Similarities between Islam and Christianity’ or ‘Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) in the Bible’. 

 

Similarly if you are living in a non-Muslim society where you have Hindus you can come to common terms as far as their scripture is concerned and our scriptures are concerned. If you are living in a Buddhist, it’s the same. If you are living with Jews, it’s the same technique. So this is as far as one category of non-Muslims is concerned, those who are religious. 

 

In today’s world especially the western world though people claim, to be Christians, very few are actually practicing Christians they are more impressed with science and technology and most of them practically, they are atheists they do not believe in God.  So how will you do Da’wah to them? If I meet an atheist and if he tells me that there is no God, the first thing I will do is, I will congratulate him you will wonder why is Zakir congratulating an atheist? The reason I will congratulate an atheist is because most of the non-Muslims, they are non-Muslims because of their parents. Most of the human beings they follow their parents blindly. He is a Christian because his father is a Christian, he is a Hindu because his father is a Hindu, many Muslims are Muslims because their fathers are Muslims. This atheist, he is thinking, his parents may be religious but he is thinking he does not agree in the gods which the parents worship so he says there is no God and the reason I congratulate the atheist is because he has said the first part of the Islamic Shahadah ‘La ila ha’ There is no God’ so half my job is done. The only thing I have to do is ‘ill Allah’ which I shall do InshaAllah. 

See the atheist as I told you Surah Ale Imran ch. 3 verse 64 is the master key for Da’wah,

 

“Ta`alaw 'Ilá Kalimatin Sawa'in Baynana Wa Baynakum”

“Come to common terms as between us and you”

 

There are many Muslims who come and ask me that what is the commonality between the atheist and the Muslim I say the first part of the Islamic Shahadah ‘La ila ha’ ‘There is no God’ because half my job is done to another non-Muslim who believes in a god, first I have to prove to him that the god he is worshiping is wrong and then I have to talk to him about Allah (swt), here half my job is done. He has already said ‘La ilaa ha’, there is no God, only thing I have to do is ‘ill Allah’ which I shall do InshaAllah.

 

Now most of these atheists as I told you, they have become atheist because they believe in science and technology which they feel is so advanced and they become atheist and after congratulating him I ask him a question. That suppose there is an equipment, there is an object which no one in the world has ever seen, no human being has seen if it is bought in front of you and if the question is asked that who will be the first person, who will be able to tell you the mechanism of this equipment, of this object? If I ask this question to an atheist that an object or an equipment which no human being has ever seen in this world if it’s brought in front of that atheist and if he is asked the question that who will be the first person who will be able to tell you the mechanism of this equipment? What reply can he give you? What reply can he give you? Creator, manufacturer some may say creator, some may say manufacturer, some may say producer, some will say inventor, whatever they say it will be somewhat similar just keep it at the back of your mind either the atheist will tell you a creator, a manufacturer, a producer, an inventor, it will be somewhat similar or make keep it at the back of your mind and continue. 

 

Ask him the next question that how did this universe come into existence so the atheist will tell you that we have come to know that initially our whole universe was one primary nebula, later on there was a secondary separation, a big bang which gave rise to galaxies, the stars, the planets, the sun and the earth on which we live. This they call as the Big Bang. If you ask the question to the atheist when did you come to know about this Big Bang? He will tell you 30years back, 40 years back we came to know how the universe came into existence, the Big bang. You ask him the question what you’re talking about the Big Bang is already mentioned in the Qur’an 1400 years ago. 

        

In Surah Ambiya’ ch. no. 21 verse no. 30 

“Awa lam yara allazeena kafaroo” 

“Do not the unbelievers see? “

 

“anna alssamawati waal-arda kanata ratqan fafataqnahuma” 

“The heavens and the earth were joined together and we clove them asunder.”

 

What you’re talking about the Big Bang is already mentioned in the Qur’an 1400 years ago. Who could have mentioned this in the Qur’an 1400 years ago? 

 

So the atheist may say “May be it’s a fluke.” Don’t argue, you have to ask him the next question that 

 

“What is the shape of this earth on which we live?” So he will tell you that “Previously the human beings, they believed that the earth was flat. It was in 1577 Sir Francis Drake, he sailed around the earth that he proved that the earth was spherical. You ask him the question, “The Qur’an mentions the spherical shape of the earth 1400 years ago in Surah Naazi’aat Ch. no. 79 verse no. 30 where Allah says 

 

“Waal-arda ba’da zalika dahaha”

 

“And thereafter we have made the earth egg shaped.”

 

The earth we live in is not completely round like a ball, it is geo-spherical in shape, it is flattened from the poles and the egg that is referred in the Qur’an ‘dahaha’ one of its meanings is an expanse, one of the meanings is an egg, it specifically refers to the egg of an ostrich. and if you analyze the shape of an egg of an ostrich that too is geo- spherical in shape. Imagine the Qur’an speaks about this geo- spherical shape of the earth 1400 years ago. You ask the question to the atheist that who could have mentioned this in the Qur’an? So he will tell you “Oh… may be your prophet Muhammad (saws) was an intelligent man.” Don’t argue, continue. 

 

You ask him the next question that “The light of the moon is its own light or reflected light?” So he will tell you “Previously we thought that the light of the moon was its own light recently we have come to know that the light of the moon is not its own light but it is a reflected light of the sun.” Yesterday in science means 40 years back, 50 years back, 100 years back; Qur’an mentions 1400 years ago in

 

Surah Furqaan ch. no. 25 verse no. 61 that

 

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

 

Who could have mentioned in the Qur’an 1400 years ago that the light of the moon was not its own light but it was a reflected light, but it was a borrowed light? Again the atheist may say “May be your prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) was a very intelligent person, don’t argue with him, continue.

 

When I was in school, I passed my school in 1982 I had learnt that the sun was stationary, it did not rotate about its own axis. “Is that what is mentioned in the Qur’an?” I said “No this is what I learnt in school.” I learnt in school that the sun was stationary, it did not rotate about its own axis but the Qur’an mentions in Surah Ambiya’ ch. no. 21 verse no. 33 

 

“Wahuwa allazee khalaqa allayla waalnnahara”

“It is Allah who has created the Day and the Night “

 

“Washamsa walqamar”

“The Sun and the Moon”

 

“Kullun fee falakin yasbahoon”

“Each one traveling in orbit with its own motion.” 

 

The Arabic word ‘yasbahoon’ describes the motion of a moving body and it says the sun besides revolving it even rotates about its own axis. And today science tells us with the help of an equipment we can have the image of the sun on the table top and the sun has got black spots and it takes approximately 25 days for these black spots to complete one rotation, Indicating that the Sun takes 25 days to complete one rotation. Who could have mentioned this? What I learnt in School 23 years back now the science says it is wrong. And the Qur’an has mentioned this 1400 years ago. Who could have mentioned this in the Qur’an? The atheist may give a long pause, don’t wait for the reply, you can keep on continuing. 

 

Today scientists tell us that our universe is expanding, the same message is given in the Qur’an 1400 years ago. 

 

In Surah Dhaariyaat Ch. no. 51 verse no. 47 that 

 

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

 

In the field of hydrology it was Sir Bernard Palissy in 1580 who was the first person who described the present water cycle which we learn in school. Previously we did not know about the water cycle. The First person was Sir Bernard Palissy in 1580 that he described that the water evaporates from the ocean, forms into clouds; it moves into interior, it falls down as rain and the water table is replenished. Now this water cycle is described in the Qur’an in great detail in several places 

 

in Surah Zumar Ch. 39 verse 21, 

in Surah Room ch. no. 30 verse no. 24, 

in Surah Mu’minoon ch. no. 23 verse no. 18, 

in Surah Hijr ch. no. 15 verse 22, 

in Surah Noor Ch. no. 24 verse 43, 

in Surah Room ch. 30 verse 48, 

in Surah Ra’d ch. no. 13 verse 17, 

in Surah A’raaf ch. no. 7 verse no. 57, 

in Surah Furqaan ch. no. 25verse 48 to 49,

in Surah Faatir ch. 35  verse 9, 

in Surah Qaaf ch. no. 50 verse no. 9, 

in no. 11, in Surah Waaqi’ah ch. 56 verse 68 to 70, 

in Surah Mulk ch 67 verse no. 30, 

in Surah Taariq ch. no. 86 verse no. 11, 

 

You can keep on giving references only of water cycle mentioned in the Qur’an 14700 years ago. The Qur’an speaks about the water cycle in great detail. You can talk for several minutes on each verse talking about water cycle. Who could have mentioned this in the Qur’an 1400 years ago? And the atheist will be silent, keep on… there are several scientific facts mentioned in the Qur’an. 

 

The Qur’an speaks about Geology. Today science tells us that the mountains give stability to the earth. If the mountains were not there, the earth would shake. 

 

The Qur’an says in Surah Nabaa’ ch. no. 78 verse no. 6 and 7 that we have created the earth as an expanse 

 

“Wal Jibala Awtadan”

“And the mountains as stakes”

 

Today’s science tells us that the portion of the mountain you see above the ground is a very small portion, the major portion is deep within the ground like how you put a tent peg in the ground, small portion is on top, major portion goes down and these roots of the mountain, they give stability to the earth. 

 

The Qur’an says in Surah Ambiya’ ch. no. 21 verse no. 31 that 

 

“We have created the mountains standing firm on the earth lest it would shake with you.” 

 

In the field of Oenology, we knew previously that there were two types of water, salt and sweet. But we did not know that why did this two water did not mix, 

 

Qur’an says in Surah Furqaan ch. no. 25 verse no. 53 that 

 

“It is Allah who has created two bodies of flowing water one sweet and the other salty though they meet they do not mix, there is a barrier between them which is forbidden to be trespassed.” 

 

Today after science has advanced we have come to know that though one type of water flows into the other type of water it loses it constituents and gets homogenized into the water it flows. This homogenizing area the Qur’an refers to as Barzakh, an unseen barrier which science has discovered today and Qur’an has mentioned 1400 years ago. 

        

In the field of Biology, the Qur’an says in Surah Ambiya’ ch. no. 21 verse no. 30

 

“Waja alna mina alma-i kulla shay-in hayyin”

 

“We have created every living thing from water.” 

 

Who could have believed 1400 years ago that every living creature is made of water. Today science has confirmed that everything has made from water.

 

Qur’an says in Surah Noor ch. no. 24 verse no. 45 

 

“We have created every animal from water.” 

 

Qur’an says in Surah Furqaan ch. no. 25 verse no. 54 

 

“We have created every human being from Water.”

 

In the field of Botany, Qur’an says that even the plants have got sexes, male and female in Surah Taa Ha ach. No. 20 verse no. 53, which we came to know recently, Qur’an says that every kind of fruits are created in pairs in Surah Ra’d ch. no. 13 verse no. 3.

 

In the field of Zoology Qur’an speaks about the lifestyle of the animals in Surah An’aam ch no. 6  verse no. 38. Qur’an speaks about the lifestyle of the bees in Surah Nahl ch. no. 16 verse no. 68 and 69. Qur’an speaks about the spider in Surah Ankaboot ch. 29 verse no. 41, about the ant in Surah Naml ch. no. 27 verse no. 17 to 18 and all these aspects of the spider, of the ant, of the bees, we have come to know recently and Qur’an mentions in detail 1400 years ago. Who could have mentioned this? 

 

Qur’an speaks about medicine that in the honey there is healing for human kind in Surah Nahl ch. no. 16 verse no. 68 to 69. Qur’an speaks about the production of milk and the circulation of blood in Surah Nahl ch. 16 verse 66 and Surah Mu’minoon ch. no. 23 verse 21, 1400 years ago which wee have come to know recently. 

 

Qur’an speaks about medicine, about physiology, about embryology. The various stages of the human development it describes in detail in Surah Mu’minoon ch. no. 23 verse no. 12 to 14. Qur’an speaks about genetics, about the sex responsible for the child in Surah Najm ch. no. 53 verse no. 45. Qur’an speaks about the fingerprinting method in Surah Qiyaamah ch. no. 75 verse no. 3 and 4. After every scientific fact it’s mentioned in the Qur’an, ask the atheist “Who could have mentioned this in the Qur’an 1400 years ago?” And his reply would be the creator, the manufacturer, the maker, the inventor. This creator, this manufacturer, this maker, this inventor we Muslims, we call him as Allah.

 

Even to an atheist we can prove about the existence of Allah (swt) with the help of the last and the final revelation, the glorious Qur’an. 

 

We are not using science to prove Allah (swt), the science is the yardstick of the atheist, our yardstick is the Qur’an. We are using our yardstick and comparing with his yardstick and trying to prove that our yardstick, the glorious Qur’an, is far superior to your science. So these types of non-Muslims you do Da’wah based on the similarities. If he thinks science is ultimate we use science and try and get science and the commonalities in the Qur’an and try to get him closer to Islam. 

 

Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Nahl ch. 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.” 

We have to do Da’wah with ‘Hiqma’ and with ‘Husna’. 

 

Today the times have changed especially after 9/11 we find that the Muslims on the receiving end. There is virulent propaganda about Islam on the international media whether it be the international news paper, the international magazines the radio broadcast stations, the television channels. There is virulent propaganda about Islam. They are bombarding people with misinformation about Islam.

 

It’s the duty of every Muslim that he tries to remove these misconceptions. There are various styles of doing Da’wah, the most commonly used is that you speak a thousand good things about Islam to a non-Muslim. Even if you speak a thousand good points about Islam to a non-Muslim and even if he agrees with those thousand points, yet at the back of his mind he’ll think “Aah! You are the same Muslim who is a terrorist.” “Aah! You are a fundamentalist.” “Aahhh!! You are the same Muslim who marry more than one women” “Aahh! You are the Muslims who subjugate the women by keeping her behind the veil.” These few negative points at the back of the mind will prevent the non-Muslim from accepting the beauty of Islam. What I personally prefer that whenever I meet a non-Muslim I ask him upfront what do you feel is wrong with Islam with your limited knowledge whether right or wrong, what do you feel is wrong with Islam? And I make him comfortable, you can ask any question on Islam, you can criticize Islam, you can attack Islam, I will try my level best to reply. And the experience that I have of more than a decade in the field of Da’wah, I have come to know that there are about 20 common questions which the non-Muslims have regarding Islam. And when they ask you 3 or 4 questions, invariably it falls amongst these 20 common questions. so if you know the reply to these 20 common questions asked by the non-Muslims based on Qur’an, Hadith and their scripture with reason, logic and science even if you cannot convert him at least you can neutralize him, you can remove the animosity which is there within his heart.

 

 I have written a book called the replies to the questions asked by the non-Muslims And these questions arise depending upon how the media portrays Islam. And today the no. 1 question is regarding the Islamic word ‘Jihaad’. It was no. 5 on the list previously after 9/11 it became top of the charts, the others have come behind But it’s yet there. Time will not permit me to reply to all these, InshaAllah, in tomorrow’s talk I will deal more with this topic about terrorists, about fundamentalists, about extremists, etc. in detail. 

I’ll just tell you how top reply to the top of the charts i.e. Jihaad. As far as this word Jihaad is concerned there is not only a misconception among the non-Muslims there is even a misconception about Muslims. Most of the people think that any war fought by any Muslim for any reason whether it be personal gain, whether it be for power, whether it be for money it is called as Jihaad. Jihaad does not mean any war, fought by any Muslim for any reason whether it be for his personal gain, for personal money, for power. Jihaad comes from the Arabic word ‘Jahadah’ which means to strive, which means to struggle. In Islamic context it means to strive and to struggle against one’s own evil inclination. Jihaad also means to strive and struggle to make the society better. Jihaad also means to strive and struggle in the battlefield in self defense. Jihaad also means to strive and struggle against oppression. So Jihaad basically means to strive and struggle. 

 

Many non-Muslims mainly the orientalists they translate the Arabic word Jihaad as ‘Holy War’ And unfortunately many so called Muslim scholars, inverted commas even they translate Jihaad as holy war. In Arabic if you translate holy war into Arabic it would be ‘HarbUM Mukadsa’ and if you read the Qur’an nowhere is the word ‘HarbUM Mukadsa’ mentioned in the Qur’an neither it is mentioned in the Ahadith. So Jihaad does not mean holy war. Holy War was first used to describe the Crusades which the Christians, they killed tens of thousands of human beings in the name of religion That holy war was used to describe the crusades unfortunately today it is used to describe Jihaad which is totally a mistranslation. Jihaad basically means to strive and it means to struggle.

 

One type of Jihaad can be ‘Kital’ i.e. fighting which is Kital-fi sabillah, fighting in the way of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) but that too has got various rules and regulations which you can refer to my video cassette Jihaad and terrorism, an Islamic perspective which I have dealt in detail about this. 

 

And I will just give you an example how to do Da’wah. Last year I had gone to States, last to year before last I had gone to States in Los Angles and traveling, Alhamdulillah, MashaAllah, different parts of the world in various countries including the western countries several times USA, Canada, Australia and other parts. I was prepared the way I am dressed up with a cap, with a beard with a coat, I was sure that in the U.S. customs I will be asked for interrogation. So as I went to the immigration they asked me the question that “Why have you come here?” So I said that “I have come here to receive an award.” They asked me “What award?” I said: “Award in service of humanity” so they asked “What do you do?” I said “I spread truth. Jesus Christ pbuh said that Speakth the truth and the truth shall free you.” and after asking many question I see to it that I pick up every opportunity to do Da’wah. While going to the customs I purposely mention that I have come for a convention like I came this time and I have come to receive an award so they asked me go and open your bag. When they opened my bag they saw a tape of mine, a video tape that time video tape I had taken, ‘Jihad and Terrorism’ so the custom officer he asked me that “Do you believe in Jihad?” I said “Yes I believe in Jihaad. Jihaad means to strive and struggle. Jesus Christ pbuh believed in Jihaad.” He said “No, no I am talking about do you believe in fighting?” I said “Yes, even Jesus Christ pbuh believed in fighting. If you read the Bible in the Old Testament Book of Exodus ch. no. 22 it speaks about fighting. Book of Exodus ch. no. 32 speaks about fighting. Book of Numbers ch. no. 31 speaks about fighting. Jesus Christ pbuh is mentioned in the Gospel of Luke ch. no. 22 he said that “take the sword and go and fight.” So he said “But that was fighting against the evil” I said “Yes that’s what the Qur’an says too. We have to fight against the evil.” And in this way when I started doing Da’wah, the custom officers all gathered together and there was a small mini lecture, I only told my host that don’t worry I am just doing Da’wah in the immigration at the customs and “Sir can we ask you one more question, can we ask you one more question…” And to cut the story short, you should grab every opportunity and you should try and turn the tables over. Give the answer which he expects the least but I don’t want everyone to do that as they may get into problems. As far as dealing on the higher level where you turn the tables over, you have to be careful otherwise you’ll get into problems and you’ll say okay Dr. Zakir Naik told me that. Depending upon the situation you can prove from the Bible that what they attack about the Qur’an the same thing is mentioned in the Bible when I am in India I use a different strategy. The master key is the same but I speak about Bagvad Gita, I speak about Mahabharata. When the Hindus say that “The Qur’an is wrong it speaks about fighting.” I tell them that “There are more verses of fighting in the Mahabharata than the Qur’an.” but then they tell me “But this is a war between Truth and falsehood.” I said “Same is what the Qur’an says, it is a war between the truth and falsehood.” Then the Hindus tell me “We have got no problem with your Qur’an.” 

 

And if you read Bhagavad Gita which is the most popular scripture of the Hindus in Ch. no. 1 verse no. 43 to 46, Arjun, there is a fight between the cousins, the Pandavs and the Kauravs, Pandav are 5 brothers, Kauravs are total 100 brothers. So Arjun one of the Pandavs in the battlefield he puts his weapons on the battlefield, on the ground and he says to Shri Krishan, who is god of the Hindus, he tells to Shri Krishan “I would prefer being killed unarmed rather then to fight against my cousin.” Immediately next few verse Ch. no. 2 verse no. 2 and 3 Shri Krishan, who is suppose to be their God, he tells Arjun “How could such impurities come in your heart? How could you be so impotent?” He calls him impotent. 

And further Bhagvad Gita ch. 2 verse 31 onwards he says it is the duty of the Shatriya to fight, if you don’t fight you will not go to the heavenly planet.” It will take you away from the heavenly planet. And blessed are those Shatriyas who get an opportunity to fight.

 

And most of the critics of Islam they point out a common Hadith of Muhammad (saws) of Sahih Bukhari Vo. No. 4 in the Book of Jihaad, Hadith no. 46 where our Prophet Muhammad (saws) said that “if a Mujahid goes to the battlefield, If he is killed, he will get Jannah, he’ll go to heaven, If he comes back alive he’ll get the Booty of this world, he’ll get the wealth of this world.”

 

And many critics whether Christians, Hindus they point this Hadith and say “What kind of religion is this? Its talking about Jihaad, fighting and you go to heaven. What kind of religion is this?” I tell the Hindus that if you read Bhagvad Gita ch. no. 2 verse no. 37 Shri Krishan tells Arjun that 

 

“O Arjun rise and fight if you are killed, you will go to Swarg, heavenly planets, If you come back alive you’ll get the wealth of this world.” 

 

It is the verbatim translation of Sahih Bukhari Vol. 4 Hadith no. 46. So when these critics of Islam especially the Hindus, like Arun Shourie, I wonder they haven’t read their own scriptures and they are pointing faults in the Qur’an. The moment you give the context and speak to them the complete misconception is washed away. “ta’law ila kalimatin sawa-in baynana wabaynakum”, “Come to common terms as between us and you” 

 

So it is the duty of every Muslim that he conveys the message of Islam to the non-Muslims. Da’wah is Fard but unfortunately today we Muslims, we give excuses for not doing the job. When we tell them why don’t you do Da’wah? They say InshaAllah when we get the knowledge we will start doing Da’wah that time will never come. If you think you’ll wait till you become like Shaikh Deedat and then start doing Da’wah that time will never come. Our beloved Prophet said, it’s mentioned in Sahih Bukhari “ballighu anni walaw aayah” “Propagate even if you know one verse”. Even if you know one verse about Islam as long as you know it correctly you have to do your job at least the Muslims know there is one God, at least tell that. We know about Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) is the messenger, he is the last and final messenger of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) at least tell that. If they ask you the question how do you prove it? If you don’t know come back and do your homework. I have given a talk on ‘Is the Qur’an God’s word?’ proving that its from Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) I have given a talk on Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) in the various world religious scriptures’ come home and do your homework. In this way InshaAllah, Allah will help you and you will be able to convey the message of Islam. 

 

Some Muslims come and tell me that “Brother Zakir, first we want to make the Musalmaan pakka Musalmaan, we want to make the Muslims practicing Muslims and then we will do Da’wah to the non-Muslims.” I say that time will never come. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) he himself could not convince his own uncle. Do you think you are better than the Prophet? 

 

In the farewell pilgrimage our beloved Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) he told the Sahabas, there were hundred and ten thousand Sahabas that “Did I deliver the message to you?” And all of them said “Beshak! Verily you have done it.” The Prophet told them that all those who are present here deliver the message to those who are not present here and out of the hundred and ten Sahabas more than hundred thousand Sahabas they were buried outside Arab land. Doing what? Making Musalmaan paka Musalmaan? Making Muslims practicing Muslims? They went to do Da’wah. 

 

In Madina there were Muslims who did not come for the compulsory congregational Salaah, did not come for the Jumah Salaah, the Prophet said he felt like burning their homes yet he sent messengers to the king of Abyssinia, king of Persia, king of Yemen asking them to accept Islam. He did not say first I’ll make all the Muslims 100% practicing Muslims and then do Da’wah, doing Da’wah is Fard on every Muslim, its compulsory but many of the Muslims tell me, when we start doing Da’wah to non-Muslims they tell us to mind your own business. I tell them if any non-Muslim tells me to mind my business I will say that’s what I am doing. It’s the duty of every Muslim to mind other person’s business as far as Deen is concerned. So by doing Da’wah I am minding my business that is my business. It is the business of every Muslim, to mind other person’s business as far as deen is concerned. It is Fard on every Muslim to convey the message of Islam.

 

And one of the criteria as Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Al ‘Asr ch. no. 103 verse no. 1 to 3, where Allah says 

 

“Wal asr Inna al-insana lafee khusrin Illa allazeena amanoo wa amiloo alssalihati wa tawasaw bialhaqqi watawasaw bis sabr”, 

 

“By the token of time, Man is verily in a state of loss except for those who is faith, those who have righteous deeds, those who exhort people to truth i.e. you do Da’wah, and those who exhort people to truth and perseverance.”

 

For any human being to go to Jannah minimum 4 criterias are required Eeman, righteous deeds, Da’wah and exhorting people to patience and perseverance. If any one of these are missing you shall not enter Jannah. You may be a very good Muslim, you may be offering 5 times Salaah, you may have gone for Hajj but if you don’t do Da’wah you shall not enter Jannah, only Da’wah is also not sufficient, all 4 are equally important, Eeman, righteous deeds, Da’wah and exhorting people to patience and perseverance. If you do not do Da’wah under normal circumstances you shall not enter Jannah, If Allah wants to forgive you and put you in Jannah that’s His business. As Allah says in Surah Nisa Ch. 4 verse no. 116 and verse no. 48 that 

 

“Allah will never forgive the sin of Shirk. Any other sin if he pleases, he may forgive you.”

 

So if you don’t do Da’wah and Allah wants to forgive you that’s a different question but under normal circumstances according to Surah Al Asr if you don’t do Da’wah you shall not enter Jannah and especially to those Muslims who are living in a non-Muslim society, it’s an Awwal Fard. It’s compulsory for every Muslim to convey the message of Islam to the non-Muslims. 

 

And Allah says in the Qur’an in no less than 3 different places in Surah Tawbah Ch. no. 9 verse no. 33, in Surah Fatah ch. no. 48 verse no. 28 and Surah Saff ch. no. 61 verse no. 9, Allah says 

 

“Huwa allathee arsala rasoolahu bialhuda wadeeni alhaqqi liyuzhirahu ala alddeeni kullihi walaw kariha almushrikoona”, 

 

“Allah has sent His messenger with guidance and the religion of truth so that it will prevail over all the other religions, over all the other isms, over all the other ways of life whether it be Christianism, whether it be Judaism, whether it be Hinduism, whether it be Buddhism, whether it be communism, whether it be Atheism, Islam is destined to supersede all, “Kulli”, master them all “walaw kariha almushrikoona”, however much the Mushriks don’t like it and enough is Allah as a witness.” 

 

Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) has promised that his Deen will prevail, will supersede all the other ways of life. Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) does not require you and me, the rubbish that we are. Allah Himself is sufficient to make his Deen prevail. He does not require you and me, the rubbish that we are. He is giving us an opportunity to do a Prophet’s job and to earn a prophet’s reward. 

 

would like to end my talk by giving the quotation of the glorious Qur’an from Surah Fussilat ch. no. 41 verse no. 33 which says 

 

“Waman ahsanu qawlan mimman da’i ila Allahi wa amila salihan waqala innanee mina alMuslimeen”,

 

“Who is better in speech than one who invites to the way of thy Lord, works righteousness and says I am a Muslim.”

 

Wa Aakhiru Da’waana Anil Hamdu Lillaahi Rabbil Alameen……….!

 


 The Role of the Muslims in a Non-Muslim Society.

by

Dr. Zakir Naik

(Harrow Sports and Leisure Center, London, UK, 3rd Dec. 2005)

 

Question & Answer Session

 (Duration – 57 minutes)

 

Bashir Sattar: JazakAllah Khair. I hope InshaAllah that we will benefit from the words and advice of our Brother Dr. Zakir Naik, InshaAllah. Time is ticking on and I would like to immediately go into the question and answer session. 

 

I would like to lay out the ground rules for this part of the programme InshaAllah, Questions not relevant to the topic including any general question on religion will not be permitted. Kindly state your question briefly and to the point, Only one question at a time may be asked, for your second question you have to go at the end of the queue and await your second chance to ask a question. Non-Muslim brothers and sisters will be given first preference to ask questions. Two mikes have been provided in the auditorium, I believe there is one here to the left; there is one here to the right. The format will be that the sisters will use mike to my left and the brothers will use the mike to the right. 

 

We will allow one question at each of the mikes in clockwise rotation. Written questions on slips of papers available to with our volunteers on the sides and in the central aisle will be given secondary preference after Dr. Zakir Naik finishes answering questions asked on the mike and only if time permits. So kindly state your name and your profession before putting forth your question. I would like to ask you those brothers to insist to ask, wish to ask questions to form an orderly queue and we will commence in just a few moments, InshaAllah. Are there any non-Muslims in our audience who would like to ask questions? Please come forward, the mike is free and we will give the non-Muslims preference InshaAllah.

 

Questioner: Good evening and Assalamu Alaikum to everyone. I am a councilor Naveen Shah, leader of Harrow Council; I’d like to give a very warm welcome to Zakir Bhai on behalf of Harrow Council and multicultural, multi-faith community of Harrow. You are very-very welcome. Since I am limited to one question, I will follow the discipline. It’s been a very thought provocating address, I am very grateful for that. You have analyzed to some degree of detail various religions the Islam, the Hinduism, Judaism and even Atheist. Is it a question of equality of religions or do you reckon that there is a case for supremacy of one religion against another? Thank you.

 

Dr. Zakir: The Brother’s asked a very good question that is there a question of supremacy of one religion over the other religions.

 

Basically what is the meaning of the word religion? Religion means a way of life. I rather believe what the Qur’an says rather than talking about supremacy the Qur’an says “Ta`alaw 'Ilá Kalimatin Sawa'in Baynana Wa Baynakum”, Come to common terms as between us and you. If there is a question of supremacy then each one will try and prove that his religion is the best. So rather the Qur’an advices when we speak with people following other religions is “Ta`alaw 'Ilá Kalimatin Sawa'in Baynana Wa Baynakum”, Come to common terms as between us and you. So I personally disagree with the interfaith dialogues that take place normally in the world. Normally what happens that there is a person coming from the Christian faith, priest and commenting that all religions are the same, Christianity is the same, Hinduism is the same, Islam is the same. Then you have a Hindu Pandit coming and saying Hinduism is also correct and same, Islam is the same, Christianity is same, then they get joker Muslim who comes and says that Islam is the same, Hinduism is the same, Christianity is same. See I being a student of Islam and comparative religion, it’s a big lie to say that all religions are the same, there are commonalities but they aren’t the same, there are differences, I can talk more about the differences than the similarities; but the Qur’an encourages to talk about similarities. What my strategy is brother that I tell that at least let us agree that one religious scripture is 100% perfect. So the Christian will say “Fine I don’t mind believing that Bible is 100% the word of God.” The Hindu would say “I would not mind believing the Vedas to be the word of God.” the Muslim will say “I don’t mind considering Qur’an to be the word of God.” I am not trying to put anything on top of somebody’s head; I’m not going to put anything down their throat. 

 

Now what I say that what is common in all these scriptures at least let us agree to follow that strictly. What is different we’ll discuss it later on. So when we come and we try and find commonalities in all these scriptures we find that the commonality is the same all of the religious scriptures say believe in one God. I gave you references from the Bible. Bible, Moses (pbuh) said in the Book of Deuteronomy ch. no. 6 verse no. 4 'Shama Israelo Adna ilahaina adna ikhad'. 'Hear oh Israel, the Lord our God, is one Lord'. 

 

When Jesus Christ (pbuh) is asked that which is the first of the commandment he repeated verbatim the same thing in the Gospel of Mark ch. no. 12 verse no. 29 'Shama Israelo Adna ilahaina adna ikhad'. Which means 'Hear oh Israel, the Lord our God, is one Lord'. 

 

If you read the Hindu scriptures, if you read the Upanishads it’s mentioned in Chandogya Upanishad ch. no. 6 section no. 2 verse no. 1 "Ekam Evadvitiyam" It’s a Sanskrit quotation which means God is one without a second. Its mentioned in Svetashvatara Upanishad  Ch no. 6 verse no. 9 "Na casya kascij janita na cadhipah." Which means, of that God; he has got no superior, he has no Lord, he has got no parents, he has got no mother, he has got no father, he has got no superior. Its mentioned in Svetashvatara Upanishad ch. no. 4 verse no. 19 "Na tasya pratima asti" “Of Him there is no images.” 

 

I ca give quotations from Bhagvad Gita, Upanishads, Vedas several talking about oneness of God. 

 

So I say that why don’t all of us believe in one God. Bhagavad Gita Ch. no. 7 verse no. 20 says that “All those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires they worship demigods, they do idol worship.” So if you read the Vedas and Bhagvad Gita and the Upanishads they say there is one God, it’s against idol worship. They don’t believe in All Mighty God coming down, they believe in All Mighty God sending messengers. So I say that let us, the Hindus, the Jews, the Christians, the Muslims, at least believe that we worship none but one All Mighty God and that God has got no images, he cannot be begotten. It’s mentioned in the Bible, it’s mentioned in Bagvad Gita, it’s mentioned in the Qur’an. 

 

If you study all these scriptures the next point you come to know which is common is that there is going to come a  final and last messenger which is Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). I gave you quotations in my lecture about Judaism and Christianity; I can give you references even from the Hindu scriptures. If you read Bhavishya Purana Parv 3, Khand 3, Adhyay 3, Shlokas 10 to 27, it speaks about Muhammad (saws). It speaks about Kuntap Suktaas, Atharvaveda Book no. 20, Hymn no. 127 verse no. 1 to 14 speaks about Muhammad (saws). There is a book called as Kalki Purana it speaks about an Avtar, a Kalki Avtar to come. It’s mentioned in the Hindu scriptures in Kalki Purana that there is a final Avtar, antim Rishi, last messenger going to come whose mother’s name shall be Sumati which means Peaceful, which means Aamina. It says the father’s name shall be the one who worships All Mighty God, Vishnu-Yash translate it into Arabic it means Abdullah, the name of the parents of Muhammad (saws) It says that he will be born on the 12th month of Madhav, which is 12th Rabbi Awwal. It says that he will be the last and final messenger, Muhammad (saws) last and final messenger. It says that he will be helped by 4 companions, talking about first 4 Caliphs of Islam. And on and on…. He will be born in a place which will be known as peaceful Sambala, which is Makkah. He will be born in the family of the chief of Makkah. I have given a talk on Muhammad (saws) in the Hindu scriptures. So second point of commonalties according to me after believing in one God we have to follow the last and final messenger to come i.e. Prophet Muhammad (saws). 

 

It speaks about life after death, the Jewish scriptures, the Christian scriptures, Hindu scriptures and Islam. When Hindu scriptures speak about Punar Janam, it speaks about next life. it does not speak about life death, life death, that’s a misconception. Punar means next, Janam means life. We believe in Life after death but not being born and death, born-dying, born-dying that’s a misconception. So what I say at least let us agree what is common so all the major religious scriptures whether it be Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam speak about one God and speak about a final messenger to come whose name shall be Muhammad (saws). So if all of them follow the last and final Messenger then you have to follow the revelation given to him, have to follow the Qur’an. 

 

So rather than talking about supremacy you have to go back… There is only one religion and the one religion as Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Ale Imran ch. no. 3 verse no. 19 “Innad deena inda Allahi al-islam” The only religion acceptable in the sight of All Mighty God is submitting your will to All Mighty God, Islam, submitting your will to All Mighty God. 

 

It’s not a label a person by keeping his name Mohammed, Sultan, Abdullah, Zakir he will not go to heaven just by having a Muslim name. Muslim is a person who acquires peace by submitting his will to All Mighty God. So all the religious scriptures that came previously brother by the passage of time they have been changed. Qur’an is the last and final revelation which has been kept in its pure form but in spite when all the other scriptures have been changed according to their scholars, you read the books of Hindu scholars, of Christian scholars they say their scriptures have been changed but even after they have been changed there are reminisce of truth in them which speak about last and final messenger Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) and talking about one God. So if you go back to your scriptures and at least follow the commonalities, there is nothing like supremacy, we’ll culminate only to one religion that is submitting your will to All Mighty God. Hope that answers the question. 

 

Bashir Sattar: Can I ask if there are any sisters who are non-Muslims who would like to ask a question first? On the sisters side is there any non-Muslim sister wishes a question. 

 

Questioner: Good evening Dr. Naik. My question to you this evening is with all due respect to Islam, you said that idol worship is the greatest sin in Islam and Allah does not forgive an idol worshipper for this but what about people who have born into families of religions other than Islam. For example in India most of the population is Hindu and lifer long they may not have exposure to Islam or somebody else who may have educated them about that. What is the fault of those people? Will they never reach paradise? Will Allah never let these people enter paradise? What is their fault if they believe what is being taught to them since the day they were born? Does Allah not have mercy on them? Thank you. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Sister’s asked a very good question, a very logical question. What about those human beings who are born in non-Muslim families and their parents are doing idol worship, so who is to blamed? How can Allah punish them? And that’s a very good question. That’s the reason our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saws) said that every child is born in Deenul Fitr, every child is born as a Muslim irrespective whether he is born in a Jewish family or a Christian family, or a Hindu family or a Muslim family, he is born as a Muslim. Muslim as I told earlier by definition means a person who submits his will to All Mighty God. So every child when he is born, he submits his will to All Mighty God, later on he is influenced by his elders, by his parents, by his teachers, then he may start doing idol worship, he may start doing fire worship and he may go to the wrong path that’s the reason whenever a non-Muslim accepts Islam, the more appropriate word is ‘Revert’, it’s not ‘convert’. ‘Convert’ means going from one faith to another faith. Revert means a person was on the right faith, went to a wrong faith and came back to the right faith. So the more appropriate word sister is ‘Revert’. 

        

Now coming to your question how can Allah hold responsible a person if he is born in a non-Muslim family that’s the reason if a child is born in a non-Muslim family before he gains maturity, if he dies, he will go to Jannah, InshaAllah. Why? Every child submits his will to All Mighty God, he is a Muslim. He may have a Hindu name or a Christian name, John, Ramu, it doesn’t make a difference but as long as he is a child, and if he dies as a child sister that child will go to Jannah irrespective whether he is born in a Muslim family or a non-Muslim family. 

 

Later on when a child grows up and he becomes an adult, then it is his responsibility what he does that’s the reason if a child commits a crime the court is lenient, when he becomes an adult then he cannot tell that my father taught me to rob therefore I am robbing. If a child grows up at the age of 22 and if the police catches him after robbing he cannot say that my father taught me to rob therefore I am robbing, will the judge let him go? If he is a child at the age of 5 the judge may say “Fine he is a child he hasn’t attained maturity but once he becomes an adult and then if that adult tells the Judge that I am robbing because my father taught me to rob, he will not be excused. Everyone is responsible for his or her own deed. Now once a person becomes a adult it’s the duty of that adult to find the truth. It’s the duty of us Muslims to convey the message to the non-Muslim but irrespective whether a person gets a message or not if a human being is let free, there were 2 tribes which did not come in contact with modern civilization till as late as 1950. 

 

One tribe was the Kapauku tribe and the second was Astroline Abovregenis. These two tribes do not come in contact with modern civilization till as late as 1950 and when researchers went and tried to find out what was their way of life. It was nothing but Islam but they didn’t call themselves Muslims they believed in one God, they believed that God has got no images, He had no idols, they prostrated when the worshipped God. It was everything of Islam but in name. So if the child is not given any external influence, he submits his will to All Mighty God and remains on that path. Now once a person becomes an adult, it’s the duty of us Muslims to convey the message of Islam. If we do not convey Allah will hold us responsible, he will hold us responsible but irrespective whether we do the job or not, we will be held responsible but 

 

Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Fussilat ch. no. 41 verse no. 53 

 

“Sanureehim ayatina fee al-afaqi wafee anfusihim hatta yatabayyana lahum annahu alhaqq” 

That 

 

“Soon We shall show them our signs in the furtherest regions of the horizons and into their soul until it is clear to them that this is the truth.”

 

Allah has taken upon himself that he will directly convey this message to every human being himself. So if a Muslim does his job or not whether he is of good example or a bad example, Allah will directly put in the heart of every human being whether Muslim or non-Muslim about the truth, about one God. So once the messages comes that human being may follow, may not follow. He may not follow thinking if I accept Islam I may have to give up the things which I like, I may have to give up my alcoholism, I may have to give up dating and dancing and you know whatever thing which is Haraam in Islam, he may not accept the message then he is responsible. Similarly if the father teaches him something wrong, to rob. It’s his duty to realize that robbing is Haraam, it’s a sin. It’s a thing which is wrong he cannot go and tell the Judge that because my father taught therefore I am robbing. Similarly here when Allah directly puts the message into the heart of every human being about the Haqq, about the oneness of God and that idol worship is prohibited yet if the individual continues he or she is responsible so on the Day of Judgment, therefore Allah says that no non-Muslim will ever object to the justice of Allah because your organs will give witness about you, your eyes, your hands will speak about you. So on the Day of Judgment even those people who will be put in Hell, they will never object to the justice of Allah (swt). What they will say? “Please give us one more chance” And Allah will say “It’s too late.” There are many chances given in this world but you live only once in this world so on the Day of Judgment, no non-Muslims no human being even if he is put in hell will ever object to the justice of Allah. He will only say that please forgive me and it will be too late. Whatever is there in this world… this World, as Allah says in Surah Mulk Ch. 67 verse no. 2, is a test for the hereafter. Hope that answers the question sister. 

 

Bashir Sattar: Is there any other non-Muslim who wishes to ask a question to Dr. Zakir Naik? If no then you may precede sir. Thank you.

 

Questioner: Assalamu Alaikum! My name is Naveed Ahmed and I am a surgeon. To be a good surgeon you need to be well trained. I just wanted to ask Dr. Naik that to do Da’wah well how important do you think training is? 

 

Dr. Zakir: The brother asked a question that he is a surgeon and to be surgeon he had to be trained, to do Da’wah don’t you have to be well trained? Yes brother but the question is our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saws) said in Sahih Bukhari “ballighu anni walaw aayah” “Propagate even if you know one verse”. So if you know one verse at least go and convey that. If you say that I will wait till I become like Shaikh Ahmed Deedat, and then start doing Da’wah that time will never come. So the thing the criteria for doing Surgery is you have to get your degree. If you don’t get your degree and if you do surgery you may be arrested or you may be put behind bars, fine. Similarly for Da’wah even if you know one verse as long as you know it correctly, you have to do Da’wah.

 

Now as in medicine, you may be MBBS then there is MD, then there is DM, MS is there, then MCH is there, fine. The more you keep on spending time, the more you will become an expert now for doing your surgery you may have minimum spent about 6, 7 years, correct? Only after passing your 12th Std. or A levels whatever it is here. How much time have you spent for Da’wah, how much? So when we want to become an engineer you spent 4 tears, when you want to become a Doctor you spent 5 years, Da’wah you want to do overnight. You can’t become an expert overnight but at least you make a beginning, at least open your mouth. 

 

As far as I am concerned in my childhood I was as stammerer even in my adulthood I was a stammerer. If you asked me “What was my name?” “My name is Za..Za..Za..Za..Za…Zakir.” That was me. When I met Shaikh Ahmed Deedat I was inspired by him and I started doing Da’wah and I realized when I spoke with non-Muslims I never used to stammer. Normal, a normal human being when he comes on the stage he will stammer. In my dreams I could have dreamt of becoming the best surgeon in the world, I could have dreamt, you know, in your dreams you can dream anything, but I couldn’t dream in speaking in front of 25 people. I was a stammerer and now Alhumdulillah with Allah’s help I am giving talks in front of thousands of people, hundreds of thousands; I have even given a talk in front of a million people live, Alhumdulillah. So if you go back, if you see my life I would be the last person one of the last category who could do Da’wah but I did Jihad, Jihad means? To strive, I didn’t take a sword, to strive and struggle, I did Jihad. I strived and I struggled and Allah opened up the pathways.

 

Allah says in Surah Ankaboot ch. 29 verse no. 69 

 

“If you strive in Allah’s path, Allah will open up your ways.” 

 

I strived Alhumdulillah and the moment I got involved in the field of Da’wah my stammering went away yet I do stammer sometimes off the stage but on the stage, Alhumdulillah, Allah helps me. It’s a miracle. I was inspired by Sheikh Ahmed Deedat, whatever I learnt, whatever I heard from his cassettes, I started talking. I started talking Allah kept on helping me more and more and now I am here. Even if i had been the best surgeon in the world all of you wouldn’t have gathered here, correct? And the respect that Allah has given me at this young age, even If I had been the best surgeon in the world the people who want to meet me the people I meet, the Kings, the Shaikhs, the Ministers, Alhumdulillah.

 

I never did Da’wah for fame or popularity, I took up medicine, I am a medical doctor because I thought it was the most noble profession, it is Alhumdulillah, I am not saying no, but I found a nobler profession. Therefore I changed from a doctor of a body to the doctor of a soul. But the best thing brother whatever you have heard today, people normally enjoy, they clap tomorrow back to work, they are the same. When they go back to work they should try and repeat something from me what they have heard at least 10% if not 10%, 5% at least 2%, start. And the moment you start Allah will help you. So the moment you keep on doing Da’wah Allah will help you, I haven’t done any course; I haven’t been trained by anyone. Allah, MashaAllah, helped me and without His help it’s not possible. But we have Da’wah training courses in Bombay where we train people, it’s a short course of about 30 to 40 days where we train people and believe me if you hear the speakers of our foundation all of them can quote ch. no. verse no., Bible, Bhagvad Gita, hadith, Qur’an, Alhumdulillah, at the fingertips. First is help of Allah, second is hard work, third is technique. So no. 1 is Allah’s help, hard work is from you, technique we give that is the least important but you don’t wait till you become an expert whatever you know, start and then Allah will help you more. Hope that answers the question.

 

Bashir Sattar: I have a question here from a non-Muslim brother. His name is Peter. Dr. Saab can you explain why is music bad. 

 

Dr. Zakir: The non-Muslim friend has asked a question that why is music bad. There is no direct reference in the Qur’an which speaks music as being bad there are indirect references. But there are hadith of Muhammad (saws) who has commented on music, musical instruments. The only thing he permitted was the Duff and the others he had not permitted the reason being that when most of the times when musical instruments are being used it normally puts a person in a trance, in a different frame of mind and many a times if you analyze the Qur’an, the Qur’an is against songs and poetries, there is a full chapter Shuara that speaks about poets. What happens that normally in songs and music, the songs that are there if you analyze the words, most of the songs they are away from reality. And in a song when people start praising or impressing the opposite person the more they try to impress the opposite person the more they deviate from reality.

 

Therefore in Hindi film songs you’ll find that the hero tells the heroine that “Chand todh ke leke aanuga, Sitaare todh je leke aanunga” I’ll get for you the moon, I’ll get for you the stars which is not possible and same thing when you hear in English pop and rock it has no meaning per se, many of the songs… some have got not that all and it takes a person away and along with the musical instruments whether it be heavy metal we find that people go in a frenzy, they take out their clothes and they are in a different frame of mind. So most of the time music takes you away from Allah (swt) so that’s the reason the prophet has discouraged and said that musical instruments should not be used except for the duff that is there. It takes a person away from Allah (swt) rather towards Allah (swt). 

 

Bashir Sattar: JazakAllah! Can I ask sister from this side please? Thank you. 

 

Questioner: Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rehmatullah! 

Bashir Sattar: Walaikum Salam wa Rehmatullh.

 

Questioner: Bismillah Hir Rehmaan hir Raheem. I just wanted to ask about the meaning of the Hadith from Sahih Muslim Ummatul Wahadah, the Muslim Ummah is one Ummah at the exclusion of all others. Their land is one, their war is one, their peace is one, their trust is one and is this Hadith relevant to us Muslims living in a non-Muslim society? whose armies are killing Muslims, expelling them from their homes and fighting them as we speak.

 

Dr. Zakir: The sister wants me to throw some light on the Hadith of the prophet Muhammad (saws) that the Muslim is one ummah irrespective whether you are living… and there are various Ahadith the prophet said that its like one body and if one part of the body is hurt then all the rest of the body is also is in pain so in that context as far as the Muslim Ummah is concerned irrespective whether you are living whether in a Muslim society or a non-Muslim society whether you are living in UK or America or Saudi Arabia, the Muslim Ummah is one. And if one part of the Ummah is hurt it’s the duty as far as possible whatever the ability a person has got we should see to it that he helps. So there are various situations for example if you know that there is one part of the Muslim Ummah which is poor or doesn’t have enough resources to feed themselves, its the duty of other part of the Ummah to see to it that they give them whether it be from Zakaat money or from Sadaqa money, whatever it is so that they help the other part of the Muslim Ummah.

 

Now we know the scenario is such that we find that certain portion of the Muslim Ummah, they are being attacked, they are being harmed so whatever capacity we have and whatever ability we have got its the duty that we as Muslims, as our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saws) said that “If you find anything evil, the best is to 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, the least you can do is curse in your heart and then if you do that you are the lowest level of a Muslim.” 

 

So when you see anything wrong if you can stop it with your hand, do it, If you cannot stop it with your hand then try and stop it with your tongue, If you can’t do that much at least curse in your heart. If you find something is happening may be a robbery is taking place, If Allah has given you the ability, go and stop it with your hand, if you feel that person... they have got more strength, you are a lean person and they are 10 of them at least try and stop it with your tongue “Please Mr. don’t rob.” If you can’t do that at least curse in your heart. Now depending upon the ability that we have got, we have to do that. Now we find unfortunately the scenario that we have that especially after 9/11 we know that what happened in 9/11 was wrong. 

 

Allah clearly mentions in Surah Ma’idah ch. 5 verse no. 32 that 

 

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

 

So killing any innocent human being is Haraam. So what happened in 9/11 more than 3,000 or 5,000 people were killed, innocent people, it is to be condemned. Who did it? I don’t know. The media says XYZ, I don’t know. But whoever did it, it is wrong. What happened in London on the 7th of July where more than 50 people were killed, innocent human beings, whoever did it is at fault. It is wrong but what we have to realize that unfortunately when Muslims live in non-Muslim society they try to be over apologetic we find in America, we find in UK all the Muslim bodies get together and the condemned the 9/11, correct no problem. They condemned what happened in 7th of July in London which I too condemn but in the same breath we also have to condemn the thousands of people killed in Afghanistan, we also have to condemn the thousands of people killed in Iraq. What’s happening in Palestine? Everyday Muslims are being killed. What happened in Bosnia, we have to condemn that too. Why do we stop? Unfortunately when I read reports all the Muslim bodies get together and they are condemning only a part of it, why? It’s the same, what is wrong is wrong. If a Muslim kills an innocent human being he has to be condemned. Similarly if a non-Muslim kills an innocent Muslim even he has to be condemned, who are we afraid of? 

 

But you have to do it with Hiqma. If you fear you opening your mouth will create a problem but don’t mention wrong things. Therefore as a Da’ee we should know to turn the tables over with Hiqma. I was there when I was asked this question in Australia, I was asked in UK also when I had come 4 months back and we’d come for a conference of peace, we’d gone to Oldham and the mayor was there and the chief of the police was there and there was a question asked to me that do you believe Osama Bin Laden to be a terrorist. So I said “See, I don’t know Osama in Laden personally, I haven’t met him, he’s not my friend neither he is my enemy, I don’t know him. But I cannot base my answer on what I see on CNN or BBC. Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Hujuraat ch. no. 49 verse no. 6 “whenever you get a message from a Fasiq person check it up before you convey it to the third person.” 

 

If I have to base my answer only on BBC and CNN then I have to agree that he is a terrorist but everything what BBC and CNN says is not correct. So I personally said that I don’t know whether Osama Bin Laden is a terrorist or not but what I have seen on CNN what I know from CNN which is again controlled by America, controlled by the government of America and from there I got information and other things verifying it’s the truth that thousands of people in Afghanistan have been killed, thousands of people in the other countries like Iraq have been killed and who is the cause of this? The cause is George Bush. So if you ask me I agree that the no. 1 terrorist is George Bush.” 

 

And recently there was a survey, recently there was a survey just a couple of months back in America, in USA, there was an organization which did a survey and they floated the survey they put 3 people on the list that who according to you is the biggest terrorist in the world? Amongst the list was Osama Bin Laden, Saddam Hussain and George Bush and then the survey they floated in different countries, the answer they got that the person, the common no. 1 terrorist was the same the minimum percentage he got was George Bush was 73%. All the people unanimously agreed that George Bush was terrorist no. 1. The lowest percentage in any group was 73 and the highest was 78. That 73, of percent, of the people agreed that George Bush was terrorist no. 1 and in the other part of the world, 78% agreed. So the thing is that if you go to the websites of the Americans they say what happened in 9/11 there are various hypotheses that it was a inside job some people say that George Bush did it himself, I am not saying he did it, this is the news we got from the internet. I without verifying cannot say that George Bush did that on 9/11. but what I can say? What happened in Afghanistan it is clear proof. 

 

So what we have realize that what is wrong we have to condemn and believe me I have been to America several times, in Canada, I have been to UK. The thing is that we realize that the talk I gave on ‘Islam and Terrorism’ in Oldham that was the topic. What we have to realize that many a times two different labels given for the same activity for the same individual.

 

For example in India there were many Indians who were fighting for their freedom about 60, 70 years back when the Britishers were ruling India. Now these people who fought for their freedom by the British Government they were called as terrorists but we common Indians we call them as freedom fighters. Same people, same activity but 2 different labels. If you agree with the view of the British Government that they had a right to rule over India, you have to call these people as terrorists but 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 would call these people as freedom fighters, you’d call these people as patriots. Same people, same activity but 2 different labels, so before you give a label you have to first try and find out for what reason is the person striving. 

 

If you see the history of American Revolution in the 18th centaury in 1775 the Americans got their freedom, the Britishers were ruling them and the 2 people who were called no. 1 terrorist was Benjamin Franklin, George Washington according to this British Government, George Washington was terrorist no. 1 and later on this same terrorist no. 1 becomes the president of America, Imagine Terrorist no. 1 according to British government becomes the president of America and he happens to be the godfather of all the American Presidents to follow including George Bush 

 

So what we see today is whoever is in power what he says carries weight. We can give the example of the Apartheid Government of South Africa White Apartheid Government, they imprisoned Nelson Mandela for 25 years they called him terrorist no. 1. After the Apartheid Government was removed in the new South Africa, Nelson Mandela becomes the President, a few years later he gets the Nobel Prize for peace. Imagine the person who was called the terrorist no. 1, is given the noble prize for peace for the same activity not that first he was bad and then he became good for the same activity for which he was called a terrorist later on he gets the noble prize for peace. What we come to know whoever is in power what he says turns out to be the Gospel truth which is not the case. What wee have to know we have to go to the root cause. So we as Muslims what we have to do sister is we have to speak for the Haqq. If Allah has given you the power with your hand you can stop it, do it. With your mouth, use your mouth. Least you can do is curse in your heart and pray for the Ummah. Hope that answers the question. 

 

Questioner: Assalamu Alaikum! My name is Zaid Khan and I work as a lab scientist. My question is that what advice can you give to do practical Da’wah such as in Tom Centre where you can build a communication with non-Muslims?

 

Dr. Zakir: Brother asked a question that how can you do practical Da’wah in Da’wah stalls etc. Brother the examples that I gave in my talk you can use that that try and use the strategy of come to common terms. And one thing is having the technique; one thing is knowing how to do Da’wah. For example how to do Da’wah with co-passenger who is traveling in a train is a different technique. How to do Da’wah on a Da’wah stall is a different technique. How to do Da’wah in a school is a different technique. For this we have a Da’wah training session where we train people on how to do Da’wah. You can go to our website irf.net on the DTP, Da’wah Training Programme and the information is there. Hope that answers the question. 

 

Bashir Sattar: I have a question here from a non-Muslim, his name is Ravinder. He says “My name is Ravinder, I am a non-Muslim, I am a Sikh and I believe that all religions are right and there is one God. Everyone will go to heaven irrespective of being a Muslim, a Sikh, etc. there are different disciplines to reach him”, I presume God, “Sikhism, Islam, etc. what do you have to say?”

 

Dr. Zakir: The brother’s posed a question. He is a Sikh, he says all religions are right, all believe in one God so what you have to say we’ll all go to heaven. Brother I am a student of comparative religion; according to me all religions are not right. In the religion itself there are many contradictions, in the religious scriptures itself. Now coming to Christianity, if you analyze in Christianity there are so many contradictions in the Bible, there are so many things which are unscientific in the Bible. So Bible according to me is a mixture, it may contain the Word of God, it contains the words of Prophet, it contains the word of historians, it even contains pornography, I am sorry to say. How can I say this pornography is the word of God? There are many mathematical contradictions I can give a talk only in the mistakes in the Bible. There are so many unscientific things mentioned in the Bible. The Bible says the world is flat. I can give a talk on that, time doesn’t permit me. Same thing with the Vedas, though I give talks on the Vedas, there are many things which I disagree in the Vedas. There are things in the Vedas which says that All Mighty God created the Brahmins from the head, the Shatriya, the warrior cast from the chest, the Business class, the Vaishias from the thighs, and the Shudras, the lower class from the feet. Islam doesn’t believe that human beings have been created in castes and levels. So how can you say all religions are right? 

                                                                                              

Again you go to the Hindu scriptures it says that if a Husband dies then in the fire, the wife should jump, the widow which is totally wrong. The Veda says that the Sun moves around the Earth which is unscientific. In this by doing comparative religion I cannot say that all religions are right, part of all the religions are right, you can say that which I wouldn’t mind. What I am saying that only follow that part which is right, what is wrong you don’t have to follow. So in this way brother I disagree with you, I am a student of comparative religion, you can see my cassettes, I have spoken on various religions on Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism etc. so only what s right you have to follow, what is wrong you don’t have to follow. Hope that answers the question. 

 

Bashir Sattar: Question please from this side. We have to end our programme very shortly so I will ask to speed up, InshaAllah. 

 

Questioner: Assalamu Alaikum, My name is Sabina. Forgive me for my unclarity, this is rather spontaneous question…and I have a friend, she is an atheist and on our endless debates on the existence of God and all that we talk about. She has two claims, she makes two claims. When I pose her with the question of what the Qur’an says in terms of the existence of the universe and the world and how it states many facts, she turns around, she says well that knowledge was not just for the Qur’an, it actually existed before the Qur’an there’s scriptures, there is books before the Qur’an was even written detailing information about the universe. So its not just knowledge that is superior to the Qur’an. What do I say about to that… Is she lying? Do scriptures exist? I mean I have ignorance myself but, you know, is this knowledge like was this available before the Qur’an was written? And sorry, secondly another claim she makes is that I give the analogy of you know you have something in creation who knows it, the creator will know everything about it and I talk about you know if there is no God how can we possibly exist if you keep on going further and further and further and back there is no end, and if there is no end how do we exist? Then she says “Well from a religious point of view you say well God is the end well I say as an atheist who says if God is the end, who created God?” that’s my question. Thank you.

 

Dr. Zakir: Sister has posed 2 questions which are again common. The first question is that all the things mentioned in the Qur’an were already present before so what’s new? It’s present in other scriptures, other books etc. that is the first question and second question is who created God. As far as the first question is concerned I do agree that certain things were present in time before the Qur’an but they were not called as established facts, they were not called as established facts. 

 

For example the thing I quoted that the Sun previously people thought that the sun rotating there are certain things which were in the Greek history and another philosophical history but for example when the Qur’an speaks about the spherical shape of the earth, these Greeks, they believed that the earth was spherical but no one believed in them. So certain facts not all, a small percentage what the science has come to know today and what Qur’an mentions were told by people previously but they failed to realize that the same Greeks mentioned hundred other things which were unscientific. So same Greek even mentioned the earth was center of the universe which is totally wrong. So imagine if 100 points are mentioned and Muhammad (saws) picks up one which is correct that’s also not possible. So I do agree with you sister that certain things were mentioned before science established as a fact today but these things weren’t established that time and to say that out of the hundred false things mentioned if one thing is right to pick up the one correct thing is again also not possible. Once it’s possible but not thousands of time sister. Because only a person who is even a scientist cannot do that. Only the Creator himself can do and that’s Allah (swt). So I do agree with you but that portion which has been mentioned earlier in earlier scriptures and other philosophical books is a small portion but that too along with that portion there are other things which are unscientific mixed with that.

        

Coming to you second part of the question that who created God. Normally people in Da’wah they use a false strategy of logic which trips itself. Most of the people when the try to prove the existence of Allah (swt) they say that everything has a creator. For example who created this book, how did the book come into existence? Somebody created it. Who created it? And they go back. When did you come into existence? Who created you? Your father… Who created your father? Your grand father. And then goes to God. Who created this micro phone? It’s created in a factory. Who created the factory and then they try and prove who created the Sun? God. Who created the moon? So based on this they try and prove that everything has a creator which according to me is a wrong logic. In my strategy what I spoke today, I never said everything has a creator that is the atheist who told me that the first person who will tell about the mechanism of this thing is the creator. I never said that… I say every created thing has a creator but by definition All Mighty God is uncreated. It is like there is a person, suppose my friend he comes and tells me that my brother John was admitted in the hospital he gave birth to a baby. Was it a girl or a boy? Can you guess sister? Was it a girl or a boy? Brother John gave birth to a baby was it a girl or a boy? 

 

Questioner: Brother John….?

 

Dr. Zakir: Brother John was admitted in the hospital he gave birth to a baby was it a girl or a boy? Can you guess? You Can’t guess, can anyone guess? How can a man have a baby? So to ask the question he gave birth to a baby was it a girl or a boy is illogical. So same thing the definition of Allah, he’s uncreated. The moment you say who created Allah, he ceases to be Allah. Therefore the definition of God is he is uncreated. Therefore All Mighty God has got no creator if he is a true All Mighty God. Hope that answers the question. 

 

Bashir Sattar: Ah.. Due to the shortage of time I will allow very quick questions and quick answers InshaAllah. So 3 questions 1, 2, 3 and we will have 3 quick answers InshaAllah. Brother please take your name and your profession. 

 

Questioner: Assalamu Alaikum! My name is Go-ha, I’m an accountant. Just very quickly it’s a pleasure to hear Dr. Zakir Naik. Since first time I heard him it was my ambition to come and see you MashaAllah. You gave a lovely talk. My question is there is a famous Hadith saying about Prophet (pbuh) that we should seek knowledge unto China. Now I have talked to a lot of brothers about this and my perspective on it even though I haven’t researched is that this knowledge does not speak about religious knowledge because religious knowledge at that time was in Saudi Arabia where the Prophet (pbuh) was and people all over the world were coming to see him at that time for religious knowledge. 

 

Bashir Sattar: Brother What is your question brother? What is the question? 

 

Questioner: My question is that this Hadith does it relate to religious knowledge or knowledge of the Dunya, Science, Maths, etc.? 

 

Dr. Zakir: Brother asked a question that the Prophet said seek knowledge even if you have to go to China because religious knowledge was in Saudi Arabia, it was worldly knowledge so does it mean you can go to China for worldly knowledge. Point no. 1 brother, according to Shaikh Nassirud Deen Al Albani this Hadith is a Mawdhu Hadith. It’s a fake Hadith, It’s not a correct Hadith because the center of education even at that time, that time, wasn’t China. This Hadith is a fake Hadith but that doesn’t mean your question is not valid. You have to use other Hadith to prove your question. The first guidance given by Allah (swt) to the whole of humanity was not to pray, was not to give Zakaat, it was Iqra in Surah Al Alaq ch. 96 verse no. 1 “Iqra” and our beloved prophet Muhammad (saws) said its mentioned in Baihaqi, it is obligatory on every Muslim, man or woman to acquire knowledge. So acquiring knowledge is Fard in Islam, it’s compulsory. It includes the more obligatory is the Deen knowledge but that does not mean you cannot go and travel even for worldly knowledge. You can as long as you fulfill the criteria even for worldly knowledge you can as long as it benefits you, it gets you closer to Allah (swt). Hope that answers the question.

 

Bashir Sattar: One more question on my sister’s side please very quickly. 

 

Questioner: Assalamu Alaikum! My name is Zarina and I am a graduate. You may have answered this question impart already. On the question of Da’wah many people ask me how is it just for very good righteous non-Muslim to go to hell. For example Mother Teresa, what happens to their good deeds and what is the best way to answer them. Thank you. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Sister asked a question what about the righteous non-Muslims like Mother Teresa will she go to heaven or hell. As I mentioned in my talk the criteria to go to heaven, the criteria to go to Jannah are 4 according to Surah Al Asr 

 

“Wal Asr Inna al-insana lafee khusrin Illa allazeena amanoo wa’amiloo alssalihati watawasaw bialhaqqi watawasaw bialssabri” 

 

“By the token of time man is verily in a state of loss except those who have faith, those who have righteous deeds, those who do Da’wah and those who exhort people to patience and perseverance.”

 

Minimum 4 criterias are required to go to Jannah. Similarly when I was in school I passed my ICSC in 1982 there were minimum 6 compulsory subjects. English was there, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Hindi, compulsory. I ask you the question sister in science… In 5 subjects out of 6 I get 99 out of 100, in one subject I get 10 out of 100…. in Science. Will I pass std. 10? Yes or no? No. but I got 99 in English, 99 in Hindi, 99% in History, If I fail in any one subject, I fail. Similarly to go to Jannah 4 criterias are required, Eeman, righteous deeds, exhorting people to truth, Da’wah and exhorting people to patience and perseverance.

 

Now you say Mother Teresa was righteous, Righteousness includes offering Salaah, giving Zakaat, many things but even If I agree with you for sake of argument or with a non-Muslim that mother Teresa was righteous, for sake of argument haan, In Islam righteousness include many things which I feel Mother Teresa didn’t have but even if I agree with you fro the sake of argument she gets 99 only in one. What about Eeman? So if she does Shirk which is even mentioned in the Bible. if you read the Bible in the Book of Deuteronomy ch. no. 5 verse 7 to 9 and the Book of Exodus ch. no. 20 verse no. 3 to 5 it says that “Thou shall have no other image of me, thou shall not make unto thee any graven image, of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shall not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the God, thy Lord am a jealous God."

 

So doing Shirk is even Haraam in Christianity and in the Qur’an Allah says in Surah Ma’idah ch. no. 5 verse no. 72, lets see what is the verdict given by Jesus Christ (pbuh). Jesus Christ (pbuh) says in the Qur’an in Surah Ma’idah ch. 5 verse no. 72 Allah says that 

 

“Laqad Kafaral Ladhina Qaalu 'Innallaaha Huwal Masihubnu Maryama”

“They are doing Kufr..they are blaspheming  those who say that Jesus son of marry is Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) 

 

“Wa Qaalal Masih”, 

“But said Jesus Christ (pbuh)”

 

“Ya Bani 'Isra'il”,   

“O children of Israel!”

 

“U`budullaah, 

“Worship Allah”

 

“Rabbi Wa Rabbakum”, 

“Whose My Lord and your Lord”

 

“Innahu Mayushrik Billaah”, 

“Anyone who associates partners with Allah”

 

“Faqad Harramallaahu `Alayhil Jannah”

“Allah will make Jannat forbidden for them” Allah will make paradise forbidden for them.

 

“Wa Ma'wahun Naaru Wa Ma Lilzzalimina Min 'Ansar”

“And the Fire shall be his dwelling place and he shall have no helpers in the hereafter.”

 

So Jesus Christ (pbuh) said

 

“Innahu Mayushrik Billaah”, 

“Anyone who associates partners with Allah”

 

“Faqad Harramallaahu `Alayhil Jannah”

“Allah will make Jannat forbidden for them” Allah will make paradise forbidden for them.

 

“Wa Ma'wahun Naaru Wa Ma Lilzzalimina Min 'Ansar”

“And the Fire shall be his dwelling place and he shall have no helpers in the hereafter.”

 

So according to Jesus Christ (pbuh), according to the Qur’an, according to the Bible if any human being does Shirk whether it be Mother Teresa or anyone else, they shall not enter Jannah. 

 

Bashir Sattar: I have to apologize this will be the last question. We have a number of hand written questions here because of the time constrains I will apologize we will be unable to cove the these questions in part of this programme. So my apologies, please brother can you state the last question? May I ask the other brothers and sisters to take their seats for the closure of the programme, InshaAllah. 

 

Questioner: Assalamu Alaikum! My name is Adil Ahmed I’m a 16 years old student doing my GSES and my question regards Dr. Naik’s statement previously about saying Merry Christmas to non-Muslim makes us some how submit the fact that, well the idea that Christ was the son of God and it makes us one of them. Now that’s what shocked me, in a sense that, surely Allah in his All Mightiness would know that my intention saying someone ‘Merry Christmas’ is as you said is to improve relations. Now the thing is most people at least of my generation, people who I come in contact with, they don’t actually celebrate Christmas because they celebrate Christ’s birth but actually it’s a commercial thing to get the latest PS2 or whatever it is… so could you just please expand on that I am sought of confused how saying marry Christmas could some how bring blasphemy? 

 

Dr. Zakir: The brother’s asked a question that he wants to wish Merry Christmas to his friends so that he can build relationships so tomorrow he will ask me the question why can’t I have a peg of alcohol build relationship. Why not? Why, what’s wrong? Why can’t I eat some pork with them? Why can’t I go to Church and worship Jesus Christ (pbuh)? See you don’t have to do anything Haraam for doing Da’wah. For reaching the goals you cannot use wrong means brother. What is haraam for them is haraam for you also. When you are wishing ‘Merry Christmas’ to them you are agreeing that Jesus Christ (pbuh) was born on the 25th of December and you are agreeing that he is the begotten son of God which is Shirk. 

 

Why it is wrong? Because the Christians they believe that Jesus Christ (pbuh) is the begotten son of God. Now irrespective whether he may be a practicing Christian or not they celebrate because it’s the Birthday, why don’t they celebrate any other day? So if you tell your Christian friend “okay, forget if you don’t believe in that lets celebrate instead of 25th of December, let’s celebrate on the 10th of October.” Will they agree? They’ll say ‘no’. but that does not mean don’t do Da’wah, I do Da’wah on Christmas. I ask them that this is your Christmas season, why is it Christmas? So they tell me “Oh! its Christmas because Jesus Christ (pbuh) was born on 25th of December.” “Who is this Jesus pbuh?” “Oh Jesus is the begotten son of God.” Then I tell him that can you prove to me from one unequivocal statement from the complete Bible where Jesus Christ pbuh himself says that where he said “I am God” or where he says “Worship Me” I do Da’wah. Why do you have to use wrong means for doing Da’wah? 

Questioner: Is saying Merry Christmas wrong?

 

Dr. Zakir: you asked the question is saying Merry Christmas wrong means I am telling you it is wrong. 

 

Questioner: Okay.

 

Dr. Zakir: 100% wrong according to me. If you don’t know what Christmas is celebrated for like by mistake if you don’t know it is alcohol and you think it is Pepsi and you have it, Allah may forgive you, So if you don’t know what is Christmas standing for being in UK.. Do you know what Christmas stands for? 

 

Questioner: Well as of now..

 

Dr. Zakir: Have you come from somewhere outside?

 

Questioner: Well as of now I think it stands for a commercial…

 

Dr. Zakir: Do you know what… do you know…

 

Questioner: I think it stands for a commercial business, that’s what it stands for. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Sorry

 

Questioner: It stands for a commercial business a place people give each other presents.

 

Dr. Zakir: No, not commercial business. What is the excuse? Now don’t…

 

Questioner: It’s a holiday.

 

Dr. Zakir: …Beat around the Bush. I am asking you a question do you know what is the excuse for commercial business? What is the excuse? Why do they celebrate Christmas for what? 

Questioner: Because it’s the birth of Christ.

 

Dr. Zakir: Fine finish. You know about it and they consider Jesus Christ (pbuh) as the son of God, the begotten son. Do you know that? 

 

Questioner: Ya I know that but I…

 

Dr. Zakir: Yes, if you know that and then if you wish merry Christmas it is Haraam. If you didn’t know, if you are coming from Timbaktu, if you are coming from Timbaktu and you did not know and in ignorance if you wish, Allah may forgive you. If you don’t know that is alcohol and if you think it is Pepsi and you drink it, Allah may forgive you but if you know it and you think you are building relationships you know what you are doing? You are building your place in the Jahannam. So therefore brother for reaching any good means you never have to adopt wrong means. You have to go as the guidance of the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Hope that answers the question. 

 

Wa Aakhiru Da’waana Anil Hamdu Lillaahi Rabbil Alameen!

 

Bashir Sattar: Brothers I am so sorry we have no more time, I am sorry brother we have no more time. My sincere apologies, we cannot ask anymore questions. We’ll just close with reflections by brother Shahid Akmal, Chairman of Harrow Central Mosque, InshaAllah.

 

Shahid Akmal: Bismillah Hir Rehmaan Hir Raheem. My job was to provide some reflections on the talk by Dr. Zakir Naik but how do you provide reflections in a few words on such an amazing and such a talk full of such information. I think the best that I can do is to quote the Hadith of Muhammad (saws) in which he said “Khairun Naasi mai yanfu an Naas.” “The best of mankind is he who brings most benefit to them”. And to summarize Dr. Zakir’s talk that best benefit we can bring mankind is to bring them Islam, do Da’wah as Dr. Zakir has so eloquently taught us. On behalf of the committee of the Harrow Central Mosque and the people of Harrow I would like to give my personal thanks and our collective thanks to Dr. Zakir Naik, to Sir Iqbal Sacrainie, Brother Bashir Sattar and his colleagues. Jazak Allah Khair, Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah.