Open Question & Answers Session

 

(Duration – 2 hours and 39 minutes)

 

 

Arif Julfaar: May Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) reward, our dearest, Dr. Zakir Naik for this very informative lecture. May I ask Dr. Mohammad Naik to proceed. 

 

Mohammad Naik: Assalamu Alaikum… JazakAllah for your patient hearing. May God reward you. Now we come to the presumably more interesting session, the open question and answer session. Before we start the session for an idea can I know from the audience how many present here have considered after Dr. Zakir Naik’s talk Islam stands for the Peace of Humanity? Can you raise your hands please? Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah. As you stand up and dare to ask Dr. Zakir, rest assured we take it in the spirit of positivity, as we respond to your questions We take it is a sprit of coming to solutions for the problems of humanity. As you heard Dr. Zakir speak on the topic of the Day, Media & Islam, War or Peace? 

 

May I briefly state war for peace has become the slogan of many tyrants and oppressors on this earth. True peace seems to elude humankind. Islam stands for peace, internal & external. It is essential therefore to know practice and propagate Islam to attain peace in this life and in the hereafter.

 

Today we have before us Dr. Zakir, a well verse person, on the topic of the day. Before I begin the cross fire between your right to question him and his ability to respond to you may I state a few rules which we expect to be observed to derive more benefit in the limited time we have available with us. 

 

As we begin the open question & answer session may I ask the audience to kindly note 3 points as you could forward the question to the speaker. Your question should be on the topic of today Media & Islam, War or Peace only. 

 

Your question should be brief and to the point. Preferably in one or 2 short sentences. You may ask only 1 question at a time, for your question you would have to queue up again at the back of the row. 3 microphones have been provided in this hall. On my right there’s a microphone for the ladies, they may queue up behind it. On my left and in the centre there are 2 microphones for the gents to put forward their questions. First preference would be given to the non Muslims to put forward their question. And I would request our volunteers present to kindly guide them in the queue towards the front. You’re requested to kindly state your name and profession before asking Dr. Zakir your question. With so many peace missiles Dr. Zakir has launched in the course of his talk as the coordinator and host for this session I urge our volunteers and he many Muslims present here to kindly give an opportunity to the non Muslims to come forward first and put forward their questions and if there are Journalists in them, a more preference a more so. May we have the first question from the mic on my left. Yes brother…

 

Questioner: hi! My name is Rahul Bhatia. I’m an engineer by profession and I have a question. In Qur’an verse 22, Ayat 47 it says “Verily a day in the sight of the Lord is like a thousand years of your reckoning”. Also in Qur’an 32 Ayat no. 5 it says “To Him on a day the space where of will be a thousand years of your reckoning.” And in Qur’an 70 ayat no. 4 it says “The angles and the sprit ascend unto him in a day the measure where of a 50 thousand years.” so which one the measure of a day is a 1,000 years or a 50,000 years in the sight of Allah? 

 

Dr. Zakir: Brother, Rahul is your name, correct? 

 

Rahul: ya

 

Dr. Zakir: Are you the same person who asked yesterday about the 6 days & the 8 days? 

 

Rahul: yes.

 

Dr. Zakir: MashaAllah, I love you brother! 

 

Rahul: thank you. I love you too!

 

Dr. Zakir: These as I told you, on the internet all these are common questions. You don’t have to be a scholar to know all these things. Go on the internet, on the anti-Islamic site and you’ll get 100s. I’m sure brother Rahul, have you read the full Qur’an brother Rahul? No.

 

Rahul: aah.. no. I’m afraid I’m gonna get more questions.

 

Dr. Zakir: sorry?

 

Rahul: I’m afraid that I’m gonna get more questions so I wanna sort these out first. 

 

Dr. Zakir: No. the thing is that, see, if you want to know the truth, first you have to read the direct source. If I want to know Christianity and If I read the anti Christian books then I’ll become bias. So my request to you brother Rahul is, first go to the good site, read the Qur’an then don’t ask me 2 questions, ask me 200. 

 

Rahul: ya. 

 

Dr. Zakir: InshaAllah I’ll reply. Even now I’ll reply.

 

Rahul: okay.

 

Dr. Zakir: But I being in the field of Dawah, I realize that people go to the anti-Islamic sites first and they see the negative points, they get convinced and they’re against Islam. If you want to know Islam go to the good site. Don’t go to the sites like answering Islam. You know..

 

Rahul: Ah.. the thing is Sir I can actually give a…

 

Dr. Zakir: I’ll answer your question, no problem.

 

Rahul: No, no,no.. the point is.. I can actually say… speak for half an hour in favour of Islam as well so I’m not…. I’m totally unbiased. 

 

Dr. Zakir: no, I’ll give the reply. This is all common for me. It’s nothing new. 

 

Rahul: ya

 

Dr. Zakir: this has been asked to me several times before. I can give references, everything, MashaAllah. The brother’s asked a question that 2 places in the Qur’an where Allah says that one day in the sight of Allah is equal to 1000 years and one place in Surah Ma’arij Ch. No. 70 verse no. 4 that one day in the sight of Allah is equal to 50,000 years. So isn’t there contradiction? Like one place it says 1000 years, other place it says that 50,000 years. In Arabic, the word used is YAUM. The word used is? ‘Yaum’. Now Yaum has got 2 meanings. One of the meanings is day…day, day, like a 24 hours day. The other meaning is a period, Epoch. Can be any number of years or whatever it is. So one meaning of Yaum is Day, the other meaning is a period. So now if you read it correctly that one verse says that for the affairs to go up to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) it will take 1000 years of your reckoning. It is like one day, one period which is equal to 1000 years of your reckoning. The other verse says in Surah Maarij Ch. 70 v no. 4 that for the angels to ascend on to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) it’ll take a period of, 1 period which is equal to 50,000 years. 

 

For example if I tell you that for me to travel from Dubai to Abu Dhabi takes 1 hour and for me to travel from Dubai to say USA in a very slow plane will take me 50 hours. The period taken for me to travel from Dubai to Abu Dhabi is 1 hour. The period taken for me to travel from Dubai to New York is 50 hours. It is not a contradiction. Because both the things are different. So here again when Allah says about the affairs … of years to travel it’s a different time period. And for the Angels to go to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala)  it’s a different time period. It’s not a contradiction. They’re two different things therefore the time periods are different. So if you translate Day as 24 hours, then there’s a contradiction. If you translate day as a period, like Allah says that he has created the Universe in 6 days in 6 Ayaams it cannot be six 24 hours day. Then there’s a contradiction. It is 6 periods six epochs, we scientists don’t have any objection to. So here too Yaum is a period. And all these answers, you can go to my website irf.net, www.irf.net and InshaAllah most of these answers are there. Hope that answers the question. 

 

Rahul: Ok… So basically it refers to two different things. 

 

Dr. Zakir: that’s right. 

 

Rahul: Excellent! Ok.. And... And, and that word where... you’re saying there are two different words. One is Day in Arabic and other…

 

Dr.Zakir: No, Yaum has got 2 meanings, one meaning is 24 hours day, there’s an epoch or a period. 

 

Rahul:  and is this the word Yaum has been used in both the… 

 

Dr.Zakir: same, 100% same. 

 

Rahul: Same word has been used

 

Dr.Zakir: yes.

 

Rahul: to refer to a day 

 

Dr. Zakir: All the three which you have quoted Surah Hajj also, Surah Maarij also including when Allah says we’ve created the earth and the heaven in 6 days, the same Yaum is used but the plural is Ayaam. Same in Surah Fussilat Ch. No. 41, you might have forgotten reference, verse no. 9 to 12, the same Ayaam is used. 

 

Rahul: Right, so.. and that word can mean a day or, or it can mean a period

 

Dr. Zakir: but here it only means a period, an epoch. 

 

Rahul: Right, and.. and .. and a period can be, can be anything.

 

Dr. Zakir: period can be 1 hour, can be 10 hours, can be 10 years, 1000 years, 1 million years, 1 billion years. 

 

Rahul: and, and the two things are actually referring to two different things so….excelletn

 

Dr. Zakir: ya. That’s right. Hope that answers the question. Hope you’re convinced. 

 

Rahul: I am. I’m going at the back for my next turn. Thank you. 

 

Mohammad Naik: Thank you brother Rahul we await your turn as you come back again. The next question from the brother. If there are non Muslims present here who’d like to ask questions rest assured we value your doubts and we give full respect for them. You have full right to object have a cross fire with Dr. Zakir we would thank you for it. If you raise questions to put Dr. Zakir in the dock as they say, it becomes a more interesting session for everyone here to understand. That’s a pressing problem rather than have less pressing issues brought before. If there is no other… there’s a non Muslim brother? Yes brother Rahul.

 

Rahul: ya.

 

Mohammad Niak: brother that’s interesting to see you running all over and some people not coming up. Yes brother Rahul.

 

Rahul: Right. Okay. The next question which I have in mind is that aaa…. you said yesterday, you quoted a line that aaa… one of the commandments was said “you shall not make any resemblance of anything that is in the heaven above or in on earth or in the water beneath because I, your Lord, your God, is a jealous God” now aahhhmmm dd..do you really think that don’t.. I mean don’t you feel that it’s a bit petty for God to think jealously or be jealous of these things? I thought in my mind that these feelings are limited only to human beings. And God…

 

Dr. Zakir: the brother’s asked…

 

Rahul: And Egoism and jealousy I don’t think are things which, which can be attributed.

 

Dr. Zakir: Brother’s asked a very good question and I agree with you totally. Why should God be jealous? That is what is mentioned in the Bible. So I’m not saying… I didn’t write the Bible. Neither do I agree that everything in the Bible is the word of God. That’s what I’m telling you. 

 

Rahul: okay but we do believe. But we do believe that aaah we should not associate anything to God.

 

Dr. Zakir: that’s right so that part in that verse. 

 

Rahul: But why, why does God get annoyed  

 

Dr. Zakir: Brother, if you ask a question please after finishing the question let me give a reply.

 

Rahul: Sorry.

 

Dr. Zakir: if there’s a debate, we can have a debate, no problem, fine. 

Rahul: no no no, please 

 

Dr.Zakir: debate is a different thing. This is a question, answer time. 

 

Rahul: yes.

 

Dr. Zakir: you ask a question, wait for a reply. If I reply and you keep on interjecting not that I don’t mind but that becomes an individual dialogue which we can do some other time.

 

Rahul: no, I’m sorry. 

 

Dr. Zakir: fine? You asked a question, you asked a second question, I gave you time but then if we keep on talking it will be like a…

 

Rahul: ya, I, I understand.

 

Dr.Zakir: like a debate which we can do. There also, even in debate we have time. 15mins-15mins. You posed a very good question that I quoted a verse that saying that “Thou shall not have any graven image of anything in the heavens above, in the earth beneath and water beneath the earth. Thou shall not bow down to them nor serve them for I, thy Lord, thy God, is a jealous God” It was a quotation from the book of Exodus from the old testament Ch. No. 20 verse no. 3 to 5 and the book of Deuteronomy Ch. No. 5 verse no. 7 to 9. So this is the quotation of the Bible. I don’t consider the Bible completely to be the word of God. So the first part of the verse I agree it’s correct. Because God cannot have images but second part that God is jealous, I don’t agree with that..that particular portion. So that’s the reason that you’ve to ask to the Christian not to me. I’m not here to support everything of the Bible, what matched with the Qur’an, I will support. What doesn’t match, I will not support. Therefore I do agree with you that it is unlike God to be jealous on that thing. Hope that answers the question. 

 

Rahul: but we do, we do say that we should not associate anything to God. Yeah. And God.. this is the biggest sin which will never be forgiven. So, so we.

Dr. Zakir: yes, that was clarified yesterday brother. That was clarified yesterday that associating partners is the biggest sin. 

 

Dr. Mohammad: Thank you brother. Are there any Non- Muslims on any of the mics?

 

Questioner: This question is by a Hindu. As name’s given here is P Naidu. He says that Muslims are a bliss to mankind, what about non Muslims who by birth are not Muslims? What stage of life do they understand Islam? 

 

Dr. Zakir: Sister’s posed a question that according to a Hindu the Muslims are a blessing to Humanity, Alhamdulillah, Suma Alhamdulillah. But a non Muslim is not a Muslim by birth so at what stage of life do they understand Islam? Before I answer the question, I’d like to make a point very clear. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) said that every child is born in Deen-ul-fitr. Deen-ul-fitr means innate religion. Every child is born as a Muslim.. Later on he’s influenced by his parents, by his elders, by his teachers, he starts doing idol worship, fire worship and then he becomes a non Muslim..therefore according to Islam every child is born as a Muslim. That means he submits his will to God. Later on by external influence he may become a non Muslim…therefore when a non Muslim becomes a Muslim, convert is not the appropriate word. Convert means going from one track to the other track or going from one faith to the other faith. The right, appropriate, word is Revert. Revert means originally he was a Muslim; he becomes a non Muslim then comes back to Islam. So the right word is Revert. 

 

So every human being is born sinless. He’s born as a Muslim. Later on he goes to the wrong track…now coming to your question those who become non Muslim, not that they’re born non Muslim, everyone is born as a Muslim…those who become non Muslim by the influence of their parents etc. at what stage do they get the message? Different people get the messages at different stage, like a person who’s born as a Muslim if he’s born in a Muslim family he may get the message from day 1. He may be born in a Muslim family but they may not be practicing Islam so he may get later. Some may get Day 1 some may get after 1 year, some 2 years, some 5 years, some 10 years, whatever it is Allahu Alam. 

 

Some people are born in a non Muslim family they grow up, they may get the message in childhood may be in school, they may get in college, whatever it is, different people get at different times. But irrespective whether a Muslim gives him the message or not, 

 

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

 

“Sanureehim ayatina feeal-afaqi wafee anfusihim hattayatabayyana lahum annahu alhaqq” 

 

that 

 

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

 

So irrespective whether he gets the message from the Muslims or not, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) gives the message directly by showing his signs in the furthest of the horizons until it is clear to the human being. I may give a message the non Muslim may not understand when Allah gives the message He sees it that the message is clear to that non Muslim. Until he realizes that this is the truth. This is the Haqq. Later on after he gets the Haqq. He may agree he may not agree. For his ulterior reasons. For his ulterior motives, for his personal reasons. Now before he dies, InshaAllah, Allah will give the message. Now, when? Which year? Allah knows best. But before he dies. So on the Day of judgment, therefore the Qur’an says that those who reject the Faith they will never complain to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala)  that I didn’t get the message why are you putting me in hell? They’ll only say please forgive us. We are at fault. Because they know that they’d got the message. But they did not accept it. They’ll only say to Allah that please give us one more chance. Allah will say its too late.  So Allah will surely give them the message before they die. Hope that answers the question. 

 

Mohammad Naik: Yes brother… 

 

Questioner: I’m Mahesh. It was an eloquent and scintillating talk today also. My question is In the holy Qur’an there’s a Surah…ahh.. by Prophet Muhammad, Dhahaba Al Zama. He says the thirst is gone after breaking the fast he says thirst is God and veins are flowing with blood. Can you throw light on that?

 

Dr. Zakir: What the brother, MashaAllah, has requested the translation of the Dua which we break our fast with. And I appreciate the brother that, MashaAllah, he’s coming and he’s trying to the understand the religion of Peace, the religion of truth. And again I pray to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) to give him Hidayah. The brother’s asked that what does it mean, the dua, when we break the fast. That when we break the fast we pray to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala)  that the thirst is gone and the veins have been vanquished. That before we break the fast we make dua to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala)  that when we are breaking the fast we are praying that the thirst is gone and we are having the food and the water and we are praying to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) that we were able to complete the fast and now the time of breaking the fast is there and now our thirst is going to be vanquished and our hunger is going to vanquish so that is the Dua. Saying that now that our thirst will go away by the breaking of the fast. This is the dua which we do before breaking the fast. Hope that answers the question. 

 

Mohammad Naik: yes brother… 

 

Questioner: My name is Devashish Ganguly I’m an engineer by profession and a free lancer journalist. Presently I’m reporting this for a paper. I would like to ask you with a question and answer session. My first question to you ‘Are you proud of your country?’

 

Dr. Zakir: Normally Journalists, they ask one question and after I give the reply, the second question is trapping. 

 

Questioner: Ah..ah..Sir..

 

Dr. Zakir: but, but, but.. but, but,…

 

Questioner: Sir let me…

 

Dr. Zakir: no, no please let me answer. 

 

Questioner: let me finish it. 

 

Dr. Zakir: please let me answer I know. 

 

Questioner: let me finish today’s allegation. 

 

Dr. Zakir: no, no.

 

Questioner: let us have this discussion free sense of mind.

 

Dr. Zakir: surely, surely. I’ll allow you

 

Questioner: thank you. 

 

Dr. Zakir: I’m, I’m not blaming you. I’m telling most of the Journalists. I’m not saying you’re in the same category. You may, you may not be. 

 

Questioner: Already, already you’ve said it. 

 

Dr. Zakir: See, most of the journalists… see, normally… see, one thing is brother I’m in the field, if a person wants to ask only one question he asks and goes away. If he has two questions; see, this is logic; and he’s waiting for the first answer and after I give the first answer the second question is trapping. If you put both the questions together then the trap will not be there but for me no problem. The answer is the same. Whatever your second question is I’m proud of my country India!

 

Questioner: That’s great.

 

Dr Zakir: It is one of the few countries in the world which gives the right for the citizen of India to preach, propagate his religion and practice. I’m proud of m country. 

 

Questioner: you have answered my second question. 

 

Dr. Zakir: I’m proud in many ways. 

 

Questioner: you have answered my second question. Thanks.

 

Mohammad Naik: Thank you. Can we have the next question from the sister?

 

Questioner: This is another question by a non Muslim. Hema Khattar, Usman, she writes ‘you said there are some sheeps in Muslim community doing wrong things which media is propagating. Aren’t these Muslims giving media a chance by doing it in the name of religion which misleads non Muslims? 

 

Dr Zakir: The question posed by the non Muslim is a very good question that there are some Muslims who are black sheeps in the community, aren’t these Muslims giving a chance to the media to propagate wrong things about Islam. 

 

These black sheep Muslims aren’t actually Muslims. A Muslim will never do things which are wrong. A Muslim by definition means that a person who submits his will to All Mighty God. Now these people who are Black Sheep they are sudo Muslims. Their name may be Mohammad, Zakir, Abdullah, Sultan, whatever it is. By name you don’t become a Muslim. You become a Muslim by deeds. When you submit your will to Allah, you become a Muslim. So these people are actually not true Muslims but they have Muslim names. So they aren’t bothered whether they are giving a chance to the media or not because thay aren’t bothered about the religion. Because they’re not bothered about the religion but.. See, they are not bothered so they’re least bothered what’s happening. But I’m blaming the media why is the media picking up the minority? If majority of the Muslims are doing this and then you blame the religion then I’ve got no problem. But they are picking up this minority. Imagine, if I tell you that Hitler incinerated 6 million Jews. Can I blame Christianity for that? If Hitler incinerated 6 million Jews. Killed 6 million Jews, can I blame Christianity for that? No, because no where does the Bible say that you’ve to kill and incinerate 6 million Jews. It will be devilish on my part. So therefore I am blaming the media more rather than these black sheep. 

 

They’re black sheep they are going to be in every community. And I even speak against the black sheep in many of my lectures. But the media is suppose to portray a picture which is true. They can’t pick up black sheep and portray as though they are exemplary Muslims! Or they should say ‘okay this Muslim has robbed he’s only 1 or 5 or 10 amongst 1 billion Muslims’ I’ve got no problem. They portray as though every Muslim is doing something wrong. If one Muslim is caught in drugs as though majority of the Muslims deal in drugs. So this is what the media portrays which I object to. The media should portray a fair picture. That’s what I want. Hope that answers the question. 

 

Mohammad Naik: Yes brother…

 

Questioner: Dr. Zakir Naik, Congratulations and best of luck for starting Peace TV. I request all the audience to give him a big clap. My question is ‘why is it imperative to circumcise in Islam?’

 

Dr. Zakir: The brother’s posed a question ‘is it imperative, is it compulsory to circumcise in Islam?’ Is it Fard?   Brother it’s not Fard in Islam. It is a Sunnah. It’s Sunnate mokeda, highly recommended Sunnah. It is Mustahab. It is Mustahab in Islam to circumcise. It is not a Fard but there are various reasons for that. I being a medical Doctor, you can give a talk only on why circumcision should be done? But it’s a question answer time. I’ll just give you a few points. 

 

Today science tells us that if a man is circumcised he has less chances of having Carcinoma of the penis, of having Caner of the penis. Less chances, negligible chances. If you are not circumcised there are chances. There are various diseases which can be prevented if a man is circumcised. In circumcision we cut the prepuce, the fore skin of the organ, of the penis and here, we realize that when a normal person goes for the call of nature, when he after urinates, there are droplets of the urine remaining in the prepuce, in the foreskin. This causes various diseases. It can cause itching, it can cause inflammation of the skin, it can cause Prepucitlous, many things. So all these diseases are prevented if you are circumcised. And beyond that when we go for the call of nature we even put water. Which prevents it further. A person today science tells us, he enjoys his sexual life more if he’s circumcised than non circumcised. Futher more, the chances of various other irritation of the skin is not there if you’re circumcised. Today, latest research tells us that a man who is circumcised has less chances of having AIDS. The virus of AIDS can spread faster if you are non circumcised there are various list of diseases which are prevented. That’s the reason today in America more than 50% of the boys, after they are born, they’re circumcised. They aren’t Muslims...even the Christians in America, the doctor asks the parents. Do you want your son to be circumcised? And more than 50% of them are circumcised not because Islam says that, because they know it is a benefit for their son. Hope that answers the question. 

 

Mohammad Naik: yes brother… 

 

Questioner: Assalamu Alaiklum! My name is Imran Mohammad. I’m an IT manager. My question is regarding the media and conspiracy theories. How should a Muslim respond to conspiracy theories such as America’s trying to take over the world, suppressing Islam, etc. etc. All too after finding Muslims who are not educated in Islam correctly. Dive into the conspiracy series more than the knowledge we should be acquiring. How should a Muslim respond to these conspiracy theories?

Dr. Zakir: The brother has asked a question that how should a Muslim respond to the conspiracy theory by the Americans etc. against Islam and we don’t have our own knowledge. What should we do? Brother the first thing we should do is we should know our Deen. Unfortunately, most of the Muslims don’t know their own religion. That’s the reason we are in this problem. If you know Deen very well this media would not have a chance to say what its saying. Unfortunately, we ourselves don’t know our Deen and that’s the reason when the media says many things, we Muslims become apologetic, we tend to agree. I’ll just give you an example.

                                                                                    

There was a very good pious Muslim, mashaAllah he comes and tells me that Brother Zakir do you know these Talibans they are very ruthless people, bad people. I said WHY? What happened? Because they beat the women. I said who told you? I saw it with my own eyes. Where did you see it? He saw it on BBC. See I’m not here to defend the Taliban. They’re not my friends neither are they my enemies. I haven’t met them. I’m not to defend them. But when I keep on traveling. I meet people. I was in Malaysia giving a talk. And there was a couple, both of them were doctors. There was a Gynecologist & a Pediatrician, both of them were doctors. They spent more than a month in Afghanistan. Trying to help the injured people. And that lady doctor, she told me they shot they show on the television Taliban hitting the women, they aren’t Taliban. I said how do you know? She said, see because I’ve been with the Talibans, I know how they tie their turban, for example we as non Arabs we will not find a difference between the way the Gatra is tied of the Arabs. But Arab knows the way an emirate ties a Gatra is different. The way a Saudi ties Gatra is different, the way a Kuwaiti ties is different. They know, we don’t know. So she being with Taliban she knows the way the turban is tied in that shot it can’t be a Taliban. So even the shooting they did in Hollywood, where they did I don’t know. They didn’t do a good job.

 

The media can change anything. For e.g. If I ask you that how is Georg Bush? Is he good or bad? You’ll say he’s not good, For example, I will chop off the ‘not’ and it’ll sound “ George Bush is Good” when I show you your own recording you’ll say by slip of the tongue I said he’s good. Actually you didn’t say that. You said he’s not good. I chopped off the not. I show you see this is, brother, you’ve said he’s good. So you’ll say okay it was a slip of the tongue. It wasn’t a slip of the tongue; you wanted to say he’s not good. I chopped off the not and it sounds like he’s good. So this is the media plays games. So we as Muslims what we should do that we should know our religion very well. We should know our Deen very well. And when anyone replies we should not be swayed by how they portray Islam. And to judge Islam we should go to the authentic sources the Qur’an and the Sahih Hadith. We should not look at what Muslims do or what the Muslim society does. To judge Islam I’m not going to judge Islam by what in India are doing or Pakistan or Taliban or Saudi. I’m going to judge Islam based on the authentic sources, the Qur’an and the Sahih Hadith. So this strategy we use. And when the media potrays something, we should know how to turn the tables over. 

 

See not the person was going to ask 2 questions he only asked one question. Why because my first answer only…. Was a thing he didn’t expect He didn’t expect me to say that I’m proud of my country. He thought I’ll say I’m not proud of my country. I’m really proud of my country not that I’m telling a lie. I’m proud of India and that is the battle field. Where a Mujahid, Jihad, Jihad means striving, you know by my name Naik. In Sanskrit Naik means a warrior, a Hero. So by name I’m a Mujahid. I have to be in the battle field. I’ve to do my job therefore I want to live in Bombay. People say come here, come there. People are giving me, they’re giving me offers to stay in different countries. Your life is in danger. I have to be in the battlefield. That’s my battlefield. I love my country for many reasons, for many reasons, Alhumdulillah. And I’m proud of that. So therefore a Muslim should be trained in the media when they reply to turn the tables over. Hope that answers the question. 

 

Questioner: JazakAllah!

 

Mohammad Naik: yes sister…

 

Questioner: Assalamu Alaikum Dr. Naik! Since I’m in the media, I think, this is a very relevant question which, at times, has come across my mind. I’m the editor of a Trade Journal in Dubai. This is pertaining actually to the Al Qaida organization & Osama Bin Laden. All of us know that when he was fighting the Russians and he was fighting communism and what they did in Afghanistan he was the hero of the masses. Now, many years down the line, this particular hero has turned into a monster. We are all aware of that. Now my particular statement is this, journalism is suppose to be objective. It is just suppose to see, report what you see. You’re not suppose to infer anything, you’re not suppose to come to any conclusion while reporting. And here the western media they’ve created the rules & they’re breaking the rules. This is exactly what is happening and rest of your lecture of theses… during these 2-3 hours was exactly the same. They change the rules and play with the rules. How can we as Muslims… as peace loving Muslims draw the attention of the world. To this thing which is happening? Like for example let me give you something all the ills of the world, al the violence is blamed on Al Qaida and we have heads of state giving irresponsible statements like such & such a thing its by Al-Qaida. How do you thing as peace loving Muslims we counter act something which we see as which is not. I’m again talking about the rules of Journalism, there is inference, there’s opinion. These things should be separate but they’re being mixed in the news and been given to us. There’re being dished out on a platter to for the world exactly to believe what they believe & that Islam is a terrorist religion. Do we have some certain hadith or do we have some guidelines to show us the road & to show us the path? As to what to do now.

 

Dr. Zakir: The sister’s asked a very good question. She’s in the field of journalism and she said that previously Osama Bin Laden when he fought with Russia he was a Hero and Osama Bin Laden was created by the Americans and later on when he goes against the Americans he’s called as a terrorist. And as she rightly said in the rules of journalism they’ve to report objectively and they should not give the opinion. The inference is supposed to be given by the readers, not by the journalists. This is the rule but rules are made to be broken. In America freedom of speech, freedom of speech, according to me the least freedom of speech is in America. Freedom of speech, you can speak as long as it doesn’t hurt them. If you don’t speak against me, you can speak what you want. But if you against my interest then may be the CIA will catch you. So according to me its only a big fask, it’s a hog wash freedom of speech. 

 

Regarding your question, how should you respond regarding Osama Bin Laden. Is there any hadith, etc. and I was asked this question in Australia couple of years back. Counsel General of USA, to Perth, asked me the first question. I gave a talk on Terrorism & Jihad. He asked me “Brother Zakir, do you agree that Osama Bin Laden is a terrorist?” He asked me. First question. So I told to the Counselor General as far as Osama Bin Laden is concerned I haven’t met him, I don’t know him, I’m neither his friend neither am I his enemy. I don’t know. I cannot base my judgment on what I see on the news channels on BBC, CNN. 

 

Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Hujuraat Ch. No. 49 verse no. 6 that whenever you get an information check it up before you pass it on to the third person. So what they show on the media on CNN & BBC, I cannot base my judgment on what I see on CNN, BBC because I know it is manipulated unless its confirmed what they show is the truth. And when Yvonne Ridley when she came from Afghanistan she was asked what is your opinion about Al Qaida you know what she said I doubt whether Al Qaida exists. So if you’re going to base on what they show about Osama Bin Laden on CCN & BBC, I cannot give my judgment, Allahu Alam what is he. But CNN it is controlled by America, I come to know from there that they have killed thousands of Afghanis. They’ve attacked Iraq from their very channel. If the person owns the channel, what he shows & he’s proud of it. It is confirmed what he has done is there. So if you ask me who is terrorist no.1? According to me it is George Bush.

This I’ve mentioned & it came as headlines in the statement that Dr Zakir Naik says  He’s a fundamentalists & he calls George Bush as Terrorist no. 1. Headlines in the papers of Australia. 

 

Do you know that there was a survey done recently? Recently there was a survey done in the new state of Chicago, they did a survey and they gave names of 3 people, 3 people, no. 1 Osama Bin Laden, no. 2 Saddam Hussain, no. 3. George Bush. And they did a survey in different countries, different cities, different states that who do you consider, among the Muslims & non Muslims together even non- Muslims. Who do you consider terrorist no. 1? The answer was the same, the answer was common. It was George Bush. The lowest percentage was 74%. 74% of the people said George Bush was no. 1 & the highest was 78% said that George Bush according to them was terrorist no. 1. not me, fine, may be I was the one of the few people who was vocal. People normally get scared to speak. 

 

Regarding the Hadith. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) said that 

 

“if you see something wrong stop it with your hand if you cannot stop it with your hand, 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 you will be the lowest level of Momin” 

 

So I’m very vocal. I speak the truth. Those people whom Allah has given the power to stop with their hands & if they don’t stop, Allah will question them. Atleast Allah has given me the power to speak so I’m speaking at least. I’ve said the same thing in UK in front of the Chief of the police, in front of the mayor, I’ve said in USA, I’ve said in Australia, I’ve said in Malaysia but I say it with Hiqma, with Hiqma. with Hiqma, I say it. So if Allah has given the power to speak if I try & say oh I don’t… Allah will take away this power. Allah will take away the power of mine to speak. The least you can do is curse in your heart & today the non Muslims are saying, leave aside Zakir Naik, the majority of the non Muslims today, according to a survey done by University of Chicago in USA they say that George Bush is no. 1 and if you go on the internet there are statements I’m not saying right or wrong they say that what happened on 11^th of September it was an inside job. Some of the theories say that George Bush did it himself. 

 

Regarding your question, how should the Muslims behave? See what happened after 7^th of July in London. There was a bomb blast all the Muslims, most of the Muslims scholars in U.S.A. they got together and they condemned it. In UK they did the same, I wouldn’t like to name them, I know many of them. They condemned what happened on 11^th September in New York it is Haram it is wrong, we condemn it. What happened on 7^th of July in London more than 50 people died on 11^th September more than 3000 people died. We condemn it. Full stop. See what they said is right, I don’t disagree. 

 

Qur’an clearly says in Surah Maidah ch. 5 verse no. 32 

 

“If anyone kills any other human being unless it be for Murder or for creating mischief in the land it is as though he’s killed the whole of humanity.”

 

I also too condemn if more than 3000 innocent people have died in your World Trade Centre on the 11^th of September it has to be condemned, if more than 50 innocent people died in London, it has to be condemned but you don’t put a full stop.

 

I also condemn that thousands of people that have died in Afghanistan have to be condemned. The thousands of people that died in Iraq have to be condemned, the thousands of people that have been butchered in Bosnia have to be condemned, the people that have been killed in the land of Palestine have to be condemned. Why are we afraid? But when I ask the American he tells me no, you know, America is a different if we speak too much we’ll have a problem. I said why? America is a country of freedom of speech. What are you afraid of? I speak in India people who know Bombay, the situation of Bombay is very bad. Atleast in America & London you can speak & get through, you know, people say that Zakir, don’t you get death threats? This is part & parcel of my profession, its part & parcel of my profession. Didn’t the Prophets get death threats? We’re following in the footsteps of the Prophets. Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) is there to protect us. But speak the truth but speak with Hiqma. So if we’ve to speak if we condemn, we condemn killing innocent people is wrong. We agree, what happened when more than 3000 people on 11^th September was killed is wrong. We condemn what happened in London is wrong. But we also condemn the other atrocities done. 

 

When a person straps a bomb and blows himself up &kills 20, 30 innocent people he’s called as a terrorist. But when a person throws a bomb from a plane & kills thousands of Afghanis he’s called as a brave American solider. What bravery is it. In Hindi we say ‘Chudiyan pehni hui hai’. What bravery is it? From top you’re putting bombs. That also which blows into another 50 bombs. So we should know that Islam is the religion of truth. 

 

And I started my talk & I end this answer also with the same quotation o Surah Isra Ch. 17 verse no. 81 which says 

 

“Waqul jaa alhaqqu wazahaqa albatilu inna albatila kana zahooqa”

 

“When Truth is hurled against falsehood, falsehood perishes, for falsehood by its nature bound to perish” 

 

Questioner: JazakAllahu Khair.

 

Mohammad Niak: We continue on with the session the Fire of Faith igniting the same fires in you. The next question from the brother on my left. 

 

Questioner: My name is Noman. I work in the field of internet travel & marketing. My question revolves around the strongest form of Media today is movies. Movies originating from Hollywood, Bollywood, Lollywood & probably now Dollywood in Dubai. Fortunately for their benefit it gets the message across in many forms. Passion of the Christ was one form that related a story about Jesus Christ the script was in Hebrew, I wanted to first ask how much of that was in line with what Christianity preaches & how much we can relate to Qur’an as well. Obviously there is some deviations as well. But again the masses took that understanding & absorbed it. And that’s what their understanding is. So my second part to my question is how can we use the media in the form of movies to effectively communicate the message of Islam like it was done in the form of the first movie called The Message. From which I understood a lot of people converted to Islam after watching that movie. JazakAllah. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Brother’s asked a question that movies do play an important role in creating opinions and conveying the message. Hollywood, Bollywood & now you have Dollywood. Dollywood a new word that’s come Dubai Media City. And he gave the example of Passion of Christ and what are my views on such movies? Brother, I haven’t seen that movie Passion of Christ though I wanted to see it. I haven’t seen that movie. Normally I don’t see movies but this being a particular movie I wanted to see it. But I read reports that after this movie was made by Mel Gibson the way he portrays & he kept it in the original language. There were a lot of criticism and the way he created it. And which was slightly against the Jewish lobby. Because of that there was a hue & cry but it also became popular in the negative sense. When you speak something negative it became a box office. So there it did break the records. He was walking on the edge of the swords. He invested so much money if it went a flop he would lose millions of dollars. It went a hit. And it had many things which were right, many things would agree with the Islamic point of view, many would not agree with the Islamic point of view. 

 

As far as your second question is concerned on Message and I’ve seen that movie Message made by Mustafa Akkad. And Anthony Quinn was acting as Hamza, may Allah be pleased with him. The way the movie was made it was excellent, I really appreciated. One of the best movies on Islamic lines I would say is the message. 

 

Alhumdulillah without showing the hero, without showing Muhammad (Subhanahu wa ta’ala), without showing his picture, without showing his voice, Alhumdulillah. The whole picture was revolving around the hero, Prophet Muhammad (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) without showing his picture, without his voice, once they show his camel & his staff and that’s it. But the way the angle of the camera was that to show that the Prophet did not like he turned his face away the angle of the camera changes. So the direction was superb. It was a masterpiece. And we do require such more movies but the budgets of this movies are big. It turns into millions of dollars, millions of dollars so the budget is there but it did make a lot of money. Mustafa Akkad then he made another film called as Umar Mukhtar talking about not 100% Islam but talking but talking about a Muslim which also did create a box office and all.

 

 We do require such movies but we see to it that whatever you create it should be on lines on Islam, Qur’an and Shariah. There were some things which I don’t agree everything of Message is right. As a whole it was good. There were things which were wrong also in the Message movie but as a whole it was good. As a whole it was good. What we’ve to do that we’ve to create on lines of the Islamic Shariah without breaking any laws of the Qur’an & the Sahih hadith. And potray it in a way. Same way not only movies we have to make docudramas, we have to make serials, we’ve to make documentaries because in the media it is a white elephant, white elephant, you know, if you know about ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’, it was a copy of ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’ on an average they spent 1 million dollar, more than 4 corer rupees only on 1 episode. 1 episode only, 45 to 50 minutes, in Bombay where labor is cheap but Amitabh Bachan is expensive. 

 

So the thing is that the budget is there. Surely those people who are philanthropist who would like to sponsor such, they should sponsor such films & make such films so that we can convey the message but I yet believe 

 

“Wamakaroo wamakara Allahu waAllahu khayru almakireena”

 

The new movie that has been made The Kingdom of Heaven it was made by a very famous director and he portrayed incidents how the crusaders attacked and they killed thousands of people and then Salahuddin, the hero, he comes, and he’s showed as a hero. There was a big hew & cry in the western media that how could he make such a film. He’s a Christian he only portrayed what was fact in history but it did not go down the throat of westerners. There was a big hew & cry. But because the person was a very famous director, Alhumdulillah, it did not do much damage. But if a non Muslim makes such films like Kingdom Of Heaven, that film also I did not see but I read the reports that it did a marvelous job. It did convey the true picture to a great extent so such films should be encouraged. Hope that answers the question. 

 

Mohammad Naik: Yes brother. 

 

Questioner: Assalamu Alaikum! My name is Aminullah Sheriff. I’m an accountant by profession and I’m proud to say that I come from your nation, from India. Your lecture on Jihaad was very impressive & very educative. My question is most of us, I’m sure here, feel or are under an impression that Osama Bin Laden is doing Jihaad. Now most of my colleagues in my office or back home they ask me that is he doing Jihaad? Now we are lost like we don’t know how to convince them. My second question is if it is not jihad what do we call this activity? As per Islam.

 

Dr Zakir: Brother’s…  brother’s asked a question Is Osama Bin Laden doing Jihaad. Brother I haven’t met Osama Bin Laden. I don’t know him personally. I cannot base my views on what I see on CNN & BBC. Therefore I will not comment. Because I haven’t met him. Many news I know, though I don’t meet the person, I haven’t met George Bush but because it is shown on CNN I can judge as an intelligent person that what he’s doing, what they’re showing is correct. But I can tell you, I’m doing Jihaad. Alhumdulillah, I’m doing Jihaad, I’m striving. I’m striving in the way of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala). Jihaad means to strive, to struggle. And that’s what I told to American police also. I’m doing Jihaad, I’m striving & struggling. What he’s doing I don’t know. I haven’t met him. And neither will Allah question you on the Day of Judgment that did Osama Bin Laden do Jihaad or not? 

 

Questioner: Thank you very much.

 

Mohammad Naik: Yes sister.

 

Questioner: Assalamu Alaikum! I’m speaking on behalf of my parents my question is that.. ah… what is your advice to the Arab world to help the Muslim media especially in India?

 

Dr. Zakir: The question posed by the young brother asked on behalf of the parent that what is my advice to the Arab world as far as helping Muslims in particular in India is concerned. 

 

See depending upon time, times keep on changing a few decades earlier the Arabs came to India to do business. India was on top of the world. And MashaAllah, many of us Indians when they gave Zakaat it even helped many of the Arabs in their country. Now Allah has give the black gold to the Arabs, MashaAllah, now they are rich and now that we find that the Indians come to the Arab world to do jobs, to do business. Coming to Dubai, coming to Saudi, Alhamdulillah. The thing is that as far as my advice is concerned that as far as the Muslims are concerned I feel what I said earlier that it‘s the duty of every Muslim to convey the message. And more facility Allah has given you, Allah will question you more. On the Day of Judgment, it’ll be asked that the wealth Allah gave you what have you done with it? So my advice is the more facility Allah has given you Allah has made you the torch bearer, has given you the black gold. So you have to utilize this for the spread of Islam not only in India, Alhumdulillah In India  there is no problem MashaAllah, but there are people, Indians MashaAllah, India has got problems I’m not saying no. but Alhumdulillah, we can take care of ourselves. There are people who do require, there are Orphans in India, Orphans living in other parts of the world. And people are supporting them Alhumdulillah there’s no problem at all but generally as a general answer as far as the Arabs are concerned because Allah has given them black gold they should see to it that they spread the message of Truth.

 

Personally I know many Arabs with their pocket money they can open 5 to 10 channels, with their pocket money, 5 to 10 channels. Allah has given them the wealth. So surely my request to them is that they utilize the Niyama Allah has given for the good things, for the spread of the Deen so that it will benefit them in the Aakhirah. It will not benefit Islam. Islam does not require you & me. It is for their own benefit. Allah says I the Qur’an, Allah does not require you but you require Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala). So surely on the day of Judgment it will help them to enter Jannah. 

 

Mohammad Naik: The next question. 

 

Questioner: Hello Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rehamatullahi ta’la Wa Barkathu! I’m Nawaz Ahmad, I’m working Al Kauda trading not Al Qaida, Al Kauda trading, sales man. Now music is Haraam. Everybody Muslims know. My question is now you’re starting Peace TV, Alhumdulillah. Media’s very important advertisement. Advertisement music is Haraam or Halaaal? 

 

Dr. Zakir: Brother’s asked that all the Muslims know that the Music is Haraam but when we start a channel there will be advertisement. So in advertisement Music is haraam or halaal. See what is Haraam is Haraam. If it’s Haraam in Saudi, its Haraam in UAE, it is Haraam in USA, Haraam in India also unless your life is in danger. like alcohol is Haraam but if your life is in danger, alcohol is the only drug that can save you that is the only exception to the rule, if your life is in danger. 

 

So here without advertisement InshaAllah, our channel won’t be in danger. See that’s why I said that running a channel is difficult, running a channel on Islamic lines is more difficult. Therefore I pray to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) that may he keep us on the Hidaaya. If it cannot run on Islamic lines, we’ll close the channel, InshaAllah. If we cannot run it on Islamic lines we’ll close the channel because being on the Islamic Shariah is more important than starting a channel. We should not compromise. We cannot reach to the truth with Haraam means. What is Haraam is Haraam. What we can do is we can substitute with Halaal. We can substitute with Halaal for example if the musical instruments are Haraam the Duff is allowed, we can use natural sounds like the gushing of water, like thunder, lighting, chirping of birds. If you see the programmes of IRF in the starting the effects are.. you will not find that music is missing though we don’t use music but the way it is presented with the natural sounds etc. Alhumdulillah. It has, if not equal someway close to the effect. But a good effect. It will not take you away from Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala), it’ll take you towards Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) so you can use natural sounds. And we will not aloe any adds which are Haraam, any adds which are haraam whether it be adds containing of Alcohol, whether adds of interest based companies or banks whether it be involving or exposing of women etc. Those who want to give Halaal ads with Halaal means, they’re most welcome otherwise we don’t require them. We require the help of Allah which is more important. Hope that answers the question. 

 

Mohammad: Yes brother. 

 

Questioner (Rahul): hi! Just one more Question in the Qur’an 96 Ch. No. 2 it says… created man out of a mere clot of congenial blood. I was listening to the Hindi translation, Urdu translation of this as well a few days ago and it did say that ‘khoon ki boondh se’… I don’t ... us se banaya. Now we know that this, this is common knowledge now that we’re actually not born from a drop of blood, it’s a drop of semen so I do see a translation of another verse it says ‘then fashioned we the drop in brackets semen a clot of congealed blood then fashioned we the clot a little lump so that means it puts the blood in the second stage but I .. I don’t think blood comes towards the later stages of…  you being  a doctor can you probably throw more light. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Sure. Verily, you’ve asked the right person. Qur’an says in Surah Nahl ch. 16 verse 43 & Surah Ambiya Ch. 21 Verse no. 7 

 

“fas-aloo ahla azikri in kuntum la ta’lamoona” 

“If you don’t know ask the person who knows.”

 

I’m not very knowledgeable but in these few things I’m knowledgeable, Alhamdulillah. I’m not a very knowledgeable person I’m just a student of comparative religion and I’m just a small Doctor, MBBS. 

 

But this is my field of specialty. This same argument was given by Dr. William Campbell. There’s a person by the name of Dr. William Campbell. Who’s a medical doctor & got a PHD in writing a book against the Qur’an. He wrote a book saying there are 30 scientific errors in the Qur’an. And for 8 years no Muslim replied so the American students they called me for a debate & I went to USA, In Chicago a few years back and we had a debate on the topic ‘The bible &  the Qur’an in the light of science’ and one of his arguments was the same what you posed that the first 2 verses of the Qur’an to be revealed of Surah Alaq or Surah Iqra Ch 96 verse no. 1 and 2 which says 

 

“Iqra bi-ismi rabbika allazee khalaqa Khalaqa al-insana min alaq”

“Read, recite or proclaim! In the Name of your Lord, Who created, who created man from a congenital clot of blood.”

 

He said that this verse is basically copied the Greek’s first thought that human beings are made from blood, it’s an old theory which is proved wrong. And I as a medical doctor know yes human beings are not made from blood so Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), he did a research. He copied from this Syrian; he copied from that Greek and a big list he made. Research… And he said see Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam), Nauzubillah, Prophet Muhammad he copied from the Syrian, from this guy, and he gave a big lineage where he got it from, his research. He has PHD he did. He’s a PHD doctor and a medical doctor. Then he further goes to say that all the translation you read. It says blood, blood, blood. But latest some of the Muslims translate Alaqa as a leech like substance, he knew it. Which you don’t know, he knew it. But in defense he’s saying we have to take the meaning what was at the time of revelation of the Qur’an. We can’t take a meaning which is understood today. At the time the Qur’an was revealed no one understood it as leech and he’s right. 

 

Therefore all the contemporary tafaasirs you read all say blood. None of them say Alaqa is leech like substance which we agree. Alaqa has got 3 meanings, a congenial clot of blood, something which clings, and a leech like substance. 

 

And Professor Keith Moore was shown this verse of the Qur’an he goes under a microscope he says I don’t know it looks like a leech. He observed the early stages of embryo in a micro scope and compared it with a photograph of a leech and he was shocked at the striking exact resemblance. So today’s medical science confirms that the embryo looks like a leech. But his argument is we’ve to take the meaning what was prevalent that time and not today. And he gives the example that Qur’an says & the Bible says don’t have pig but today in America pig also refers to a policeman. Would you say that the Qur’an says that don’t eat a policeman. And the people started to laugh. I couldn’t say anything because he was speaking. I’ve to follow the rule. But my turn came to speak and I said what Dr. William Campbell says is correct as far as the Bible is concerned because the Injeel was revealed only for that time & for those people so whatever meaning was relevant that time we have to take but the Qur’an was not revealed for the Muslims or the Arabs or only for that time. It was revealed for the whole of humanity until eternity so you have to take all the meanings from the time of revelation till the day of Judgement all the meanings should be taken into consideration. 

 

Can be 1 is correct can be all are correct. And this William Campbell he’s practiced in Morocco, he even knows Arabic as a language. So doctor, medical doctor, MD, I’m only MBBS, he’s better than me, MD. PHD in writing a book against the Qur’an, knows Arabic language, I don’t know Arabic as a language. So we had a debate so I said as far as the bible is concerned fine. Only the meaning where it is revealed has to be taken. For the Qur’an all the meanings. And what meaning is today he has no objection. Because Professor Keith Moore who’s one of the highest authority at time in the field of embryology he confirmed and wrote in his new edition that the embryo looks like a leech. So he cannot object. But we also know that the second meaning it clings. Something which clings is correct because the embryo clings to the uterine wall. 

 

The latest research also says that in the initial stages in the embryo the blood does not circulate so it looks like a congenial clot. So even the congenial clot is correct which science has testified today. What the Qur’an says that it made from a congenial clot by appearance it looks like a congenial clot by function it clings to the uterine wall and by shape it even looks like a leech so Alhumdulillah, all 3 are correct. Even congenial clot is correct, even something which clings as well as leech like substance. Hope that answers the question. 

 

Mohammad Naik: Yes sister.

 

Questioner: Assalamu Alaikum! Dr. Zakir. My name is Hema. I’m a revert to Islam. First of all I have been in Dubai for 18 years, it’ the first time that I have heard the true meaning of Jihaad. I mean I must say most of the Muslims don’t know, I’m sorry. My question is… is there a limit an upper limit or an extent mentioned in the Qur’an that you can go to in order to fulfill your Jihaad. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Sister MashaAllah has accepted Islam, the religion of peace & I welcome her and congratulate her. 

 

Questioner: Thank you. 

 

Dr. Zakir: And she agrees that she did not know the real meaning of Jihaad which she has come to know today, Alhumdulillah. She says that what is the upper limit that a person can go to fulfill the level of Jihaad. Sister the best Jihaad, the highest level is Jihaad against your own self Jihaad-fin-nafs, highest level. 

 

And you can go to any level which Qur’an gives permission. You should not break the Shariah…whatever you can go, the highest level but within the purview of the Islamic Shariah. You can’t go outside the purview of the Islamic Shariah. So the best Jihaad is Jihaad against your own Nafs. 

 

And for example, we have the example in the life of Muhammad SAW, Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam). You have the revelations at the time which was revealed during the time of Makkah called as Makki Surahs. We have the examples of Madni Surahs. The major difference is the Makki Surahs are more talking about Emaan & strengthening etc. and the Madni Surahs how to establish the Deen. Akametein Deen. About Jihaad. We know that in Madina when the Muslims became more powerful compared to before there was war, etc. talking about Jihaad etc. talking about the KQitaal, fighting of war but the Jihaad that was done at the time of Makkah when the Mushriks of Makkah when they tortured and killed many of the Muslims there were people who could fight. Like Hazrat Hamza, may Allah be pleased with him, Hazrat Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, they wanted to retaliate they were warriors but the Prophet said do Sabar….Sabar was the Jihaad. If you have the power to fight back & hit back it is good. You have the power to hit back & you are told to do Sabar and you don’t hit back that is the higher level of Jihaad. 

 

The people wanted to say who are these people killing my brother I want to fight back, I have the power, he was called as the lion of the dessert. People used to fear him but the Prophet said you have no permission. So his Jihaad was controlling himself, Sabar. So the Jihaad keeps on changing in different times. Jihaad sister doesn’t mean only going in the battle field. That is one type of Jihaad. 

 

And Hazrat Aisha (r.a.), the wife of the Prophet, she asked the Prophet that should we go for Jihaad? Talking about going to fight in war. Prophet said, it’s mentioned in Sahih Bhukhari Vol. no. 4, Hadith no. 2784, the Prophet said 

 

“the best Jihaad for you is to perform a perfect Hajj”

 

Hajj was the best Jihaad for Hazrat Ayesha (r.a.).

 

Another time its mentioned in Sahih Bukhari when a person asks the Prophet that should he go for Jihaad, talking about the Qitaal, fighting. The Prophet said “do you have parents, he said yes. The best Jihad for you is to serve your parents.” 

 

So the best Jihaad keeps on changing depending upon the situation. As the time its mentioned in Sunan Nasai the Prophet said “To speak a word of truth against a tyrant ruler is the best form of Jihad.” That doesn’t mean that for everyone serving the parents is the best form of Jihaad. Because the Prophet knew that his parents required him. So depending upon the time sister the best type of Jihad keeps on changing and what is the best level you can go, you can sacrifice whatever you can and during one of the Qitaals one of the Jihaad, Prophet asked the Sahabas, whatever maximum you can give, you give in charity for the Qitaal. 

 

And… very famous hadith Hazrat Umar (r.a.) he was a very rich, very rich person he was. He brought half the   wealth and he gave it to the Prophet and he said that MashaAllah I’ve given half my wealth and he thought that he was the highest indicating that he’ll get the best of reward, isn’t he the best. The Prophet replied Hazrat Abu Bakar, the first Caliph of Islam (r.a.) he gave his full wealth so he will get a better reward than Hazrat Umar. In terms of quantity, the wealth that Hazrat Abu Bakar (r.a.) gave was very less as compared to given by Hazrat Umar RA but the percentage he gave was 100% so the Sawaab that he will get will be much more than Hazrat Umar, may Allah be pleased with him. So he gave everything of his wealth he’ll get a better reward. So whatever permission Allah gives you in the Shariah you can go to that extent for performing Jihaad. Hope that answers the question. 

 

Questioner: Thank you.

 

Mohammad Naik: JazakAllah. Now I would ask the questioners to note. We’d have one question on the slip & one on the question mike. Again on the slip and again on the question mike and so on. The next question from the slip. From brother Rizwaan Ali Khan. Suicide Bombing in the light of Islam. How justifiable it is in Iraq or any part of the world? 

 

Dr. Zakir: As far as suicide bombing is concerned most of the well known scholars Sheikh Nasiruddin Albani, Sheikh Bin Baaz, Sheikh Uthaimee, all were 3 great scholars, may Allah have mercy on them, Rahimullah, that they have given the Fatwa that suicide bombing per se is Haraam. It is Haraam. But there are other scholars like Sheikh Safaral Hawaali, like Sheikh Salmaan Awda, they have different views but you should realize that the term suicide bombing per se, committing suicide in Islam is Haraam. There’s no two doubt about it. But as far as suicide bombing is concerned the scholars differ. What they say is that the word suicide is a misnomer.  It’s a misnomer. In suicide the person is fed up of his life and he wants to end his life. In this they say that it is a strategy of war. The main intention is to cause loss to the enemy and while doing that there are high chances that they will die. So therefore it is a strategy of war which scholars like Salman Awda say it is right but that doesn’t mean that any Muslim wakes up in the morning and ties a bomb and goes. Most of the scholars including Salman Awda, Safal Hawadi say it is Haraam

 

. Anyways suicide bombing as I mentioned in my talk it is alien to Islam. Its alien to Islam but there are some Muslims in Palestine or Iraq have done that. But they say that if it is used as a strategy as a last resort when many of the Muslims are being killed and they want to see to it that instead when they are alone, they will kill some other people and their main intention is to cause loss. as a strategy some of the scholars say that it can be used. And as I mentioned in my talk that in Iraq suicide bombing wasn’t there until USA came to Iraq. And according to Robot Pape, who is an expert on suicide bombing, he say most of the suicide bombing are done as a social cause, as a political cause against the military power to remove the military power from the country. So this is what is said by Robert Pape in his book Dying to Win. But even if you do you should see to it that these scholars who also give permission they say that it should be under guidance of a scholar under the guidance of a person based on Islamic Shariah. Normally should not kill any innocent human being, you can’t kill any innocent human being, its Haraam in Islam. According to Surah Maidah ch. 5 verse 32 taking all this into consideration in some cases, some scholars give permission it can be done. Hope that answers the question. 

 

Mohammad Naik: Yes brother.

 

Questioner: Assalamu Alaikum! Sir. My name is Mohammad Firasat.. Ah.. I have a question for you.. ah it’s a non Muslim question. Actually he’s Nastik. He won’t believe any religion. So he asked me the question. Ah.. who created the God? God created us and who created God? So how should I answer him?

 

Dr. Zakir: The brother has asked a question that a non Muslim atheist asked him a question who created God? The answer is that it is like my friend who’s name is John his brother Jack was admitted to the hospital, he tells me. Brother John tells me that my brother Jack was admitted to the hospital he gave birth to a child. Was the child a girl or a boy? Girl or a boy? Can you guess? 

 

Questioner: may be I don’t know.

 

Dr. Zakir: you don’t know. Girl or a boy? How can a man give birth to a child? Jack is a brother of brother John… admitted to the hospital… gave birth to a child… girl or a boy? The question is illogical. A man cannot give birth to a child similarly the definition of true God, Allah, is He’s uncreated. So the question that who created God is illogical. The moment I say so and so person created God, he’s not God. Walam yakun lahu kufuwan ahad There’s nothing like him. So the definition of God is He’s uncreated. So the question who created God is illogical, the moment I say who created God that thing cannot be God. God by definition is uncreated. He creates everything else like us. We are dependent on Him. He’s independent on anything. How to convince an atheist is you can refer to my video cassette ‘Is the Qur’an God’s word?’ Which gives this answer as well as how to convince an atheist about Islam, Is the Qur’an God’s word? Will deal in detail How to convince an atheist. 

 

Questioner: Thank you sir. Thank you.

 

Mohammad Naik: The next question on the slip “Did the media play any role against Muslims relating to September 11?”

 

Dr. Zakir: The question posed is did the media play any role against the Muslims regarding Sep 11. it is no hidden secret. The media says that there were about 13 or odd Arabs who went in a plane & crashed on the World Trade Centre. How they came to know? In the crash they found a passport. Imagine 2000 degrees centigrade. So the next joke was that next time the clothing of the American soldiers in the military should be made of that passport. Everything burns but the passport survives. 

 

Then the news tells us that this Muslim Arab he had gone to an alcoholic bar one day before boarding the plane. Imagine a human being wants to give up his life, he knows he’s going to die and he goes to an alcoholic bar, being a Muslim. Means where do they get the information from. It is nothing but to malign. And who did it? Osama Bin Laden did it. Imagine CIA which has a budget of Billions of Dollars a year, FBI billions of Dollars a year… even a bird cannot fly over the Pentagon without being noticed. And a plane comes and crashes in Pentagon. Later on they have various theories; I’m saying theories because we don’t know the fact. How did it happen? When they analyze the hole made in Pentagon they say “It cannot be made by an air plane” so all these are just to malign the Muslims. So the media is utilizing this. It’s a big, as some of the theories say, it was a inside job. The way the World Trade Centre collapsed it cant be a plane hitting. It was a inside job. Allahu Alam. But whatever happened, however much they try to attack Islam 

 

“Wamakaroo wamakara Allahu waAllahu khayru almakireena “

“They planned and plotted, Allah too planned. Allah is the best to plan.” 

 

And, Alhumdulillah, in spite of this, the media attacking Islam, yet today Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. Including America & Europe. 

 

Mohammad Naik: Yes sister. 

 

Questioner: Assalamu Alaikum! My name is Dr. Khan and I’d like to ask you that is it allowed in our religion for women to use media for the propagation of Islam because some of our scholar do not allow us to record audio cassettes & bring back home so that may be our husbands listen and all that. And is it allowed or not and how can we convince them? Thank you.

 

Dr. Zakir: The sister has asked a question that can Muslimahs, Muslim women, take part in media to convey the message or to fight against the evil etc. and according to some scholars they’ve given the Fatwa its Haraam. Sister certain things, surely is Halaal. You can write articles which no scholar will say its Haraam. You can write articles whether in the newspapers, whether on the Internet, surely certain things you can surely take part as far as the print media is concerned. 

 

As far as the audio media is concerned there are differences of opinion some scholars say yes some scholars say no. but normally the voice doesn’t come in the aura of the women. But natural, but normally to be effective you have to modulate your voice so if you take care that you unnecessarily don’t modulate, and don’t higgle & don’t haggle. And don’t do too much of laughing etc. most of the scholars say that it can be permitted. 

 

As far as coming on the television again difference of opinion is there that most of the scholars they say that women cannot come on the television. There are many scholars who say that if she is in proper Hijaab, she’s covering herself completely and only showing her face & hands up to the wrist as long as she’s not too much complacent in her voice and following the other rules of the Shariah, she can be permitted. But the majority of the scholars say no she can’t be allowed to come in front of the television because the Qur’an says in 

 

Surah Noor ch. No. 24 verse no. 30 

 

“Say to the believing man that he should lower his gaze and guard his modesty.”

 

So based on these verses and other hadith the scholars are divided but recently, last year the top Salaf scholars, Salafi scholars, like Sheikh Nassir Al Awwad, I was in Saudi Arabia and I was shocked that he also gave permission that a woman, if she’s properly dressed even though she’s not in Naqaab because Naqaab is not a Fard in Islam. Though some scholars say yes but according to Sheikh Naasiruddin Albani, etc. Naqaab covering the face is not a Fard in Islam. But today many scholars, not majority, yet they are few in numbers there are many percentage they are few. Good scholars had given the Fatwa like Sheikh Nassir Al Awwad in Saudi Arabia that because of the media we should permit women to come in the television. But even today the opinion is divided majority of the scholars today say that yet a woman should not come on the television because it would be against the verse of the Qur’an in Surah Noor ch. 24 v. 30 that a man is suppose to lower his gaze but if a woman is on the television there are na mehram watching the television so she cannot come. So the opinion is divided sister. Whichever you feel is more closer you can take your choice. Hope that answers your question.

 

Questioner: JazakAllah.

 

Mohammad Naik: The next question on the slip Brother Rehamatullah “what is my responsibility as an individual Muslim to prevent false propaganda of Islam by the media?”

 

Dr. Zakir: What is the responsibility as a Muslim for me to answer the false propaganda of the media is that you should be well versed or have knowledge of your Deen, Islam and reply to this don’t become apologetic as I mentioned in my talk, reply, be confident, be proud to be a Muslim. And see to it that you have knowledge that also you yourself are practicing Muslims. If you are not a practicing Muslim you are propagating wrong thing about Islam. So first you yourself practice what Islam has preached in the Qur’an & Sahih Ahadith. Ad whatever your non Muslim friends pose questions if you don’t know the answer Qur’an says ask the question who knows. Go to the internet, find the right answer or ask the person who is expert in the field and give the reply. Don’t be apologetic; be confident you’re a Muslim. And give a reply with Hiqma, with reason, logic & science based on Qur’an & Sahih haidth. Hope that answers the question.

 

Mohammad Naik: Yes brother.

 

Questioner: Assalamu Alaikum! My name is Shahid Khan and I’m a student. Ah.. first of all I’d like to congratulate Dr. Zakir Naik because not only the Muslims but everyone here is actually proud of you. So basically my question is recently in the Indian news channel there was a case like the daughter in law was raped by her father in law and it was a Muslim. So basically the Maulvis gave it like that she has to marry her father in law. And her husband is no more her husband. Do you have your say on that?

 

Dr. Naik: The brother again has picked up a very important issue of the media and people may be aware that a few months back there was girl by the name of Imrana, she was raped by her father in law and the Fatwa was given by the majority of the Indian scholar Aulmas and one Darul Uloom gave the Fatwa that because she was raped by the father in law she cannot go back to her husband she is haraam for her husband. Now the moment the media finds something which is interesting & that can malign Islam they pick it up and they blow it out of proportion as though there is nothing else in Islam but this issue.

 

So the Indian press what they did, most of the channels carried this news that the Aulmaas, the Shuyookhs, the Maulanas of Islam they say a girl, she’s raped by the father in law, she’s a victim but what does Islam say instead of supporting her now Islam is telling that she cannot go back to her husband, she’s Haraam for her husband. And they used this news and they blew it out of proportion even till this day today. Again, I always say that if you don’t know how to answer the media the people should be trained. And later on after a few weeks there were some other Muslim scholars they said no, no, no, she’s not Haraam for her husband she can go to her husband. Whoever has given Fatwa that she is Haraam for her husband is wrong. We are fighting like cats & dogs in front of the non Muslims. We are washing our dirty linen in public. 

 

The joke is that both the groups of scholars are quoting the same verse of the Qur’an to give their Fatwa. The group of scholars which says that she is haraam for the husband. 

 

They’re quoting a verse from the Qur’an Surah Nisa ch. No. 4 verse no. 22 which says that

 

“you cannot do Nikah with the   woman who your father has done Nikah with”. 

 

Now in Arabic nikah has got 2 meanings one meaning is marriage & the other meaning is sexual intercourse. And you ask any Arab who’s well verse with Arabic, he’ll tell you yes. Nikah has got 2 meanings one is marriage & other is sexual intercourse.

 

Now this first group of scholars which are in majority belonging to a group of Darul Uloom they take the meaning of Nikah as sexual inter course. So if you take the Nikah as sexual inter course the verse of the Qur’an says that you cannot have sexual intercourse with your sister, you cannot have sexual intercourse with your paternal aunty, with your maternal aunty, and you cannot have sexual intercourse with that woman who has had sexual intercourse with your father. So based on this they say that father did sexual intercourse with the woman now that woman cannot do sexual intercourse with the son therefore the husband becomes haraam. 

 

The other group is fighting no it is Nikah & we’re fighting like cats & dogs. We should use our Hiqmaa in rpelying.

 

Point no. 1 what happened with Imrana was not sexual intercourse, it was Zina bil Jabr, rape. There’s a difference between rape & sexual intercourse. And rape is not called Nikah in Arabic. Point no. 1. that answers no, no, no, you are playing with words. It is the same. No problem. See as I told you if someone says something wrong there’s a technique of debating. If someone says 2+2 is equal to 5. Instead of arguing I’ll say okay take 200 thousand drams, take 200 thousand drams now give me 500 thousand drams. He’ll say no, no, no. turn the tables over. So when I was asked this question I told that I agree with you for sake of argument that Nikah means sexual intercourse so the verse of the Qur’an would read that you cannot have sexual intercourse with your sister, with your paternal aunty, with your maternal aunty and with the woman who has had sexual intercourse with your father… that means Qur’an gives permission you can have sexual intercourse with your neighbor woman, with the woman on the street... they said no, no, no, I said why? If you mean Nikah means sexual intercourse so Qur’an says don’t do sexual intercourse with your sister, with your paternal aunty, maternal aunty & the woman whom your father had intercourse with but you can have sexual intercourse with the neighbor woman, with the woman on the street and the answer is no so the right meaning is Nikah means marriage which reads you cannot marry your sister, you cannot marry your paternal aunty, your maternal aunty and you cannot marry the woman that has married your father but surely you can marry the neighboring woman, you can marry the woman on the street so with Hiqma without fighting who is right you give this and no Ulelma will ever say that you can do sexual intercourse, Zina with the girl on the street. So use your Hiqma & the problem is solved. But unfortunately we are fighting like cats & dogs in front of the media & making a mockery of Islam. Hope that answers the question. 

 

Questioner: Thank you very much sir.

 

Mohammad Naik:  The next question we have from the brother on this mic. 

 

Questioner: Assalamu Alaikum!  My name is Samiullah Inayat. I’m a sales executive in an electrical company. Ah.. my question is normally the media is influenced by the state. The media is controlled by the state and especially in a Muslim country, I mean, in the middle east where the Arabs are there so how to… now what I have heard in the talk is generally it was for the general public but how the rulers of the state can improve the Muslim media in this level. 

 

Dr. Zakir: See, as I said in my talk that the Muslims have got media, not that they don’t have. But they are mainly concentrated on the Muslims themselves. In India we have urdu media read only by the Muslims. In Pakistan urdu media read by the Muslims. We have here Arabic media, Arabic channels are many, good & bad many. But they’re mainly focusing on the Arabs. That is fine if the channel is good in Arabic you should continue I’m not saying it is wrong. If it’s a good channel on the lines of the Shariah like Madad channel etc. they are good channels. That is not sufficient what I’m telling you should have a media in a language which is an international language so that you can change the view of the international people; you can change the view of the world. Only by telling that Muslims are good amongst the Arabs where most of them are Muslims its not something great. 

 

We should have a media in a language which is an international language. So my request is that fine you may be a ruler of an Arab country but why don’t you launch an English Islamic Channel which propagates the true teachings of Islam and it is shown through out the world. In America, in Europe, in Australia, in Middle East, in Asia. Why not? So that we can change the view and at the same time convey the message of Islam which is Fard on every Muslim. 

 

Questioner: Thank you.

 

Mohammad Naik: There’s a brother who asked on the slip his name is Kaisar Rehaman “In the 21^st century we have people from all over the world to earn their bread & butter from the Islamic World but tell us how we Muslims don’t have any media parallel to BBC & CNN? Why?

 

Dr. Zakir: I’ve given a full talk on Islam & Media and the person is asking me why. It is like the full story of Romeo & Juliet is over & you’re asking me Romeo was a girl or a boy. Brother the full talk I gave on Islam & Media why we don’t have it’s our fault. So the full talk was based on that. May be the question was written before my talk started. Therefore I prefer you know asking on the Mic. Many people have their question on their mind before & they write it down and irrespective what the talk is they give their question. So the full talk was based on that if you want to hear it again you can take the video cassette and see it as many times you want. 

 

Mohammad Naik: yess, 

 

Questioner: Assalamu Alaikum!  Dr.! My name is Hisham Jaffar Ali, I wanted to ask you if we are allowed to watch cartoons?

 

Someone from the Audience:  Excellent question!

 

Dr. Zakir: The brother’s asked a very good question on the topic that are we allowed to watch cartoons today the international survey they say the maximum damage that is done to any child is the satellite media on an average an American child sits 7 hours in front of the television more time than he goes to school. Most of the channels take him away from Islam including the cartoon channels, most of them. What you see there is so much of violence etc. so a person sees a violent movie regularly whether with it be a cartoon or other movies and he has a fight with his friend and he takes out the gun of his father & he kills his friend. 

 

In Bombay there was a serial for the children somewhat similar to cartoon, called as ShaktiMaan, somewhat similar to superman, so one young child he jumped from his house, in a tall building, thinking ShaktiMaan, superman will come & save him. No one comes & saves him & he dies. And when an interview was taken of that father he said I could not imagine my son would jump. May be tomorrow your son or my son will jump. Therefore the impact of the media is so great that it blinds the person & it causes maximum damage to the children that’s why we have started a school in Bombay by the name of Islamic International School one of the criteria to get admission is that you should not have a cable TV in your house. No satellite TV, it’s a shaitaan. It’s a shaitaan. So people ask me then how will we watch Peace TV? 

Point no. 1 by watching Peace TV if you’re allowing hundreds of Shaitaan channels to come in your house; don’t watch any that is better. Let a small loss take place to prevent a big loss but we have made provision that if we have a special dish and a decoder you can only watch Peace TV & no other channel. So we’ll see to it that’s available even in the Middle East by a dish, investment of few thousand rupees or a few hundred dirhams, you don’t have to pay monthly whatever fees that you are paying out here or 200, 250 rupees monthly. Invest few thousand and all the people in the building can watch. Have one decoder and it will only catch Peace TV & no other channel. What we have we can’t create a vacuum, this is Haraam, this is Haraam, there should be a substitute. So we tell the parents of our school don’t watch cable TV but we’ve got 5000 tapes on Islam & comparative religion everyday if you watch 1 for 3 hours it will take you more than 13 years to complete the library. So by the time your son passes the school, or your daughter passes the school, everyday if you watch 1 yet you cannot complete the library and the next 13 years we may have 1 more 5000 InshaAllah.

 

 In our Islamic Video Cassette library we have cartoons for children but they are on Islamic lines so surely my son, you can watch cartoons which are based on Islamic guide lines talking about the Qur’an talking about the Ahadith of the Prophet, various cartoons we have got. But these cartoons get you closer towards Islam not away from Islam otherwise the other cartoons like Tom & Jerry, Batman, Superman; they’ve got no moral value. They take you away from Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala), there is so much of violence. So we’ve got Islamic cartoons like Muslim Scouts and various other cartoons like Fathe Sultan which has a moral story & it gets a person towards Islam so my son if you want to watch cartoons, watch the Islamic cartoons which takes you towards the Islam but not those cartoons which take you away from Islam. Hope that answers the question.

 

Mohammad Naik: The next question on the slip from brother Mohammad Hussain Asadi. At the time of Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) when he was alone the Kaafirs and the propaganda turned in favour of Islam don’t you think this time also it will be the same?”

 

Dr. Naik: The question posed is that at the time of Prophet many people who did propaganda against Islam they turned in favour of Islam and that is what which we always want. I remember the second last time I was in UK I gave a talk on Terrorism & Jihad and similarly the question of Osama Bin Laden was there and I said that the reply which I gave here that the main person to be blamed is George Bush there was a youngster who got up from the audience and said “Death to George Bush” and people clapped. Now I as a Da’ee I’m trying to convince the non Muslims of UK with Hiqma and a youngster gets up from the audience and says “Death to George Bush” and believe me all my effect, gone down in vain. I’m a Da’ee. Everyone clapped, I got up & I told our beloved Prophet, there were 2 Umars who were very strongly against Islam and our Prophet prayed to Allah atleast give Hidaaya to one Umar & Umar bin Khataab RA he accepted Islam so we should pray to Allah that dive Hidaaya to George Bush. Why should we want death to George Bushif he’s a strong enemy of Islam, if Allah gives him Hidaaya he will fight in favour of Islam so we should pray that Yaa Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’la) give Hidaaya to George Bush, give guidance and when I make this statement no media can blame me what I’ve said is wrong. So you should answer with Hiqma and we pray to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’la) that he should give Hidaaya to such people. Aameen. 

 

Mohammad Naik: That’s winning over rather than defeating, the spirit of Islam. The next question from the brother on the left. 

 

Questioner: Assalam Wa Alaikum! Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu! My name is Khalid Hussain and I’m working as an electrical engineer in ETA Ascon group of companies. My question is does Islam permit media because during the time of Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) there was no any means of mass communication mentioned by you so could you please justify by quoting any of the Surahs or any Sahih hadith? Thank you. 

 

Dr. Zakir: The brother has posed a question that at the time of Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) there was no mass media so does Islam permit media can you quote the Qur’anic verse or hadith. Brother point to be noted as far as Ibadah is concerned what is mentioned is Fard. Is the law of the Shariah, in other things in the Maamlat in day to day life what is mentioned is Haram is Haram everything else is Halal. For E.g. Pork is Haraam, alcohol is haram, what is not mentioned is Halal. I’m asking you a question is there any Hadith or Qur’anic verse which says you can have mango? Is there any hadith? So will you say Mango is haraam? So in terms of worship what is mentioned is Fard, only do that nothing else. In terms of how to lead a life what is mentioned Haraam is Haraam, everything is Halal. So tomorrow you’ll ask me Brother Zakir why are you eating Mango? And I love Mango haan… Because I come from India. And I’m proud of my country & I’m proud of the mango of my country.

 

So first of all you should give me contrary proof that a hadith or a Quarnic verse saying media is haraam. Yet, yet, yet brother I will give you proof. Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam), what he did? He dictated letters to non Muslim kings, to the kings of Abyssinia, king of Yemen, of Persia, asking them quoting the verse of the

 

 Qur’an Surah Ali Imran ch. 3 verse no. 64 

“Qul ya ahla alkitab”

“Say, O People of the Book”

 

“Ta’alawila kalimatin sawa-in baynana wabaynakum”

“come to common terms as between us and you. 

 

which is the first term? 

 

“Allah na’buda illa Allaha wala nushrika bihishay-an” 

“that we associate no partners with him”. 

 

“wala yattakhiza ba’dunabadan arbaban min dooni Allahi”

“that we erect not among ourselves Lords & patrons other than Allah.” 

 

“fa-intawallaw”

“And if they turn back”

 

“faqooloo ishhadoo”

“See ye bear witness”

 

“bi-anna Muslimoon”

“that we are Muslims bowing our will to Allah.” 

 

he dictated letters & he send them on horses today it is Mercedes car or whatever you want to call, jet planes. In different directions asking them to accept Islam that was media that time. Imaging dictating letters, after dictating arranging horsemen to go in different directions. He utilized the media to the best of his ability what he had. Wallah, today if Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam)was alive, I feel he would have used the media to the best of his ability but within the purview of the Islamic Shariah. Not utilizing anything which is Haraam. Haraam things should not be used but what is Halaal like a knife can be used for good purpose and bad purpose, so knife per se is not Haraam so media per se is not Haraam though majority things on the media are Haraam. What we’ve to do is use it in a halaal way turn the tables over. Within the purview of the Islamic Shariah utilize it in a Halal way so atleast we can testify to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) that InshaAllah, we tried our little bit what we could to convey the message because our job is to convey the message. 

Allah says Fazakkir innama anta muzakkir our job is to deliver the message. Giving Hidaaya is in the hands of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) Hope that answers the question. 

 

Questioner: JazakAllah.

 

Mohammad Naik: The next question from Tanveer Khan For giving the answers to Hindus or to Non Muslim Media should we have to read Geeta, Bible Etc.?”

 

Dr. Zakir: The brother’s posed that to give the answer to the Hindu on the media should we read the Geeta or the Bible. It is not Fard in Islam it is Mustahab you can read because this is what Allah says the verse I quoted earlier, in the earlier answer Surah Ali Imran ch. 3 verse 64 says 

“ta’alawila kalimatin sawa-in baynana wabaynakum”  

“Come to common terms as between us & you”. 

 

Now how will we come to common terms if we don’t know what their scripture says. So in this context we should read the scriptures it is not Fard, I feel it is Mustahab. It is one of the strategies shown by Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) & our Prophet when our Prophet said “Baligo anni walau aaya”…. “Propagate even if you know one verse”. It is the hadith of Sahih Bukhari it continues & says there is no problem if you quote the scriptures of the Alhe Kitaab so quoting the scriptures of the other religion this is one of the techniques shown by our Prophet and mentioned in the Qur’an so if you can do this, it is the best but you need not become Hafiz of the Bible or Haafiz of the Veda or Haafiz of the Geeta you should know the verses which are important for doing Daw’ah. Should not waste your time doing Hifz, you can do Hifz of the Qur’an not waste your time & neither am I the Hafiz of the bible neither of the Qur’an. I’d like to be but I’m not. Neither of the Vedas , neither of the Bhagvad Geeta but I know those verses of the Veda which are required for Daw’ah. 

.

Those verses of the bible which are quoted by Christian missionaries so you think I know more than the Christian missionaries which InshaAllah, Alhumdulillah I know. But I’ve mastered this art which you know Sheikh Deedat, MashaAllah, he’s the person who inspired me. May Allah grant him Jannah. He was a great inspiration for thousands of youngsters including me. So the thing is that you need not waste time but you should know that portion which is required for Daw’ah & to convey to them the message of Islam that is Qur’an says which are similar things says ta’alawila kalimatin sawa-in baynana wabaynakum  If you do this, InshaAllah, it will help you to convey the message of Islam. 

 

Mohammad Niak: I understand there are lots & lots of questions but we have a time to keep a deadline to compete so we’ll just allow one or two questions. One question on the slip is from Shakeel Ahmed Please tell us all Muslims that what is the share to run a 24 hours Islamic channel we are ready to invest. 

 

Dr. Naik: Brother’s asked a question that what is the rate, what is the share & what to invest. Time didn’t permit me to speak about the God channel as I told you about the God channel I just told you in brief. This God channel is most popular among the Christian channels it publicizes that if you give one pound a year it will help in giving this message of God channel to 5 homes every year. That means if you give 20 pounds, the statement says it will go to 100 homes every year. If you give 200 pounds it will go to 1000 homes every year. If you give 1000 pounds, 5000 homes every year. This is how they are and God channel is minting money.

 

See as far as Peace TV is concerned there are many projects launched my Muslims that if you invest this much money you’ll get so much profit and you’ll get returns etc. as far as we are concerned it is not a commercial channel at all, our channel. Whatever you put in you’ll get your returns in Aakhira, InshaAllah. Multiple times, 

 

Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Baqrah ch. 2 verse 261 

 

“If you sow one grain in the way of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala), Allah will give you 7 ears, each ear bearing a 100 corn.”

 

That means 700 times profit. In business terminology 70,000% profit & Allah does not stop there He tells “He will give you multiple more” so whoever helps in this channel, InshaAllah, in the Aakhira he will get multiple times of reward. Whatever it is people are most welcome. Again, what Ajar you’ll get is not depending on how much you give. Its depending on how much percentage you give. So a rich man gives me a lot of money 100 thousand dollars, a million dollars but a poor man gives 100 thousand dollars or a million dollars may be just less than 1% of his wealth. But a poor man gives me 10 dollars which will be 50% of his saving he’ll get more Ajar.

 

And the channel will run mainly because of Allah’s help. See what Da’wah I do. I don’t consider myself to be an extra intelligent person, believe me. I was a stammerer. People who know me from childhood I was a stammerer. If you asked me what is my name I’d say my name is Za..Za.Za…Zakir and that person… therefore I read the Dua of Musa (alaihe salaam) who was also a stammerer 

 

“Rabbish rah lee sadree Wayassir lee amree Wahlul uqdatan min lisanee Yafqahoo qawlee”

 

“O my Lord, expand my breast for me. Remove the impediment from my speech so that the people will hear me” 

 

So it is Allah’s help. I don’t consider we’re very intelligent so in this channel also basically we require Allah’s help & Allah has his ways. How he helps people. So whatever a person gives in charity I always say look at the percentage. I tell the rich people don’t look at the amount you’re giving. You decide that InshaAllah, besides the Zakaat that I give I will give 20% of my earnings every month. 25%, 30% see when a person is poor he wouldn’t mind okay I will give may be 20% of my earning which may be suppose $100 but when he becomes a billionaire that 20% becomes a million dollars then his heart takes… you know, oh millions of dollars. But you fail to realize that 80% you’ve got in your coffer. A good businessman should increase his percentage. So always I tell the rich people that when you donate stipulate a percentage of your income, the money per se, so do business with Allah(Subhanahu wa ta’ala) the best business you can do is with Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala), the maximum returns you’ll get. So put a figure 20%, 25%, 30 % on whatever you’re going to earn I’m going to spend in the way of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) besides the Zakaat and InshaAllah you’ll find that Allah will give you more in this world & the Aakhira. Hope that answers the question.
 

Mohammad Naik: The next question from the brother. 

 

Questioner: Assalamu Alaikum ! My name is Riyaz Ahmed. I’m in sales & marketing profession. Well, my question to doctor is.. ah.. we all know that, that the western media is giving a wrong picture about Islam & Muslims. We all agree that but the worst part & the painful part is how come in some of the Muslim countries and also in this part of this world even the media is using the same title Terrorists & all to those people. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Brother asked a question that the non Muslims are using media & unfortunately some of the Muslims are using that word. So that’s what I’m asking you is that you’ve to go & ask those people & not me. You’ll have to ask those people. And what happens is that many of the Muslims due to ignorance they start agreeing as I gave you the example a Muslim coming & telling me that the Talibans are bad. He was ignorant not that he was against Taliban. So many a times we get so convinced with the media what we hear, what we see, we start believing in it. So what we should do, we as Muslims should remove the cobweb even from the eyes of these type of Muslims besides answering the non Muslim media. And InshaAllah we should be logical not just by saying we’re right, we’re right. We should prove logically that Islam is the religion of truth, is the religion of peace and only way that there can be total peace in the world is no other way but by Islam.

 

Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Ale Imran ch. No. 3 verse no. 19 

 

“Innad deena inda Allahial-islam”

 

“The only way of life accepted is Islam i.e. peace aquired by submitting your will to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala)”

 

Mohammad Naik: The last question of the day from the lady. 

 

Questioner: Bismillah Hir Rehmaanir Rahim. I am Dr. Firdoz my question is that we know from the Ahadith that Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) told us about the Fitaans or the afflictions of Dajjal. And according to some of the Ahadith we are informed that Dajjal will reach every house he’ll show you what which you cannot drink and he will show you fire which will not burn you. Can we consider the TV to be one of the afflictions of the Dajjal?

 

Dr. Zakir: Sister’s asked a question that there are Ahadith talking about Dajjal which are Sahih Ahadith. There are some scholars including she has quoted that some of the scholars say that this television, you know, kana Dajjal, one eyed dajjal, screen is only one eye so this is the Dajjal. So can’t we consider this as the Dajjal? There’s no Hadith saying that TV is Dajjal whether TV is or not. You know what we have to do our beloved Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) said that when you stand for Salah don’t leave any gap, closen your gap. So that there is no place for the Shaitaan. Sahih Bhukahari Vol . no. 1, Book of Adhaan, ch. 75 Hadith no. 692 the same hadith is repeated in Sunan Abu Dawud Vol. no. 1 in the book of Salah ch no. 245 hadith no. 666 that “when you stand for Salah stand shoulder to shoulder closen your gaps so that the Satan doesn’t come”

 

Even if you consider this as a Dajjal you convert the Dajjal into a Muslim. Change this TV media into a true media & propagate it. There is no proof that Television is the Dajjal but even if you consider it to be a Dajjal what we have to do is we have to use this media to propagate the Haqq so that we can testify to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) that we have tried our level best to convey the message to the world and give the message of Islam to the whole of human kind. 

 

Wa Aakhru Da’waana Anilhamdu Lilahi Rabbil Aalmeen. 

 

Mohammad Naik: Brother Arif Julfaar would like to pose a vote of thanks. 

 

Arif Julfaar: I have the pleasure to pass our thanks & appreciation to our dear guest Dr. Zakir Naik. Jazak Allah Khair. May Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) bless all of us. Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rehamatullahi Wa Barkathu!