Open Question & Answer Session
(Duration – 1 hour and 9 minutes)
Ashraf Mohammady: Now we begin with the more interesting part of the progamme, that is the question & answer session. Please pose one question at a time. May we have the first question.
Questioner: Sir My name is Vasi Grana, I am a Christian and we are told that the crusaders & the crusades were waging a Holy war. I am a Christian Sir! I am a journalist. We were told that the crusaders and the crusades were waging a holy war and now after seeing the films, we know how much terrorism they did to the innocent Muslims and do… Do you not think that this religious terrorism started from these crusades and it is in another way, it continues against the Muslims through all these centuries? Now this terrorism seems to be in another phase and why these westerners are always after the crusades continuing this sort of thing against the Muslims?
Dr. Zakir Naik: Brother has asked a very good question. He being a Christian he says, that he was told that the crusades were holy war and that’s what I told you the Orientalist used this word Holy war for Jihad. It was nothing but the usage of holy war, was another name for crusade, to see to it that everyone joins & thinks it is religious. And the brother being a journalist has rightly said that now we realize that these crusades were nothing but terrorizing the innocent Muslims.
I didn’t say anything about this in my talk because I came here to speak about the Islamic concept. I didn’t touch on any religion, negative point of any religion neither do I want to touch, It is just I said that all religions prescribe fighting to let peace prevail that’s what everyone does, I never touched on any religion, that’s not what I’ve come here for but if you ask me a question, I have to say, yes you are right brother that the crusade did terrorize the innocent Muslims and that’s how it has continued & now the same thing what they do, they are now saying the same thing to the Muslims which if you analyse, you see in the world around you, you see in the world around you that how many people are actually accepting, today Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. There may be stray incidents somewhere in the world, there are black sheep in every community but you will not be able to point out as a whole that where in the world are people forcing other non-Muslim to accept Islam at the point of the sword, no where. Infact, they are getting harassed because they are Muslims. Now this thing can only be solved if you go back, if you go back to the Bible.
If you read the Bible, Jesus Christ (peace be upon him), he said it’s mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Number 5, Verse number 40-41, he says that “if anyone strikes you on right cheek offer him the other”…. If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, offer him the other. “If someone asks you to walk one mile, you walk with him twain, if someone ask for the shirt, you give him the clock.” So Jesus Christ (pbuh), a messenger of Almighty God, he shows us how peace should prevail, He says love your neighbor.
So if you analyse, if you go back to the scripture, I don’t find anywhere where Jesus Christ peace be upon him, himself prescribed that you should harass the Muslims. So therefore I tell all the human beings that go back the scripture you consider to be the most holiest. Whichever scripture you consider, at least go back to your scripture as the Qur’an says in Surah Ale Imran Chapter 3, Verse 64,
“Ta`alaw 'Ilá Kalimatin Sawa'in Baynana Wa Baynakum”
“Come to common terms as between us and you”
which is the first term?
“Allah Na`buda 'Illallah”
“that we worship none but Allah.”
Hope that answers the questions.
Questioner: My name is C. Ilaya Raja – Salaam Walaikum. In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Beneficent. The Prophet Muhammad, Rasulullah, Let peace be upon him.
Actually, I am a Non-Muslim, my brother is Saifullah, actually he is standing the Dais, everyone can see him. He has embraced Islam in my family & he is having so much problem with the parents actually that is not my question now.
Actually I am belonging to the fraternity of law….
Dr. Zakir Naik: You know I’d just like to make a suggestion that the Non-Muslims can ask any question, in topic, out of the topic, this is the opportunity, they don’t get the opportunity, I would not mind answering any question – If it’s from Non-Muslim.
It will be my pleasure to answer any question, in the topic, out of the topic, on religion, on any religion. It will be my pleasure – yes brother most welcome to continue.
Questioner: Yeah actually, here is the situation after the September 11 and before the September 11 from the Kenya & Tanzania bombings in actually by the U.S. embassies. About Osama Bin Laden, actually, every people in the society are talking about Osama Bin Laden and Islam. They are measuring Islam with Osama Bin Laden and my brother and we used to say Islam is different and Osama Bin Laden is different. Actually I want a simple question, as a knowledge of Islam, Islamic theology and a person who follows the religion of God, what is your view. Can Muslims tell separately openly that Islam is different and Osama is different, Osama Bin Laden….
And my second question is basically for my friend actually he is a disabled person. He is physically handi …. Handicapped he is asking whether there is any intention of the God or there is any verse or any sayings of the Prophet Muhammad. What is the criteria for God to create handicapped or disabled persons?
That’s it and I think mike will not be available after my asking the question. So for the ‘Islamic Information Center’ and the Dr. Fatima Muzaffar & Dr. Zakir Naik thanks for giving me this beautiful opportunity. Thank You.
Dr. Zakir Naik: Brother has asked basically two questions, the first part of the question was regarding comments on ‘Osama Bin Laden’ the second part was, what is the reply that God Almighty has created disabled people in the world.
The first question that, why should ‘Osama bin Laden’ be linked with Islam, Islam is different ‘Osama bin Laden’ is different, and what are my views regarding ‘Osama bin Laden’?
Brother as far as Osama bin Laden is concerned, I personally have not met him... I don’t know him personally and this question was asked to me in Australia, when I was there a few months back, in Perth, that do you consider ‘Osama bin Laden’ as a terrorist? So I gave the same reply, that I personally don’t know Osama bin Laden, I don’t know him, I haven’t met him. If you are going to ask and say that based on the news that I get from the media whether it be BBC, CNN, etc., then if I agree with that news, I have no option but to label him as a terrorist but, the Glorious Qur’an says in Surah Hujurat Chapter No. 49 Verse No. 6. It says that “whenever you get an information about some thing, check it up before you pass on to the second person or the third person”
As far as Osama bin Laden is concerned, I don’t know him personally, I haven’t met him, I cannot base my answer just on the news reports, unless the news reports are verified but one thing I can say for sure, that he was always called as a “Prime Suspect” on CNN, prime suspect, prime suspect… till today “Prime Suspect”. Prime suspect number one, No proofs! According to a normal human being who has little bit logic, the proofs given, there were no proofs at all, what were the proofs? I’m not here in favour of Osama bin Laden, he is not my friend, I don’t know him, I’m neither saying he is good I’m neither saying he is bad but just to say on the Prime Suspect, and just on suspicion to attack a country, which is one of the least equipped country in the World.
Qur’an says in Surah Hujurat Chapter No. 49 Verse No. 12
“Avoid suspicion, for in many cases suspicion is a sin” it says that….
And this question was posed to me by the Vice Consulate General of USA, in Perth that do I consider Osama bin Laden as a terrorist? And who is a real terrorist? And the reply of mine came as headlines on the news paper in Perth, which I feel, I’m thinking twice whether should I repeat that answer here or not. The reason is because I don’t want to offend any of our guest that has come… He says that with proof, who should be the terrorist? And I told that Vice Consulate General of US that, as for as whatever knowledge I have, based on the reports of CNN, BBC, I cannot say that he is a terrorist at all. I’m neither saying he is good, neither I’m saying he is bad, otherwise tomorrow you have the police doing enquiry on me that another accomplice of Al Qaeda and we have there in Bombay, a person caught up as accomplice of Al Qaeda. So neither I’m in his favour, neither I’m against him, I don’t know, so based on that, you cannot just attack unless you have proof, unless you have solid proof.
Yes the proof that we have, is the country which is the most advanced in the world, the country which is the most advanced in the world, I’m sorry, I’m referring to the USA, attacking country which in the least equipped, just on hypothesis. Imagine, if you go to the USA, if you go on the Internet, the USA, American citizen themselves, they have a hundred other hypothesis, for who is the person who was responsible for 11th September, do you know that? You go on the Internet, you find Americans, I’m not quoting Non-American sources, American Journalists, American Historians, they have given that this thing could not have been done by Bin Laden. A person, imagine how could he get so equipped. The CIA which has a budget of billion of dollars, the FBI, the budget, it’s not possible. I’m not saying what they are saying is wrong, or whether, what they are saying is right, I don’t know, I’m just giving you information which you may not be aware because I’m a person who keep on traveling a lot, I’m a person who surfs also on the internet and get the information.
Some of the people even said, again I’m not saying what they are saying is right, but some of the people said that George Bush himself did it. Now do you mean to say just based on this assumption, if I say that he is the main culprit, hand him over to me otherwise I’ll bombard America, you will call me a lunatic. If I tell that, George Bush is the person who did the World Trade Center, give him to me otherwise I’ll bombard your country, you will call me a lunatic. So based on that what we know, we surely know that on CNN and BBC, war on terror, War on terror, War on terror, and I gave an indication that it is the few political people for their own political gains that you find that they divert the issue and there have been reason given by Americans, why it was done for oil for this, for x, y, z reason, anyway I’m saying what they are saying is right or wrong, I’m not saying that, I’m just giving information.
But what we can say, that imagine using full army against a country which is one of the least equipped, surely it came on the headlines, I’m sorry to hurt anyone’s feeling, I said for definitely, what we have proof, that if someone attacks an innocent country, even if suppose hypothetically Osama bin laden did it, hypothetically, I agree with it, how can you attack a country? How can you kill the tens of thousand of people for one man? How can you do it? It is nothing but terrorism and I said that according to me, if you base on the reports what was said by CNN and BBC, if you agree that George Bush waged a war against the country, least equipped, I say according to me number one terrorist, it came as a headlines of… number one terrorist according to me was George Bush.
The question posed, and I apologise again, I don’t want to hurt the feelings of any person, please don’t misunderstand me, they asked my opinion, it was a Vice Consulate General of USA, of Perth, he asked me this question, the first question….
Brother you should realize that we can’t blame anyone unless you have proof, in Islam it says that if anyone gives a false verdict, and if he’s caught in cross examination that he is proved wrong, he gets lashes in Islam. And in Islam, it says, whenever you get an information you check it up, before you pass it on to the third person. And this is the one of the major cause for disruption of the Universal brotherhood, we’ll discuss it tomorrow hopefully, one of basic cause of disruption is giving false propaganda. And if you analyse, that now, latest, a couple of days back number one terrorist has become Saddam Hussain now…..You require someone, someone in the media to bell the cat you know, you require someone atleast to let the issue running. There will always be someone or the other coming. So we have to realise, it is mainly a few selected people who for their own personal gains, they want to be and see to it that they divert the attention mainly. So what I personally don’t know Osama bin laden, but anyone who condemns him, I said if you condemn him, you should have solid proof. Not just hypothesis… that I found a passport in the World Trade Center, so the article that came, that next time you should make, the, the dress of the US Police, with that passport material, so nothing will happen.
Imagine the Passport didn’t burn, the crash took place and the Celsius out there, was more than a thousand Celsius, the amount of heat that was generated, and they find a passport in it. So here we have to realise that we as Muslims, anyone, anyone lays allegation against anyone, whether Muslim or Non-Muslim before we agree with it, we have to have proof, if we don’t have proof, and if I agree with it, I will be held responsible on the day if judgment.
Coming to your second question, that, why… what is the reason that almighty God has created some people who are handicaps?
Brother the reason is given in the Qur’an in Surah Mulk Chapter No. 67, Verse No. 2, which says,
“Allazi Khalaqal Mauta Wal Hayaata”
“It is Allah who has created death and life to test, which of you is good in deeds”
Now this question posed by you brother, that why were some people created handicapped, some poor, some people were defective, congenital heart disease. This question even troubled the philosophers of Hinduism and that’s the reason, the Hindu Philosophers they came up with a philosophy known as “Samskara”, the cycle of birth and rebirth. If you read in the Vedas, I’m a student of comparative religion, Veda speaks about “Punar Janam”, “Punar” means next and “Janam” means birth, next birth. Even the Qur’an speaks about life after death, but nowhere does the Veda speak about life then death, life then death, life then death, there is no cycle. But because the Hindu philosophy is based on the logic “KARM” every KARMA’ based on “DHARMA” it has an action, has a reaction. So based on that, the Hindu Philosophers came up with a philosophy, that may be in the previous birth, these people they did some evil things, that’s the reason in this life they are born handicapped.
Though this is not mentioned in any of the verses of the Vedas. Vedas supposed to be one of the most authentic scriptures of the Hindus, and you find nowhere in the Vedas it is mentioned, only “Punar Janam” is mentioned, which means the next life, which also the Christian belief which even the Muslims belief because they could not give the reply, why some people are born deaf, some people are born with heart disease, they came with a philosophy and a logic, that human beings they die, then they keep on changing forms, and if you did some bad deeds in the last life in this life you are born handicapped.
And they say that if a person does good deeds in next life, he’ll born on a higher level, and the best level of a living creatures is the human being. If you do bad deeds in this life, next life you may born as a lower being, may be as a cat or may be as a dog, as a lower being, if you do good deeds as a higher being.
I ask this question, that today crime in the world is increasing or decreasing? Increasing or decreasing? Increasing or decreasing? Increasing! Unanimous decision, increasing. Today the population of human beings in the world, increasing or decreasing? Increasing……If I agree with the logic that good deeds make you inferior being, then the population of the human being should decrease… But yet the query why some human beings are born handicapped, some poor, some congenital defect. The reply is given as I said in the Qur’an in Surah Mulk, Chapter 67 Verse No. 2,
“Allazi Khalaqal Mauta Wal Hayaata”
“Its Allah who has created death and life to test which of you is good in deeds.
This life you are leading in this world is a test for the hereafter and based on the examination that is given to you will be judged.
And Almighty God judges different people in different ways. See when you appear for an examination, every year the examination paper keeps on differing. If you have the same paper then where is the test? The paper should keep on changing; similarly Allah (swt) tests different people in different ways. Same people he gives wealth, if he gives them wealth, the Islamic Shariah says, you have to give 2.5 % of that excess wealth in charity, it is called on Zakat. For a poor person, he doesn’t have to give Zakat, he gets hundred out of hundred in Zakat. You know the rich person, is more different as Jesus Christ (Peace be upon him) said “It is impossible for the rich person to go to Paradise and Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, it is difficult for a rich person to go to heaven.
If we analyse that depending upon the facility Almighty God has given you, he will judge you accordingly. So if He has given you wealth, you have to give charity, if He has given you no wealth, then you have to give no charity. Some People, he makes them born with congenital defects, they are born handicapped, so someone may ask me that what is the fault of that young child, what sin did he do? We believe in Islam that every child is Masoom, every child is innocent, he is sinless but when he is come in this life, may be as Allah says in the Qur’an, the wealth and your children, and your wives are a test for you, it may be a test for the parents. Almighty God may be wanted to test the parents, the parents may be very pious, may be believing in God, now God wants to test them with a more difficult examination, that now I make your children born handicapped then God wants to test, do you yet have faith in Almighty God and more difficult the test, the higher is the reward.
For example if you want to appear for a simple B.A. Graduation examination, the test is easy. To appear for an MBBS graduation examination, it is more difficult, but the moment you pass MBBS, in front of your name you get ‘Doctor’. Test is difficult, but the moment you pass you get ‘Doctor’ a more superior honour. So more difficult the test, higher is the reward, so Almighty God tests different people in different ways, just because the person is handicapped, that does not mean that he did sin in his previous life, he is innocent. The handicapped person, may be it’s a test for his parents, may be is a test for that person himself, that God wants to test him, that yet does he believe in the Creator or not.
That’s the reason, some people he makes poor, to be born in a poor environment, some people rich environment, some people are born healthy, some people are born handicapped, and depending upon the examination he gives you. You know when we have a 100 meters dash, there are some people who are handicapped, they start from a 50 meters mark because if a person who has slight defect in the leg, to make the race equal, he gets a 50 meters lead. If Almighty God has seen to it that certain facilities have been taken away from certain human beings, his test will be accordingly, if the examination paper is difficult, the teacher corrects the paper leniently, if the examination paper is very easy, the teacher corrects the paper very strictly.
So similarly, Almighty God has created different human beings in different ways, in different colours, in different languages, in difficult atmospheres, and depending upon the atmosphere they have been provided by Almighty God, and the facilities they have been given, they will be judged accordingly, hope that answers the question.
Questioner: This is regarding the many books which were written against Islam which lead to the belief that a lot of people world wide that our religion was wrong, the Qur’an was wrong and our Prophets were wrong. Among these people who believed in it there were lot of Christians who believed in the Bible too… and the Bible and the Qur’an have nearly the same Prophets. We have Jesus Christ too, we have Moses too…. So why today the term terrorist used only in respect to Muslims?
Dr. Zakir Naik: The sister has a good question that when Qur’an and Bible has so many Similarities why is this word specifically used in terms with Muslims.
As I told in my talk sister, this word Fundamentalism initially was coined to describe a group of Christians in America in the early part of the 20th century when they objected to the Church. So this word was coined for the Christians initially. The first time it was used in the English language, it was coined to describe the Christians, but today as I have told you they have turned the tables over so now they use more to describe Muslims. Why it is the case regarding similarities I’ve given a talk sister similarities between Islam and Christianity, where I have described that there are various similarities between Islam and Christianity in the Qur’an and the Bible, so atleast we as human beings… let us agree to follow these similarities the differences we can talk later. But the reason that they are doing this as I told you because Islam today is the fastest growing religion in the world. The people may be fearing that if Islam grows, may be what they call as pleasure they may have to give it up.
Questioner: Good evening Sir! My name is Vasuda Tyagrajan, I’m a law student actually. Firstly, I would like to thank you for giving such an informative talk on “Terrorism and Islam”
My question is, what do you think is the reason for the sudden increase in the number of terrorist organizations which are basically Islamic, and they fight in the name of Islam and since you say that Islam is giving the guidelines is that women, children or elderly people, shouldn’t be injured or killed. Aaa… but there have been various bomb blasts and killings of women and children, what do you think is the reason for that? Thank you.
Dr. Zakir Naik: The sister has asked a very relevant question that what is the reason that there is increase in terrorist organizations amongst the Muslims and so many bomb blasts, and especially when Islam says you should not kill children etc. what is the reason? And that’s a very good question. Personally tell you again, personally I haven’t met and interviewed any so called 100% hardcore terrorist, I haven’t met. But I can give the reasons, the logical answers, why such thing may be happening.
Number one, some people may really be terrorizing the innocent people, some Muslims may be on the wrong track, they may not be following the guidance of the Qur’an. Like you have black sheep in every community, one of the number one terrorist of human history, who it is? It is Hitler. He has incinerated six million Jews. So can I blame Christianity for that? Hitler was a Christian. So I can’t say because Hitler incinerated six million Jews therefore Christianity says that you have to, he alone if you add up all the terrorist organizations put together I doubt whether it reach six million, one individual alone.
Again Mussolini, Mussolini he is a Christian, so just because Mussolini killed thousands of innocent people, that does not mean I can blame Christianity for that?
So there may be certain black sheeps in the community, black sheeps may be calling themselves Muslims, and may be in the wrong, may be
But hundred years back, you had several, so you ask me Brother Zakir, why did hundred years back there were many Indians fighting for the freedom, because the British Government ruled India. That’s the reason people were fighting for the freedom, today the British Government has gone back, so no one is fighting for the freedom. So may be these Muslims may actually be harassed, they may be being harassed.
And you find these in several parts of the world in Palestine etc. that you find that may be if you go to the history, if you go back to the history and you find that they have really been harassed and if no one is coming out to help them, they are resorting to whatever means they have, like the example which is given in the bible, David and Goliath, the stone was sufficient. So who’s to blame, we are to blame. We are to blame because we aren’t going to the root cause of the problem
If there is a terrorist organization, we have to go and really find out, what is the reason that they have resorted to terrorism. The only way you can solve this problem, just by killing them these terrorists, it will not solve the problem, if you kill one, there will be ten emerging what we have to do, we have to go and find out what is the reason, why are you resorting to these methods, we have to go back to the root cause.
It is like giving the example of Palestine, when Hitler incinerated six million Jews, the Jews were kicked out from Germany, and the Palestinians, they said “ahlan wa sahlan” you are our cousins, come and join us. It is like I tell a stranger that if you have a problem come and stay in my house, after a few years he kicks me out of the house, and when I started making a noise outside my house, that see these people have entered my house, so you call me a terrorist. Am I a terrorist? I have welcome a person, he is a stranger, just as a human brother I got him to the house, after a few months he kicks me out and when I say if want my house back, you say that I’m a terrorist.
Who’s to blame? We are to blame, we are to blame, we have to find out that what is the cause of the problem. If we who Almighty God has given us intelligence, has given even the power and to get together, if we get to the root cause, you will come to know that why should a person want to die? Who’d like to die? Who’d like to die? A person who says that as I’m going to get killed, then why not I die and take somebody else also.
So if you ask the psychologists, they will tell you, the root is that we have to go and ask these people that why you’re doing all this and many a times you will find out that the truth is lying behind it.
And the truth is that they may be being harassed, and some people may really be terrorist, some people may be terrorizing the people for money, some people for fame, some people for politics, so I do agree sister that, but majority what I feel that they are being troubled, whether it be Muslims, whether it be Hindu, whether it be Christians, there has to be a backlash if a person cannot bear whatever torture that he is undergoing, he resorts… the psychologist say and I am a medical doctor, I’ve done my studies in medicine they have to retaliate, it is human nature.
So why should a person who would not like to raise a finger, would like to carry a gun in the hand, why?
So what we have to do, we have to find the root cause and try and solve this problem, that’s the only way we can see to it that these terrorizing the innocent people will stop, and all human beings can live together as one brotherhood.
Questioner: Yeah… Myself is Ravi kumar, I’m a software engineer
And my first request to my fellow Indians is, don’t always relate September 11 with terrorism because so many things have happened in India. More than twenty thousand people have been killed in Kashmir, two thousand Muslim brothers have been killed in Gujarat, so we have so many instance to link with terrorism in India itself, like we can link December 13 with terrorism, and the day in which Akshardham temple, people have entered that we can link it with terrorism.
My, I thank Mr. Zakir Naik for clearing the misconception about the Jihad.
My question is that you told that just for the sake of one person, you cannot attack the country. Now I’m asking about a imaginary scenario, suppose i am going to the, some Arab country, I’m causing a great devastation, I’m killing lacs and crores of people there, and I’m coming back to the India and the country is giving a proof to me, proof to Indian government, stating that this person has caused the devastation, and the Indian government is repeatedly. …. Telling the proof, what is given by you is not valid and that proof is being shared with the other countries they all agree, and suppose the country repeatedly is not ready to surrender me. Then what is the action that particular country has to take, let, let, just, I’m, I’ve not completed.
And another thing is proof of that country is previously also, when that kidnapped plane entered that they encouraged the kidnapper, they allowed the terrorists who have come in that plane to escape out of the country. If that is the status of the country then what is the action that particular country has to take it. You are telling, suppose I have come, after causing a devastation I’ve come back to India, Indian government is not ready to surrender me. And the proofs have been given, and the Indian Government is repeatedly telling, the proofs what you are given is not valid, what is the action that country has to take?
Dr. Zakir Naik: The brother has asked a very good question and a very relevant question, a very good analogy between what’s happened 11th September again, though he came back to 11th September.
Analogy was very good, that he as a person goes and crosses an Arab country, kills thousands of people, devastation, comes back, and the Arab country gives proof to the Indian government, Indian government does not accept. Mulla Umar, again he is not my friend, he told USA, he told USA, give me proof, and the USA government could not give proof, they shared it with Tony Blair they shared it with Musharraf, Musharraf is saying that I have got enough proof, I have seen the proof… when you are asking the Afghanistan Government, to give the culprit, the Afghanistan government is telling at least give us proof, when they could not give proof to Afghanistan government, and they are sharing it with Tony blair, it is illogical, that means there is something fishy in the proof
Till today, till today …….. Till today Osama bin laden is prime suspect. It’s only hypothesis, the proof should be solid proof. And if they had given solid proof, that Osama bin laden had done it, Afghanistan had to hand over Osama bin laden. Which they didn’t do.
If you do something with the Arab country, and the Arab country gives proof and if Indian government objects, then you can go to the international court of law, where is the international court of law taking place, in case of Osama bin laden, where is it? ……. Where is it? There are international guidelines; do you know the rule of international guidelines? If suppose there is an extradition policy between the foreign countries.
For example, if a person, like India and UK have an extradition policy, if any criminal of India does a crime and goes to UK, they can ask for the criminal back, and one of example is Nadeem, you know nadeem, the music director. The Indian government said that he was involved in Gulshan’s murder. So when they gave the proof in UK government, in the UK court of law, the UK court of law said, your proof is nonsense. They sued the government, Indian government; Indian government had to pay the charges of the advocates of Nadeem. Enough proof they gave, they didn’t agree, they said your proof is not valid. Did India wage a war against UK? Why didn’t they wage a war, why didn’t they wage?
But the Indian government gave proof atleast, there USA didn’t give proof to Afghanistan at all. So even now if you go to a Saudi land or any Arab land, and if you do something, and if Saudi Arabia gives proof here, that you are the culprit, even if the Indian government doesn’t agree, Saudi government or any Arab country cannot bombard the one billion Indian, it does not give permission.
Islam doesn’t give permission, that even if you are the culprit, even you have killed one million people, they can come and catch you if they have the power, they can’t bombard the innocent people, they can’t, they can’t do it, its not allowed in islam
Same thing you are saying that let’s talk about the present scenario in Kashmir, in Gujarat, in Akshardham, I say that whatever may be the background, why those two terrorist entered, in Islam you cannot destroy the monasteries, you can not kill the religious people. Anyone goes in a monastery, in a place of worship, in a temple, and killing innocent people, it is against the Qur’an. It is against the Qur’an we have to condemn it, just because those two people, whatever the reason was and they got a letter, that they believe they came from ‘Tahreek–e–qisas’, qisas is an Arabic word which means you can take revenge
And it said it was the cause was because may be their family was killed, even if their family was killed; they have no right to kill 44 people. The cause was may be somebody else but the action was wrong, just because somebody killed, if they knew who the person had killed the family members, if they have gone and taken revenge with that person it was separate, how can they kill other 44 people who were innocent?
So in Islam also even if you know who the main culprit is, as I said in my talk in Surah Maidah chapter 5 verse 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 has killed the whole of humanity”
Only if you know who the person is, if he has done mischief, and done murder, that’s the only way that you can kill him, for no other reason, can you kill anyone else, Islam condemns that, as though you have killed the whole of humanity, hope that answers the question.
Questioner: Assalamu Alaikum brother, as a Muslim personally I want to ask you this question. In the current socio–political theological climate of stark black and white, prevalent in the world today, I find it extremely different to endorse any faction, even my own notion of right and wrong. Ruling out the validity of the prejudice, it is an accepted norm today, that it is the followers of the faith who reflects the faith itself. Assuming such an argument, how can I make a stand, how can I preserve the solidarity of my faith, there is a basic conflict of opinion between me and my Islamic peers. As an individual would you personally endorse the stand of the Saddam hussain, the passion of the Mujahideen fighters, or the death of the Palestinian suicide bomber?
Dr. Zakir Naik: The sister has asked the question that seeing the conflicting views and ideas, she doesn’t know where she fits in, who should she agree with, who should she not agree with, what should she say, she is asking the question that, do I agree with what’s happening the Palestinian Mujahideens, what’s happening about Saddam Hussain etc.
Sister as I told you many a times these issues are political. What I say that everything has a hidden agenda, and because I keep on travelling a lot, and again right or wrong “Allahu Alam” I can’t say this is the thing.
But mainly the cause are a few selected people and the politicians again the politicians for political reasons, they make someone the scapegoat and that’s the reason they want to see to it that their ulterior motives have been solved. Me as a Muslim if you ask me, that what should I say someone ask me, I can only speak the truth, if someone has caused them harm, if someone has murdered them, etc, etc, in this way if they retaliate, its allowed, otherwise they cannot.
You ask me what’s happening about a particular individual case, Osama bin laden or Saddam Hussain. I say I don’t know the background, I cannot give a “Fatwa”, I can’t give a verdict on them, because I haven’t interviewed them, for me to give my opinion I have to interview them, so what I say “Allahu Alam” Allah know best, Allah will not ask me on the day of Judgment, Is Osama bin laden a terrorist or not?
I will tell that if he has done wrong, if he has broken the guidelines of Qur’an and Sunnah, he is wrong; if he hasn’t broken he is good that is not my basic, to pass the examination, what I have to read, I have to read the Qur’an, I have to read the scripture. This question can be dealt with those who are experts who keep on traveling to Afghanistan, taking interview etc. and we find such coming in the paper, etc. You as a Muslim, me as a Muslim, Allah will not, Almighty God will not ask you the question on the day of judgment, that do you agree Saddam Hussain is a terrorist or not? We have to say “Allahu Alam” we don’t know, neither do we support them, neither do we condemn them, if there is solid of a particular person, of a particular Muslim who has done a act which is proven to be against the Qur’an then we have to condemn him, but ifthere is no proof which is substantial proof, we have to remain neutral, that’s what Qur’an says, and you faith hasn’t to shake sister your faith should be based on the truth which is mentioned in the scripture, the best way to see to it that the faith is reinforced, is to read the Qur’an.
You will not find any defect in the Qur’an; you will not find any contradiction in the Qur’an. If a person doesn’t understand Arabic as a language, you have to read the translation of this book. This is the translation by Abdullah Yusuf Ali, and the translation is available outside in the foyer, that sister if you, read, how to lead a life based on the Qur’an, InshaAllah your faith will becomes strong, and believe me you will not feel shy at all to practice any of the fundamentals of Islam, if you know the reason and logic why these fundamentals have been prescribed, if you know that believe me I keep on traveling in different parts of the world, I mean, I speak, I go with this cap, I have a beard, I go to different western countries, never have I faced a problem, some time query, inquiry is there, but never is a problem, I mean why should I scared to speak the truth. So if you have knowledge, of the scripture and you know the reason and logic, you will feel proud, even you too will call yourself like me, you will also call yourself a Muslim fundamentalist.
Questioner: Assalamu Alaikum, I am Muhammad Fazl-ur-Rehman Abdullah. Aa…. Sir we are still on 11th September, I want to say something on this, that as you told that, as you told that there is something fishy in the proof, that’s why they didn’t prove, Aa … put the proof, I got this fish on the net, there is site ini.com, ini.net, that have been banned actually, but I got one page in that, that there were two pictures displayed on that, one was the actor who acted as Osama bin Laden in the film displayed to all, and other was Osama bin Laden. And the title was “Any fool with two eyes can see easily that these two persons are not same”
That was the proof when America put it before that, another thing, my question is, that, I was, I’m working in hl. We are given a hand book which contains do’s and don’ts. On the top of the handbook there was written a Bhagvad Gita shlok. A part of the Bhagavad Gita shlok, I will recite the whole shlok like,
“Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya,
Glanir Bhawati Bharata,
Abhyutanam Dharmasya,
Tataatmaan Sajjaymaham,
Pritaanaay Sadhunam,
Vinashay Krushika,
Dharma Santhapana Thayasham,
Sam Bhavaani Yuge Yuge”
They, they specially mentioned it that, “Pritaanaay Sadhunam Vinashay Krushika” …. If we have to, if we have to protect the truth or the good, you have to remove the bad, there is no other way.
Ok, after that I, I want that that last that that shlok is that “Dharma Santhapana Thayasham Sam Bhavaani Yuge Yuge”
It means that “Mein Har Jug Mein Sambha… Bhagwaan Kehte Hai….. Mein Har Yug Mein Sambhav Hota Hoon”… (Translation: I Manifest My Self…. God says, I Manifest Myself in every age) ….
But what our belief is, our Hindu brother belief is that “Mein Har Yug Mein Aata Hoon” (Translation: I Manifest Myself in every age) …. (Hindu)…. I want Mr. Zakir Naik to explain this, are these beliefs of we are having is correct or not, thank you.
Dr. Zakir Naik: I request again from the audience and the volunteers we prefer questions from Non Muslims so that lets clarify their misconception and then come to the Muslims, they may be attending several programmes as such
I normally prefer giving a chance to the non-Muslim they may not be having this chance regularly to ask any question on Islam.
The brother has posed a question, before that he made a comment that there was a fish on the net, and he saw that one proof was authentic and the original Osama bin Laden was false, again this fish could also be fishy.
So I’m not only one sided, haan, that proof you got is correct even that could be cooked of by somebody who is enemy of America. So I don’t believe on that fish also. So see I have to be neutral, I cannot be biased and start judging, saying haan brother you are right, you know the proof they gave, arre that also could have been cooked up, that’s what you have in ‘TEHELKA’ you know ‘TEHELKA’. ‘Tehelka’ the audio cassettes, the video cassette, so all this is a gimmick of media, see I’m a man of the media… we know if we want we can change very easy. To change something on the media is very easy, I can make you say what you have not said also, that’s our field, so it’s very easy, so let’s keep the media aside, again that also I don’t agree what is right or wrong, ‘Allahu Alam’ there is no proof at all.
Now coming to your question, what the brother quoted is a shlok from Bhagawad Gita, Chapter No. 4, what the brother quoted he didn’t give the quotation, it’s from Bhagawad Chapter No. 4, that whenever there is ‘Adharam’, there is untruth, there is violence, there is anarchy in the world, Almighty God, he comes and takes, the form of “Avatar” and he sees to it that this whatever anarchy, whatever trouble, whatever chaos is there in the world, he comes to finish, that thing by taking the form of ‘Avatar’
It is right? Do we agree? The difference what we say as Muslims, what we Muslims say that Almighty God he sent his messenger, whenever people deviate from the truth, he keeps on sending messengers as
Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Rad Chapter No. 13, Verse No. 7,
“Wali Kulli Kawmin Haad”
“And to every nation have we sent a messenger or a guide”,
Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Fatir, Chapter 35, Verse No. 24,
“Wa Immin Ummatin Illa Khalafiha Nadheer”
“There is not a nation or a tribe to whom we have not sent a warner or a guide”
What we say that Almighty God sent messengers,
Like Adam, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad (peace be upon them all), all of them were messengers from Almighty God. The Hindus believe in ‘Avtar’ almighty God he takes forms, we say messengers they say Almighty God takes form, that’s the difference. The difference is they say Almighty God, comes down himself in taking form, which we disagree, which Christianity disagrees, Islam disagrees, what we agree somewhat similar, though it’s a difference of chalk and cheese, but what we say almighty God sends messengers, these are chosen people of Almighty God to guide the people to the truth. And the last and final messenger that came on the face of the earth was Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and Allah has sent several revelations. Several revelations, by name four are mentioned, if you have something like the Old Testament, something like the New Testament, we Muslims say this is the Last Testament, this is the Last Testament of Almighty God.
Questioner: Good evening Sir! My name is Raj Kumar, I’m doing my final MBBS in Stanley Medical college. My question is, why do Muslims in India constantly oppose a common civil procedure code? Why do Muslims in India, oppose a common civil procedure code? Thank you Sir.
Dr. Zakir Naik: The brother has asked a very good question, that why do Muslims oppose the common civil code?
Brother I am for the common civil code, but that common civil code should be the best code, which practically gets result.
I am for it, even if the full Muslims of India are against it, I Dr. Zakir Naik is for it, and I would debate, I would be on the platform to discuss logically which is the best code, which is the best law.
And you find this that the law which is the most practical law, you implement that, I would advocate that let India have a common civil code. Common criminal code also, why only civil code?
Have common civil code, common criminal code, but we should have a dialogue that which is the best code, like a Hindu lady who asked me that why does Islam allow a man to have more than one wife, I gave the answer, people appreciated it, so if you agree with the answer, you’ll have to write in the common civil code that man is allowed to have more than one wife. There is no other answer for the surplus number of women in the world; there is no other solution, no religion has that solution… though all the religions… there’s no religion which says marry only one except for the Qur’an and I gave an analogy that… for Hijab, for rape… I gave the analogy that the best punishment you can give, the best punishment you can give which has the best result as Islam says the women should be dressed up in Hijab, the man whenever he looks at a woman he should lower his gaze and after that if any man rapes a woman he gets capital punishment, there’s death penalty and I gave the statistics of America that according to the FBI report in 1990, 1756 cases of rape took place every day in the year 1990. In 1996 according to the statistics of US Department of Justice 2713 cases of rape took place every day in the year 1996. That means every 32 seconds one rape is taking place. You know we are here since past two hours, more than 200 rapes may have taken place since the time we are here.
I say that if you implement the Islamic Shariah that every man when he looks at a woman he should lower his gaze, every women should wear the Islamic Hijab… complete body covered except the face and the hands upto the wrist after that if any man rapes, he gets capital punishment, I’m asking you the question will the rate of rape increase. Will it remain the same or will it decrease? It will decrease… it’s a practical law and this you can see… there was a programme on BBC talking about a part of Nigeria which implemented the Islamic Shariah and they gave the death penalty for rape and immediately the cases of rape came down. The least rate of rape in any part of the world is in Saudi Arabia. I’m not speaking in favor of Saudi Arabia… but what is right we have to appreciate.
And I congratulate L.K. Advani…. I remember couple of years back in the year 1999 in the month of October he gave a statement being the Home Minister, that death rap should be given to the rapist and I congratulate him…. He’s coming closer to Islam… may be the next Home Minister will say that all the women should wear Hijab.
Questioner: Salaamu Alaikum, my name is Yashak Ayami… I’m from Iran really and I want to know exactly is that… you must have read Salman Rushdie’s Satanic Verse and as a Muslim… nobody would have liked that book… so what do you think Imaam Khomeini did was… what he did was correct…. Asking for the people for Fatawa… that is my main point. What Imaam Khomeini had told about fatawa…against….. Fatawa against Salman Rushdie… was it correct or what… ?
Dr. Zakir Naik: Brother has asked the question, that what Imaam Khomeini said regarding the Fatawa of Salman Rushdie… is it right or wrong? My basic question is that why did Imaam Khomeini give the Fatawa one year later. The first country to ban the book of Salman Rushdie’s Satanic Verses was India… and I congratulated Rajiv Gandhi for doing that act. Why should Khomeini give the fatawa of killing Salman Rushdie after one year? Because he was getting out of the news… all politicians…politicians. If he wanted to give the Fatawa he should have given… the book was reviewed by so many parts of the world, so many countries banned it and then he gives a Fatawa that he should be killed. Whether right or wrong.. its afterwards …all these are political gains. All political gains… All these scenes are political gains but what Rajiv Gandhi did may be he didn’t know about it and I’ve given a talk on this issue of Satanic Verses. Though this book is banned in India, I’ve read that book. You know?.... Salman Rushdie who claims… just for name sake he’s a Muslim… he did not leave anyone. In his book he even abuses Queen Elizabeth. And the same British government who had banned an American author for using a four letter word, ‘Father Uncle Cousin King’… for the policy of Margaret Thatcher… that same Salman Rushdie he makes it active and uses ‘ing’ and yet the book is very popular. So one American author they ban because he uses a four letter word for Margaret Thatcher… this another person Salman Rushdie makes it active ‘ing’ for the same Margaret Thatcher policy but he gets an award… why? Because he is maligning Islam… so they are very happy and do you know he did not even leave Ram and Sita… you know these people are respected by the majority of the Indians… even abused them.. I don’t want to use that word.. he abused them… he did not even leave them also and many of the people are supporting. So may be Rajiv Gandhi didn’t know but later on if you read that book you realize that he did not leave anyone.
So if a person who keeps maligning etc., Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Ma’idah, Chapter No. 5, Verse No. 33,
“As to anyone who wages a war against Allah and his Messenger”…
There are various options given that you can either execute him, you can crucify him.. chop off opposite limbs or take him out of the country and this law is not only in the Qur’an it is even in the Bible. If you read the Book of Leviticus, it says that “anyone who blasphemeth the lord you should stone that person to death, even a passer by who’s a stranger should stone that person to death who blasphemeth the Lord.”
So this law is there in all the religious scriptures, not only there in Islam…. In most of the religious scripture for blasphemy, whether it be Christianity, whether it be Islam, whether it be Judaism for blasphemy… if it’s a confirmed blasphemy… if it’s that part of the country. We cannot give Fatawas here, they should kill him etc.. if it’s an Islamic state of law, if anyone blasphemeth there are certain law and rules and regulations laid down but what politicians do… whether it be a Muslim politician.. or whether it be a Non Muslim politician… I’m sorry again I don’t want to hurt any politicians per se if not all I say majority you find some where or the other they compromise for their own vote bank and that’s the reason it is said that the religion and politics that poles apart. They use religion as a plank to see to it that they get fame etc and that’s what people do which we people should be aware of… the fatawa given by Khomeini, it was just for the political gimmick according to me but banning the book what Rajiv Gandhi did was perfect, he banned it, he was the first… and now they are thinking of removing the ban… I don’t know whether the ban has come out of not. There is a statement that they are trying to remove the ban but anyone blasphemeth the lord in Islam in Christianity that person according to Christianity should be stone to death, in Islam there are four options…. You can even exile him… Christianity .. no option.. Christianity only stoning to death.. in Islam there are four options you can choose. In Christianity you have to stone that person to death. Hope that answers the question.
Questioner: Good evening sir. I’m T. Anuraghini I’m a final year law student… I believe that Terrorism could be stopped by… atleast could be reduced when people are taught about tolerance, does Islam preach about tolerance? And if does, do people who are incharge of imparting Islam… I mean… I believe there are lot of…. I don’t know the exact term, terminology… yeah Guru’s like in Hinduism who teach Islam to other Muslims.. so in that case do they, do they impart.. preach tolerism?
Dr. Zakir Naik: The sister has asked a very good question and she rightly says that terrorism can be curbed by teaching tolerance and does Islam teach tolerism, do the religious leaders of Islam do they teach tolerism? Sister I said in my talk which I said a bit fast… I didn’t pay emphasis on it… one of the criteria’s for any human being to go to Jannah to go to heaven; to go to paradise is tolerance.
Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Asr, Chapter No. 103, Verse No. 1-3,
“Wal Asr”
“Innal Insaana Lafi Khusr”
“Illallazina Aamanu”
“Wa Aamiluss Saalihaati”
“Watawa Saw Bil Haqq”
“Watawa Saw Bis Sabr”
“By the token of time, man is very in a state of loss, except, those who have faith, those who have righteous deed, those who exhort people to truth i.e. do Da’wah and those who exhort people to patience and perseverance”
Tolerance is one of the criterias to go to jannah. If you’re not tolerant, according to surah al asr you shall not go to jannah. Not only you should be tolerant… you should even exhort people towards tolerance. But tolerance by definition it has got various meanings and if you ask experts that tolerance also has a limit. What do you mean by tolerance? Fine someone does something wrong to you.. You do not retaliate It’s good. Till how long? So tolerance also has a limit. And in Islam Zaalim is a person who does Zulm means you could say that a person who causes harm. There are two types of Zulm. One is the person who does harm to the others and another person who does harm to himself. There’re two types of Zaalim and both are referred as Zaalim, one who does zulm on others, another type who does zulm on himself.
Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, its mentioned in a hadith of Sahih Muslim, “if you see anything which is wrong going on, if you can you should stop it with your hand. If you cannot stop it with your hand, stop it with your mouth, with your tongue. If you cannot stop it with your tongue atleast curse in your heart that the act is wrong and if you do that you are the lowest level of believer.”
The lowest level. So what we have to do that we have to be tolerant, teach tolerance as Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Baqarah, chapter 2, verse 153, “innallaaha ma’as sabireen”, that
“Verily Allah is with those who do sabr”,
but while doing sabr we should see to it that does not go beyond limit sabr also has a limitation, tolerance has a limitation. So before it goes over limit, if you see that a woman is being raped you can’t tell the woman tolerate it no problem. If god has given me strength, if I see a man raping a woman.. I should stop it with my hand… if I cannot do it by hand atleast tell “arre bhai saab”, please don’t rape. In Bombay an article.. A young girl, 13 years girl she was raped by a man and there were five passengers only one person objected and he was kept quite.
Five people could over power that man who was drunkard, who was drunk and they did not do anything. What’s happened to the humanity? What has happened to humanity? Five young people cannot take care of one drunkard… Raping a girl in a train. Will you call this tolerance? I would call it cowardice. Therefore I say, that of these five people were terrorist, terrorist in the sense, terrorizing the anti social element, that person wouldn’t have the guts to do it. So what sister… we have to encourage and see to it that tolerance level of every human being is increased at the same time they should not become cowards they should see to it that the anti social element they are reduced and we should collectively gather together and see to it that these people who are anti social people are bought to task. Hope that answers the question.
Questioner: Hello my name is B. Deepak. I’m a chattered accountant. Id like to ask you a question Sir regarding Taliban regime issued a fatwa for the destruction of Bahmian Buddhas turning it as unislamic. I would like to know whether it is really un Islamic and if it is one of the footsteps of which the Satan has laid and the Muslims should be aware of.
Dr. Zakir Naik: Brother has asked a question the same question was asked to me in Surat when I was giving a lecture in Surat just a couple of days after this issue It was very hot in the Owen Talibans were at were destroying at that time the statue of Buddha Bahmian. The brother asked a question that is it Islamic etc the same question was asked by a non Muslims to me in Surat that is it right or is it wrong and that time yet there were conflicting views whether they were destroying or not so again I said at that time that I don’t know whether they destroyed or not but today we know there are confirmed news that they have destroyed it whether right or wrong. What I can say...what I can say that I being a student of comparative religion whether right or wrong ill tell afterwards what I can tell that surely the Talibans if they destroyed the statue of Buddha what they were doing is actually they were educating the Buddhists. I’m a student of comparative religion I’ve read the Buddhist scriptures iv read Dhammapad I’ve read their scriptures, no where in any of the Buddhist scriptures did Buddha ever say that make a statue of myself...Buddha never said that the Buddhist should do idol worship. It is a later innovation what I could say as a student of comparative religion whether right or wrong we will come afterwards…what they were doing is surely they were educating the Buddhists and in none of the Buddhists scriptures it is mentioned that they should make the statue. Coming to the question and this question was asked to me even by the press even in Mangalore that
Just because Islam feels idol worship is not allowed there are other religions there is even Christianity if you read the Old Testament in the Book of Deuteronomy ch. no 5 verse no. 7 and 9 as well as the book of Exodus ch. no. 20 verse no. 3-5 it says
“Thou shall have no other image besides me, thou shall not make any graven images of me of any likeness of anything in the heavens above in the earth beneath on the water above the earth, Thou shall not bow to them nor serve them for I thy god thy lord is a jealous god.”
So even according to Christianity according to Judaism making images of anyone who says is god is prohibited, same it is prohibited in Islam.
So when I gave this reply that they were educating the Buddhists so what they said that but didn’t these Talibans didn’t they cause grief to millions of Buddhists I said yes, so does Islam allow anyone to cause grief to millions of human beings? I asked the journalist a question that what if suppose the Indian government catches a hall of drugs….Cocaine ….Brown sugar worth 10 Crore rupees, worth about 2 million dollars they catch a hall…drugs, what will the Indian government do? So the journalist told me that the Indian government will burn the drugs...I said good ….I said do you know for millions of human being in the world drugs is god for them, so will you agree with the Indian government or go against the Government that their destroying the god of millions of drug addicts.
Because the Indian government feels that the drugs will cause loss to the body what they are doing is right even thought its causing grief to millions of drug addicts but if they feel it is wrong they are burning…you cannot go and tell the Indian government that why are you burning the drugs. A drug addict will feel bad so similarly Afghanistan is their government it is their property. See the statue is their property if they come and do something in any another country then you can object they are doing it in their country it is their property if they like it they’ll keep it if they want to destroy they’ll destroy it. Who are we to object?...we cant object.
And furthermore if you analyze that people who talk...there was a person who said that Indian government is so tolerant do you know in Bombay when you come out of the domestic airport of the Santacruz airport there was a big statue of Mahaveer…of Mahaveer… just outside the holet Jaal and it was unclothed so the people took objection and then they build a wall infront of the private parts later on after a few months they removed the statue. Now those same people who objected to the statue being there, those same people today are condemning Afghanistan why?
The same people who objected to the statue being on the road…see... and do you know that there are more Jains in India then Buddhists in Afghanistan. So when the Government of Bombay could remove the Statue which is believed to be God… believed to be the Tirthankar of the Jains and there are more Jains living in India then Buddhists living in Afghanistan at that time no one objected and now when the Afghanistan Government is doing they are objecting …why these double policies? You know why because of vote banks, won’t the Jains feel bad? So if the Jains believes in keeping a statue of Mahaveer whose a Tirthankar why are we objecting at that time everyone objected the statue should be removed...statue should be removed and the same people who objected today are condemning that why did you destroy the Bahmian Budha statue.. Double policies Therefore we as logical people have a single policy. We should not be two faced jammed train where we keep on changing the rules what I feel it is their property suppose….suppose a non-Muslims he buys a house in the house there’s a Carving of Kabah Suppose if there is there, If that Non-Muslim does not like Kabah & he defaces the Kabah how can I object? If someone…& Believe me if..if any Muslim …if any Muslim if he makes a statue of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) & if you destroy the statue even if the full Muslim world is against you I Dr Zakir Naik will support you because making a statue of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is prohibited. If any Muslim lunatic makes a statue of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) & he worships it & If u being a non Muslim having Knowledge of Islam, if you go and destroy the statue Even if the full Muslim world is against you I Dr Zakir Niak will support you.
Questioner: Mr. Zakir Niak, What does Islam say about the defaming of the other religion or other religious gods why I’m asking this question is that when one of the Indian artist whose a Muslim he’s drawn a Hindu god Swarasswati in a nude condition which was appreciated by everybody as a freedom of expression and each and every Indian supported when Salman Rushdie has written one book about the Islam and when it was banned by Rajiv Gandhi almost each and every Indian had supported that move but when Hussain drawed the Hindu god in a nude condition Indian political parties especially the parties like the communists have told that it is a freedom of expression, he can draw anything, brother what is Islam’s view on that about the defaming the gods of the other religion?
Dr Zakir Naik: The brother is referring to Muslim artist M.F. Hussain didn’t give the name or maybe he doesn’t know or maybe he knows or doesn’t want to give the name M.F. Hussain is from Bombay from the city where I come he did some painting of god saraswati unclothed and many of the journalist supported…if you ask my opinion …..First of all making a nude picture of any lady whether god or not god is haraam in Islam, whether Muslim or non Muslim. It is unethical, inhuman… Why do u want to sell your daughters.. why are you going back see what’s happening in the western culture they are selling our sisters selling our mothers & one of the famous add which I heard about BMW car, you know BMW car, you know about the BMW car it is somewhat like Mercedes for the youngsters, Mercedes, top level car, In that add I’m sorry to say I was told that there’s a lady standing in a Bikini in front of that car & its mentioned there “TEST DRIVE HER NOW” Who the Car or the Girl??? What has the girl got to do with the car. So this is all in the name of freedom of expression they’re degrading the women. What M. F. Hussain did was totally wrong.
Regarding your basic Question Can you criticize the other gods of other religion. Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Anam Ch. 6:108
“Revile not those, Abuse not those who they worship god besides Allah lest in their ignorance they’ll abuse Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala)” Qur’an says abuse not those gods whom the people worship besides Allah lest in their ignorance they will abuse Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala).
So In Islam it is Prohibited to abuse any one else’s God even though he may not agree he’ God. It’s prohibited that’s what the Qur’an says in Surah Anam Ch 6 verse no. 108 & what M. F. Hussain did drawing the nude painting its totally prohibited In Islam Hope that answers the Question.
Wa Aakhiru Da’waana Anil Hamdulillahi Rabbil Aalameen……!