Open Question & Answer Session 

 

(Duration – 1 hour 58 minutes)

 

Dr. Mohammed: Now we would have the presumably more interesting session, the Question-Answer session. Advocate Prabhakar Rao Hegde, Advocate Hingorani, DCP Saxena, distinguished guests present here today, our elders, brothers and sisters, we would after the Question and Answer session, request our distinguished guests to present their impressions on the topic, and their comments. Kindly state your name and profession before putting forward your question, to get a more appropriate response. Non-Muslim guests would be given first preference in putting forward their questions. Yes brother... 

Questioner: Thank you Dr. Naik for your lucid explanation of Islam’s ‘Concept of God.’ My simple question is ... you have talked about racial brotherhood, linguistic brotherhood, blood brotherhood, and so on   ...and they are the disturbance of the concept of the Universal Brotherhood.   But you have not talked on the concept of Kaafir  ...I think which is one of most important disturbance of Universal Brotherhood in the world.

Dr. Zakir: Can I have your name brother  ...so that I can answer you in a better way   ...Yes. 

Questioner:  Professor Nigad, from Bhiwnadi College. 

Dr. Zakir: The professor has asked a question, that I have spoken about various concepts ...I have explained the concept of Universal Brotherhood, and spoken that the concept of brotherhood based on blood relationship, on race, on caste, and creed, etc… they cause disturbance   ...I have not spoken on the concept of Kaafir. Brother, Kaafir is an Arabic word, which comes from the root word Kufr ... which means ‘to conceal’… ‘to   conceal’, ‘to hide’. It also means ‘to reject’ and in context… in Islamic context, it means that any person who conceals or rejects the truth of Islam ... anyone who rejects the truth of Islam is called as a Kaafir means anyone who rejects the truth of Islam that there is one God, and Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), all that I spoke, he is a Kaafir. Any Brotherhood besides the brotherhood of Universal Brotherhood of faith, and the Islamic Brotherhood   ...if it falls in other brotherhood, based on anything   ...there can be a hundred types of Brotherhood. Brotherhood based on particular region  ...whether it be India, whether it be Pakistan, whether it be America    ...all these other brotherhoods, that is not in the purview of the brotherhood of faith… believing in the concept of one God   ...disturbs the Universal Brotherhood, including if you say that the Kaafirs... the Brotherhood of Kaafirs. Do they disturb?… Yes they disturb. What is the meaning of Kaafir?   ...Anyone who rejects the truth of Islam. There are some Non-Muslims who ask me questions   ...and during Question-Answer, in one of the cassette, he said that…‘Why do the Muslims abuse us by calling… Kaafir? ... and people say that it gets hurt’. I said… ‘See Kaafir is a Arabic word which means…‘A person who rejects the truth of Islam’   ...It is a Arabic word. For a person who rejects the truth of Islam  ...in English, if I have to translate ... He becomes a ‘Non-Muslim.’ So a person is a ‘Non-Muslim’, who rejects the truth of Islam   ...he is called as a Kaafir. It is just a translation of the English word ‘Non Muslim.’ So if you say that…‘Do not call a Non-Muslim a Kaafir’  ... how can I do that? So if a person says…‘Why do you call me a Kaafir ? Do not call me a Kaafir’. So I can say that…‘You accept Islam ...I will stop calling you a Kaafir’. It is only a Arabic word for a Non-Muslim. Hope that answers the question.

Questioner:  I am Advocate Madhav Phadhke  ...you said in your speech that God is alive, imageless and formless, as stated in Hinduism then why Muslims doing Hajj Pilgrimage, they worship Holy shrine, as the Hindus, they worship?

Dr. Zakir: That’s a very good question the brother has posed that if Almighty God has got no image in Islam, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) has got no form then why do the Muslims, they worship the Holy Shrine…referring to the Kabaah  - in Hajj Pilgrimage? Brother, it’s a misconception, no Muslim ever worships the Kabaah, it’s a misconception among the Non-Muslims, that we Muslims, we worship the Kabaah. No Muslim worships the Kabaah, we only worship Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), Who we cannot see in this world. What we do is the Kabaah is the Qibla  ...Qibla in Arabic means ‘The direction.’ Kabaah is the Qibla, because we Muslims. We believe in unity, always unity. For example, if we want to pray to Almighty God, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), if we have to offer Salaah, some may say... ‘Let us face the North; some may say...‘Let us face South’ ; some may say...‘East’ ; some say...‘West’. Where do we face? We believe in unity. So for unity, all the Muslims throughout the world, they are asked to face in the direction of the Qibla i.e. the Kabaah, it is our direction, we don’t worship it. And the first people, who drew the world map, were the Muslims and when the Muslims drew the world map, they drew with the South Pole on top, and North Pole down   ...and Kabaah was in the center. The Westerners came and they turned the map upside down ... North Pole on top, South Pole down. Alhamdulillah, yet the Kabaah is in the center, Mecca is in the center. 

And since Mecca is in the center, any Muslim in any part of the world  ...if he is staying in North of Kabaah, he faces towards the South; If he is staying in the South of Kabaah, he faces towards the North. All the Muslims throughout the world, they face in one direction. Kabaah is the Qibla… it is the direction  ...No Muslim ever worships it  ... And when we go for Hajj… to the pilgrimage, we circumambulate round the Kabaah. We circumambulate around the Kabaah, because everyone knows, that all circles have only one center  ...So we circumambulate round the Kabaah, to testify that there is only one God   ...not because we worship it. And the statement of the second Khalifa of Islam, Hazrat Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, he said, it’s mentioned in 

Sahih Muslim, in the Book of Hajj, Volume No. 2, he said, Hazrat Umar may Allah be pleased with him, that... 

“I am kissing the black stone i.e. the Kabah, Sange Aswad, only because my Prophet kissed it  ...otherwise this black stone can neither harm me, neither can it benefit me.” 

The second Khalifa of Islam... Caliph of Islam, Hazrat Umar, may Allah be pleased with him  ...he made it clear for eternity, that no Muslim ever worships the black stone  ...it can neither benefits us, neither can it harm us. And the best example is that, during the time of the Prophet   ...the Sahabas... the companions of the Prophet, they even stood on the Kabaah, and gave the Adhaan   ... Adhaan is the call for prayers. People stood on the Kabaah, and gave the Adhaan. I am asking you...which idol worshipper, will ever stand on the idol he worships? So these are sufficient proofs, that no Muslim ever worships the Kabaah. Kabaah is the Qibla and we worship only Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), Who we cannot see with the eyes. Hope that answers the question. 

Questioner: I am Dr. Vyas ... a medical practitioner. We came here for having views on Universal Brotherhood   ...We did not come here for a Bhauddik on Islam. I would request you to tell us about brotherhood in this world. Now this is Universal Brotherhood  ...I would like to know whether there are brothers in other parts of the Universe. We have brothers in India, so we talk of Indian brotherhood  ...and how brotherhood in this country, has affected the history of this country during last one hundred years? 

Dr. Zakir: The brother has asked a very good question, a very relevant question. He said that, you know, he has come here to hear about Universal Brotherhood   ... and what I spoke is about the brotherhood of the world only and are there brothers in other parts of the Universe. Brother is a doctor, Alhamdulillah, and if you heard my talk, if you paid attention to it brother, I said that...‘We believe in Almighty God, Who is the Lord of the worlds, Rabbul Aalamin, Lord of the worlds, means...‘Lord of the Universe, besides this world’. 

Questioner: Talk about brotherhood of Universe or of this world or Indian Brotherhood. 

Questioner (another): Ek do batein mai apke samne guzaarish... 

Dr. Zakir: Bhaisab zara pehla main unko answer kar du… I will reply to him, and then I will come to your question ... You are most welcome ... I am here  ...I will reply to everyone, InshaAllah. First I will just reply to the elderly gentleman   ...he has asked a question  ...it is my pleasure to reply. He said...‘Talk about Brotherhood  ...that’s the brotherhood.’ And Universal Brotherhood means, not only brotherhood of this world, but of the worlds, of the whole Universe. 

And according to the Glorious Qur’an, in 

Surah Shura, Ch. No. 42 V. No. 29, it says that...

“Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) has created the heavens and the earth, and has put creatures between them.” 

That means, the Qur’an says that there are living creatures besides this world. There are living creatures besides this world. Science hasn’t reached that far to prove that there is life besides this earth. You know Scientists, they are sending rockets and satellites and spaceships, to try and prove there is life on Mars, etc. It’s not established, they say there are high chances. But the Qur’an says there is life besides this earth and I believe in it. 

So Universal Brotherhood does not only mean brotherhood in this world  ... it means brotherhood even in the other worlds, as you rightly said,  even brotherhood in India ... even brotherhood in India ... throughout the world. And for this brotherhood to prevail, if you heard my talk  ...I do not want to repeat the full talk again, that there should be a moral conduct   ...that no human being should kill any other human being, he should not rob, he should give charity, he should love his neighbors, he should not backbite, he should see to it that when he sleeps with a full stomach, even his neighbor is fed well, he should see to it that he does not have alcohol. Alcohol prevents the brotherhood to prevail in the world, he should not backbite, he should not slander anyone. All this things promotes Universal Brotherhood not only in India, not only in the world, in the full Universe  ...May be possible that you did not pay attention to some portions of my talk. My talk Alhamdulillah was focused on the topic  ...and it did cover India, America, full world, as well as the Universe. And this can only take place  ...and all the religions, if you believe in the concept that the Creator of all the human beings, of all the creatures whether in India, or whether in America, or whether outside this world, is one Almighty God. And all the religions basically speak in belief of one God, which I discussed in details. For more details about ‘Concept of God’  ...I have given this talk ‘Concept of God in Major Religions.’ It speaks more about the concept of God in other religions like Sikhism, and Parsism, etc. and it deals in detail. If a person wants to have more knowledge on how it can prevail, you can avail of my cassette ‘Concept of God in Major Religions’, It is available for sale outside in the foyer. 

Dr. Mohammed: The next question is something connected  ...One brother, Prabhu, is asking ‘All the Religions basically preach good things ... thus a person can follow any one of the Religions - it is one and the same?           

Dr. Zakir: The question posed is that all the religions basically teach good things  ...So you can follow any Religion  ...it is one and the same?’ And I do agree with him in the first part of the question  ...that all Religions do basically preach good things. For example all Religions say...‘You should not rob, you should not molest a woman, you should not rape her’   ...Hinduism says that, Christianity says that, Islam says that. But the difference between Islam and the other religion is, that Islam besides speaking of good things, it shows you a way how to implement those good things. Like all religions speak about brotherhood but Islam practically shows you  ...it demonstrates how to practice it in your day to day life  ...Salaah, Hajj, etc. So Islam, besides speaking theoretically, it shows you a way how to practice it in your life. 

For example, Hinduism says…‘You should not rob’; Christianity says… ‘You should not rob’; Islam says…‘You should not rob’   ...So what is the difference between Islam and the other Religions. Islam shows you a way how to achieve that state, in which people will not rob. 

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

After this, the Glorious Qur’an says in 

Surah Maidah, Ch. No. 5, V. No. 38... 

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

Some people may say, ‘Chopping of the hands…in this age of twentieth century  ...Islam is a barbaric Religion…It is a ruthless law’. And I do know, that there are thousands of people who rob. So if you chop off all the people, then many people will lose their hands. But the law is so strict, that the moment you implement it, and if a person comes to know that his hands will be chopped off if he robs, immediately the thought of robbing will go away from his mind. 

Do you know, today America which happens to be one of the most advanced country in the world  ...Unfortunately it also has one of the highest rates of crime, highest rate of robbery and theft. I am asking you a question, if you implement the Islamic Shariah in America i.e. every rich person gives Zakaat, 2.5% of his excess wealth in  charity, and after that, if any man or woman robs  ...Chop off his or her hands’. I am asking you a question...‘Will the rate of robbery and theft in America ... will it increase, will it remain the same, or will it decrease?’ It will decrease. It is a practical law. You implement the Shariah, and you get results.

Let me give you another example  ...that most of the major religions say that...‘You should not molest a woman, that you should not rape a woman’ ... Hinduism says that, Christianity says that, Islam says the same but Islam shows you a way how to achieve that state, in which people will not, men will not molest or rape a woman. Islam has a system of Hijaab. People normally talk about Hijaab for the woman  ...but Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) in the Glorious Qur’an first speaks about the Hijaab for the man, and then for the women. The Glorious Qur’an says in 

Surah Nur Ch. No. 24, V. No. 30. that...

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

Whenever a man looks at a woman, and any brazen thought comes in his mind... any unashamed thought comes in his mind, he should lower his gaze

 

There was once a friend of mine, who was a Muslim friend, who was staring at a girl, for a long time. So I told him ‘Brother what are you doing? It is prohibited in Islam to stare at a girl’. So he told me...‘Our beloved Prophet said that…

“The first glance is allowed, the second is prohibited” 

I have not yet completed half my glance. What did the, Prophet mean by saying “The first glance is allowed  ...the second is prohibited”. He did not mean that you could look at a woman, and stare continuously at her for twenty minutes, without blinking  ...What the Prophet meant…‘that if you look at a woman unintentionally’. ‘Intentionally do not look at her again…do not feast on her’ ...that is what the Prophet meant. 

The next verse speaks about the Hijaab for the women 

Surah Nur, Ch. 24, V. 31, says that...

“Say to the believing women, that she should lower her gaze and guard her modesty, and display not her beauty, except what appears ordinarily off, and to draw a head covering over the bosom.  And display not her beauty, except in front of her husband, her father, her sons…” etc. 

And a big list of mehram, the close relatives, who she cannot marry, is given. And there are basically six criteria for Hijaab. 

The first is the extent, which differs between the man and the woman. For the man, the extent is from the navel to the knee; for the woman, the complete body should be covered  ...the only part that can be seen, are the face and the hands up to the wrist. Some scholars say even these should be covered. 

The remaining five criteria are the same. 

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

Third  ...it should not be transparent, so that you could see through. 

Fourth  ...it should not be so glamorous, that it attracts the opposite sex. 

Fifth  ...it should not resemble that of the unbeliever.

Sixth  ...it should not resemble that of the opposite sex. 

These are basically six criteria for Hijaab, mentioned in the Qur’an and the Sahih Hadith. 

And the Qur’an says in Surah Ahzab, Ch. 33, V. No. 59 ... giving the reasons for Hijaab. It says... 

“O Prophet, tell your wives and the believing women, that when they go abroad, they should put on the cloak. So that they shall be recognized, and it will prevent them from being molested.”  

Qur’an says...‘Hijaab has been prescribed for the women, so that it will prevent them from being molested’. And the Islamic Shariah says if anyone rapes any women, he gets capital punishment. People may say…‘Capital punishment, in this twentieth century  ...Islam is a barbaric Religion, it’s a ruthless law…It is a barbaric Religion! 

Do you know, America which happens to be the country which is supposed to be most advanced  ...it has one of the highest rate of rape? According to the statistics, it says that on an average, every day more than one thousand, nine hundred females are being raped everyday, every 1.3 minute, one female is raped. Since the time I am in this auditorium. It is more than two and half hours. How many rapes may have taken place... how many? More than a hundred, in America. I am asking you a question…‘If you implement the Islamic Shariah in America i.e. every man when he looks at a woman, he should lower his gaze ... the woman should be properly dressed up in the Hijaab  ...and after that, if any man rapes, capital punishment’. 

I am asking you a question…‘Will the rape increase, will it remain the same, or will it decrease?’ It will decrease  ...it is a practical law  ...you implement the Shariah and you and get results. And I have been asking this questions to Non-Muslims that suppose someone rapes unfortunately... your wife or your mother and if you are made the Judge and if the rapist is brought in front of you, what punishment will you give? And believe me all of them said “we will put him to death. Some went to the extent of saying...”We will torture him to death”. So why do you have these double standards? Someone rapes somebody else’s wife... Capital punishment is barbaric law ... Someone rapes your wife... You want to give him Capital punishment. Why these double standards? 

And do you know, in India, according to the statistics of Crime Bureau… It says that...‘Every 54 minutes, one case of rape is reported in India’. How many taking place?…Every few minutes  ...may be one case. And no wonder, the Home Minister of India, L. K. Advani  ...you know what he said? It came in headlines of ‘Times of India’... headlines!   ...What it says, that... ‘Advani...Advani puts a death rap for rapes, and recommends an amendment in the law’ ... Headline in ‘Times of India’, 20^th of October, 10 days back. On Tuesday, one day before, 27^th of October 1998, he said that he wants death penalty for the rapist, Alhamdulillah. What Islam has said 1400 years ago, L.K. Advani is saying that and I am congratulate him for that. I am not here to promote any political party. I am not a politician but if someone speaks the truth, I have to appreciate it. And if you implement this, surely the rate of rape will diminish. 

May be the next Home Minister may implement the Islamic Hijaab here also. So InshaAllah, the rapes will be completely abolished. They are coming closer to Islam  ...I appreciate it. 

“Ta’alaw ila kalimatin sawa-in baynana wabaynakum”

Come to common terms as between us and you. 

Mr L.K. Advani realized that rape is increase in India  ...and he rightly recommended that the law should be amended  ...and death penalty should be put for the rapist  ...And I am for it  ...I am the first Indian to support him. 

So if you analyze, Islam besides speaking good things, it shows you a way how to achieve that state of goodness. Therefore I say that Islam unlike other religions which speak good things, it shows you a way how to achieve goodness. So therefore if I have to follow any religion, I would follow a religion which speaks good things and shows you a way how to achieve that good things. 

Therefore it is rightly said in 

Surah Al Imran Ch. 3, V. No. 19 

“Innad deena AAinda Allahi al-islam”

The only religion acceptable in the sight of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) is the person who submits his will to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala).

Questioner: Satyapal Malani, Ulhas Nagar. I think Dr. Zakir is playing with words. It’s jugglery of words only. Islam divides peoples of the whole world in two. One is Momin and the other is Kaafir. Definitely we don’t believe and trust in many things which Islam says. So this brotherhood of Universal Brotherhood is not possible, what Islam wants to enjoin upon us. Islam only creates divisional forces   ...Even we can know Shias, Sunnis and seventy other castes in Islam itself. 

Volunteer: What is your question brother? 

Questioner: Ha, I am putting the question. 

Dr. Zakir: No problem. 

Questioner: …Islam cannot give ‘Universal Brotherhood’  ...It is only Hinduism which can give Universal Brotherhood 

“Ekam Satya Vipra Bahuda Vidhanti” 

which you have just quoted. Islam does not recognize   ...Killing the cows, killing the Kaafirs, talking their properties, loot, women folk... Islam tells. How brotherhood can come? And you talk of brotherhood  ...It is a jugglery of words only  ...Really speaking; you are talking Hinduism, in the name of Islam. 

Dr. Zakir: The brother has made several comments. And Islam says

“InnaAllaha ma’ as saabireen”

For verily Allah is with those who are patient. 

For brotherhood to prevail you should be patient. If I am not patient, there will be a fight between me and my brother. Islam says in 

Surah Baqarah, Ch. No. 2, V. No. 153 

“Inna Allaha ma’a as Saabireen”

For verily Allah is with those who are patient.’   

And for brotherhood to prevail, you should be patient. And, I respect my elderly brother out here. He may be having a good study of Hinduism, but I am sorry that I disagree with him. His study of Islam is a bit weak ... I would say.

And I do agree with him, that Islam  ...there are two, types of people  ...one is a believer, Momin and the other he said is a Kaafir, according to him. In every religion there are two types of people even in Hinduism - A Hindu and a Non-Hindu. 

In Christianity - Christian and a Non-Christian.

In Judaism - A Jew and a Non-Jew. 

In Islam - A Muslim and a Non-Muslim.

So where does Islam differ. And I am not here to criticize Hinduism  ...I am not here to criticize Hinduism. But since you are a learned speaker, I would like to speak on Hinduism because I am a student of comparative studies. I have read the Vedas, I have read the Upanishads  ...but if just for a small comment... 

According to Vedas, it is mentioned that…‘The humankind have been created from four parts of Almighty God ... from the head, it is the Brahmin; from  the chest, is the Kshatriya; from the thigh, it is the Vayshyas, the business class; and from the feet is the Shudra  ...Caste system. I am not here to comment on these brother. I would not like to, I would not like to hurt the feelings of my Hindu brothers  ...Islam does not agree with that. I did not comment on those things     ...I did not criticize any religion, I did not criticize any religion   ... I did not say that these religion is wrong. But you, if you know your Veda very well, you should testify to the audience ...Does not the Veda say that…‘From the head you have  the Brahmins; from the chest you have the Kashtriya; from the thigh you have the Vayshyas, the business class, learned class, warrior class, business class? Shudras... the Shudras are supposed to be the downtrodden   ...And there are books written by Dr. Ambedkar ...I do not want to go into the details, brother. Hinduism…I have learnt very well  ...I respect many aspects of Hinduism ... certain aspect I do not agree  ...I have to say… because you have forced me to say. 

Qur’an says in 

Surah Anam, Ch 6, V. No. 108…

“Revile not those who worship gods besides Allah, lest in their ignorance, they will revile Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala).”

What I spoke is the positive aspect of Hinduism   ...that is, they believe in the concept of one God. Regarding your question that you know, the Muslims, they keep on killing people, they keep on killing cows’... You said  ...Correct? You said that. See, every allegation requires an answer  ...the time does not permit  ...I will just pick up a few. Any other, you can come next and ask ...I am here to clarify the misconception  ...it is my pleasure. Only if I clarify the misconception, will the person understand Islam better. Therefore in our sessions, we always have a Question-Answer session, and we welcome   ...and any one criticize us, I love it  ...More a person criticizes and more he is logically convinced, will he understand Islam better. That is what I do.

Islam says spread the message of truth, with Hiqmaa. The Qur’an says in 

Surah, Nahl, Ch. 16, V.125 

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

 

It is…

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

Regarding the concept of can we have Non-Veg, talking about killing cows, etc. And there are many Non-Muslims who say…‘You know, you Muslims, you all are ruthless people, you all kill animals.’ Just for your information brother, a Muslim can be a very good Muslim even by being a pure vegetarian. It is not compulsory that he should have Non-Veg, to be a good Muslim. 

But since the Qur’an says in several places, you can have the cattle, why we shouldn’t have? The Qur’an says in 

Surah Maidah, Ch. No.5, V. No. 1 ... It says that …

“Ya ayyuha allazeena amanoo”

“O you who believe! Fulfill all your obligation ... and lawful for you are all four footed animals, with exceptions named.”

Qur’an says in 

Surah Nahl, Ch. No. 16, V. No. 5, that… 

“Allah has created for you cattles which are His signs and from it you derive warmth, and there are various benefits in it and of their meat, you can eat.” 

Qur’an repeats this in 

Surah  Mu’minoon Ch. 23, V. 21... 

“You can eat the meat of the cattle” 

You know in Non-Veg… there are doctors available here even I am a medical doctor…It’s rich in protein, it’s rich in iron, and it’s very nutritious. In the other foods the level of protein which you get, in Non-Veg, you cannot get in any other vegetarian food. Soya bean which is supposed to be the best form of protein in vegetable  ...it comes no where to close to the Non-Veg. protein. 

And regarding the concept of killing of cows   ...If you read the Hindu Scriptures   ...I am not here to criticize any religion  ...the   brother asked a question, I have to speak the truth   ...it permits a person to have Non-Veg. If you read the Hindu Scriptures, the Sages and Sants…they had Non-Veg… They even had beef. It is later on, due to the influence of the other religions like Jainism, etc. that people were being influenced in the philosophy of Ahimsa...of not to kill animals  ...that they accepted this philosophy in the way of life. 

Otherwise, Islam is also for animal rights. I can give a talk only on animal rights. Islam is the religion which says that...‘Do not overburden the animals, treat them nicely, give them food  ...But when required, they are even created for food.’ If you analyze the other Religions which believe in this philosophy…‘That you should not have Non-Veg.’  ...This philosophy was based on the concept that…‘You should not kill animals, because they are living creatures  ...Therefore having Non-Veg. is a sin.’ I do agree with them  ...If any human being can live in this world without killing a single living creature, I would be the first one. 

The Universal Brotherhood in Hinduism is that every living creature is your brother, every living creature irrespective whether he is a animal or a bird or an insect.’ I am asking a simple question that…‘How can a person even survive for five minutes, without killing millions of his brothers?’ Those who know medical science will understand what I am saying. That, whenever you breathe, there are millions of germs you are inhaling, and you are killing  ...that means in this religion, you are killing your brothers to survive. 

The Universal Brotherhood in Islam is every human being is your brother  ...brotherhood in faith is every Muslim is a brother. Every living creature is not my brother but we have to protect the living creature, should not harm them, should not unnecessarily torture them but when required, you can have them for food. So when this philosophy says that…‘Having Non-Veg. is a sin, because you kill living creature’  ...Today science tells us that…‘Even the plants have got life’ ... Do you know that? So the logic that…‘Killing living creatures is a sin’, has failed. 

So now, now they change the logic, and they say that...‘See plants have got life, but plants can’t feel pain therefore killing the animals is a greater sin, as compared to killing plants. Do you know today science is advanced, and we have come to know, even the plants can feel pain, the plants can even cry, the plants even feel happy  ...so the logic that plants cannot feel pain, has failed. What is the thing  ...the cry of the plant cannot be heard by the human ear, because the human ear has a frequency of twenty cycles per second, to twenty thousand cycles per second. Anything between this, the human ear can hear  ...anything below or above, the human ear can’t hear. 

For example, if a master blows a dog whistle   ...you know there are dog whistles   ...It is called as a silent dog whistle   ...It blows the whistle, which has a frequency of above twenty thousand cycles, and below forty thousand cycles, per second. The dog can hear up to forty thousand cycles per second  ...So when the master blows the whistle, the dog hears the whistle, but the human beings do not hear  ...It is called as a silent dog whistle. Similarly, the cry given out by the plant cannot be heard by the human being but they also cry, they also feel pain.

There was a brother of ours who argued with maximum, and he told me that...‘Brother Zakir, I agree with you, that the plants have got life, they can feel pain  ...but you know the plants have got two senses less. They only have three senses   ...the animals have got five senses ... therefore killing an animal is a greater sin, as compared to killing a plant. So I told him...‘Brother suppose you have a younger brother, who is born deaf and dumb  ...two senses less. After he grows up, if someone goes and kills him, will you tell the Judge “O Me lord give the murderer a less punishment because my brother had two senses less”? Will you say that? You will say: ‘Me lord give him double punishment because he killed a person who was innocent’. So in Islam the logic does not work like that  ...two senses or three senses.

Islam says in Surah Baqarah, Ch. 2, V. 168…

“Eat of the good things that We have provided for you” 

That means, whatever is good and lawful, you can have. And that is the reason if you analyze, the cattle in the world   ...Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) has His way  ...Almighty God  ...the reproduction of the cattle is very fast, as compared to reproduction of the other animals and the human beings  ...they reproduce very fast. If I agree with you that no human beings should have any cattle then we will have over population of cattle in the world. And regarding killing of cows, there is a book written by Maulana Abdul Karim Parikh ‘Gauhatya’… ‘Cow slaughter  ...Who is to blame?’ And if you analyze the people that deal in leather…leather of cows   ...more Non-Muslims, than Muslims. Leather  ...the Jains…they deal in that  ...So the people who are responsible to benefit from the cow slaughter, are not the Muslims  ...the more of them are Non-Muslims. So if you know history well, and if you know logic also well, you will understand that Allah says...

“Eat of the good things We have provided for you”   

...If you can have, there is no problem. 

And besides that if you analyze, the set of teeth of the herbivorous animals…the cow, the goat, the sheep  ...they only have vegetables  ...they have a flat set of teeth. If you have analyze the set of teeth of the carnivorous animal  ...the lion, the tiger, the leopard, they have got sharp pointed teeth  ...they can only have Non-Veg. If you analyze the set of teeth of the human beings  ...if you go in the mirror and look at your teeth  ...we have pointed teeth, as well as flat teeth. If Almighty God wanted us to have only vegetables, why did He give us these pointed teeth? …For what? To have Non-Veg! 

If you analyze the digestive system of the herbivorous animal…the cow, the goat, the sheep ...they have digestive system which can only digest vegetables. The digestive system of the carnivorous animal…the lion, the tiger, the leopard  ...they can only digest Non-Veg. The digestive system of the human being can digest both Non-Veg. and Veg. If Almighty God wanted us to have only Vegetables, why did He give us a digestive system that can digest both Veg. and Non-Veg. So scientifically if you analyze, Almighty God wanted us to have both, Veg. as well as Non-Veg. Hope that answers the question. If you have any queries, any other misconception brother, it is my pleasure to reply. One misconception at a time so that I can do justice to each of the misconception. Thank you brother.

Dr. Mohammad: Yes brother…

Questioner: Hello Dr. Naik Saheb   ...Yahan par jitni bhi batein hui, most probably English mein hui, aur yahan par sab itne padhe likkhe log nahi hai, ke wo ab sirf English samajh sake. Most probably to jo bhi apke lecture ya bhashan hone chahiye the na, wo yahan par logo ke bhashan mein hone chahi the…

Dr. Mohammed: Excuse me, excuse me brother, excuse me brother,  excuse  me   ...let me co-ordinate. We have been called here  ...Zakir have been invited by the organizers here to give a talk in English, and have a Question-Answer. That what questions you have to address, that I would request you to kindly after the program, address to the organizers. 

Questioner: Question mera baki hai… question mera baki hai. 

Dr. Mohammed: Haan toh… you put forward your question. Urdu mein bhi agar aap question put forward karege, Insha Allah, agar speaker ko… he will explain it and answer it. 

Questioner: Nahi bura hai Ved aur Shastra, nahi Qur’an bura hai. Bina samjhi batein, aur be samjha vyakhyan bura hai, samjho tum apni bato, aur sab ka dhyan bura hai, apne apne hisaab se socho, ke us uska Prabhu ka samman nahi bura hai. 

Aur Universal Brotherhood ke pahle se, jaha bhi koi batein honi chahiye wahan per mazhab ki koi baat nahi honi chahiye. Mazhab se uper oothkar baat honi chahiye, kyon mazhab se upar utna hi, uss Allah taa’la ko pana hai  ...uss Parmatma ko pana hai  ...Aur pehle, God ka meaning samjho, ke God ka meaning kya hai  ...God, Godess kuch nahi hota hai. G-O-D…that super power is controlling our nature. And that nature is having three parts…

G-O-D, ‘G’ for Generator, ‘O’ for Operator, ‘D’ for Destroyer. That Nature is Generating us, that Nature is Operating us, that Nature is Destroying us. We are being Generated, we are being Operated, we are being Destroyed. Iss mein Godess aur God ka meaning kuch bhi nahi hai, aur God ka assli meaning kuch bhi nahi hai. Allah taa’la god se ooper hai, Parmeshwar god se ooper hai, Parvardigaar god se ooper hai. 

Dr. Zakir: Thank you very much brother. The brother has summarized my lecture is a very short way, Alhamdulillah. I thank him. He rightly said there is no god and goddess that’s what I explained. He explained in Hindi, so that those who do not understand English, can understand  ...I would like to thank you brother. He explained very well  ...There is no god, there is no goddess  ...Allah taa’la…Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) is superior  ...and I agree with him  ...Thank you brother. And he rightly said, that there should not be different religions. I agree with you  ...there should not be different religions. Because Qur’an says in 

Surah Al Imran, Ch.3, V. No.19 

“Inna alddeena AAinda Allahi al-islam”

“The only way of life acceptable, is the person who submits his will to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala).” 

And I agree with you brother, that if you fight amongst yourself in Religion, there is bound to be differences and there should be no differences. And the brother also made certain comments that Shias, etc., and different Religions, and there are seventy three firkaas. I can give that answer  ...it requires time  ...If you want to know the answer, you can pose it  ...I will give you the reply for that also  ...Why…talking about different firkaas, etc. But the brother rightly said that there should be only one religion one way of life and that is submitting your will to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). If you believe in that, there has to be Universal Brotherhood, if you don’t believe in that, there is bound to be disharmony. Thank you very much brother. 

Questioner:   I am doctor Devery, from Bhiwandi College. Well, every religion is a supreme science of life. Nothing is wrong, so far as the principles of religions are concerned  ...but the formulation of principles is a different thing, and execution of these principles, is a different thing. Actually where there is no relationship of blood, the relationship is to be established by the religions. Actually what we find  ...I quote 

“Laas tufi sidu fil ardhe badha isalaaha”

Iss sansaar mein shanti prastapit hone ke baad, ashanti mat phaylaon  ...yeh paygaam hamein mila hai. 

But actually what we find, what we realize, what we experience is this  ...the maximum blood is wasted only on account of the conflicts in the religions. So where is the wrong? I mean what are your views about this? How would you reconcile the principles of religion, and this chaos which arises on account of religion? What are your views on this particular aspect?

Dr. Zakir: The Professor has asked a very good question, that you know all Religions basically speak good things, but the implementation may be different   ...they teach good things. But today you see in the world  ...many people are fighting on the name of Religion  ...How can you solve this problem? It is a very good question   ...and part of the answer I gave in my talk. And I said that as far as Islam is concerned, we should not kill any human being, Surah Maidah, Ch. 5, V. 32. How can you see to it that we can come to common terms?  ...How can we solve the differences? That I also, I mentioned in my talk, in Surah Imran, Ch. 3, V. 64 which says that 

“Ta’alaw ila kalimatin sawa-in baynana wabaynakum”

that come to common terms as between us and you. 

If suppose you have ten points, and I have got ten points   ...If out of those ten points, if five points are common, and five are different   ...I at least agree with those five points which are common  ...the differences, we will come to it later on. Qur’an says 

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

 

that come to common terms as between us and you. 

Which is the first term? 

“Allah na’buda illaAllaha”

‘that we worship none, but Allah’.

“Wala nushrika bihi shay-an”

‘that we associate no partners with Him’. 

 

So you rightly said…‘How to solve?’ And I have given the methodology, how to solve…‘That come to common terms’. But the point to be noted here is, that many people who follow religions, they do not know what their own Religious Scripture speak  ...that is the problem. Many Muslims don’t know what the Qur’an and Sahih Hadith speak; many Hindus don’t know what Hindu Scriptures say; many Christians and Jews don’t know what the Bible says. Who is to blame?   Followers! Therefore I tell the people...‘You read your Scriptures’ the point of differences, we will come to it later on  ...at least come to the communalities. I have given a talk on ‘Similarities between Islam and Christianity’. I say...‘The things which we differ, we will come to it later on’. At least what your Bible and my Qur’an says  ...let us agree with those things which are common  ...Fight will be solved. What I am doing now?   ...In my talk, did I ever criticize any religion? I was forced to reply when certain brothers tried to ask certain questions ... which I have to speak the truth. Other wise in my talk... you can take the video cassette  ...I did not criticize a single point on any religion  ...I never spoke about the differences  ...I only came to common terms. Differences...I can give a talk on…‘Differences between Islam and Hinduism’; ‘Differences between Islam and Christianity’. I am a student of Comparative Religion  ...I can quote verses, Alhamdulillah, from the various World Scriptures, talking  about differences. I keep that when required…when someone tries to disturb the programme ...We have to be well aware of these things. But I never use it in my talks  ...I never use it with the common man. I tell the common man... ‘You read your Scriptures    ...you will come closer to your Scriptures, and to Universal Brotherhood  ...Read your Scriptures.  At least first believe in one God  ...the differences we will come to later on... the differences we will came to later on.  Judaism says that, Christianity says that, Hinduism says that, Islam says that, Sikhism says that, Parsism says that…‘Believe in one God, and worship Him Alone’.  Why do you worship other gods?  Come to that point… then come to other points. If we solve this problem of commonalities  ...If even if there are three points common out of ten, at least agree on those common points  ...the other points we can agree to disagree  ...we will come to it later on. So if we come on the common points first, coming on the comparative studies, believe me most of the problems will be solved   ...Believe me! And that is what I am doing. I am going throughout the world, and I address audiences from   Non-Muslims…and many of them, because they are not aware of their Scriptures... of our Scriptures, many people pose questions. Even Muslims are not aware of their Scriptures  ...So they pose questions which they aren’t aware of. So I educate them  ...I educate them about Qur’an, about Hadith... about Vedas, about Bible. And I quote   ...when I quote, I give the reference number ... So no one can say... “O Zakir is pulling a fast one”. And all these scriptures I quoted  ...it is available in the Islamic Research Foundation. Our library has the various translations of Vedas. We have hundreds of types of Bibles  ...more than thirty different versions of the Bible… we have   ...Alhamdulillah. So whichever sect you belong to  ...whether you are Jehovah’s Witness or Protestants or Catholics   ...I speak from their Scriptures. So if you say that...‘Zakir is wrong’  ...You have to say that...‘the Holy Scripture is wrong’. I quote… and most of my talks are quotations  ...Quotations from various Scriptures. If you disagree with the Scriptures  ...that’s your choice. If you want to disagree, you are most welcome to disagree  ...because Qur’an says 

“La ikraha fid deen”

There is no compulsion in Religion  ...Truth stands out clear from error. So I am presenting the truth of Hinduism to you  ...So if you want to agree... agree  ...Do not want to agree, do not agree. 

There is a Symposium... the third cassette from there   ...Symposium on ‘Concept of God on Islam, Hinduism, and Christianity’. People may call it a debate  ...A Hindu Pundit from Kerala and Calicut; A Christian Father of Calicut; I myself presented the Islamic view. Four and a half hours debate… it is available outside  ...Scholars of Hinduism, of Christianity  ...I am just a student…I am presenting my view ... and it is for the audience to judge. I am talking about ‘Similarities’ ...quoting their Scriptures   ...Chapter number, Verse number, Chapter number, Verse number. The best way to call all the human beings to unite is find the commonalities ... Speak about the differences later on. Hope that answers the question. 

Questioner:  Zakir Bhai, I have a very simple question. 

Dr. Zakir: Your name brother? 

Questioner: Professor Devray. I have not studied any religion  ...I do not believe in any religion. And my simple question is  ...Do you believe that there are different religions, and there have to be different Religions? Because in your lecture you said that…‘The Allah, The God Almighty, created all the people in the world, men and women, and He purposely divided them into different Religions, different regions, etc., etc., so that, they should not fight with each other, but they should understand each other. Will you kindly explain to me the purpose of the Crusades, and will you kindly explain to me your own statement, that the difference between Hinduism and the Islam Religion? You said that it is ‘Hinduism’, and it is ‘Islam Religion’  ...you never said that Hinduism is a Religion. The difference which you stated between Hinduism and Islam Religion was that Hindus believe that everything is ‘God’, while Muslims believe that everything is God’s. If everything is God’s, why there is so much of killing, either in India or in any other part of the whole world? Even in the Muslim countries also. Thank you very much. 

Dr. Zakir: The brother has asked a very good question, and he said that I said in my talk, that…”The Almighty God has created the human beings, from a single pair…male and female, and have divided into different Religions.” Brother never did I say that…‘Almighty God divided the people into different religions?’ It is being recorded  ...I never said…‘Different religions’. I said…‘Into different nations, and tribes   ...races and colours’  ...not Religions. Allah says…‘There is only one religion’. Almighty God never divides the people into different religions   ...There is only one religion. Into different nations and colours and variations in languages  ...So that you may recognize each other  ...that okay, this person comes from this particular race, from this region - Not Religion …Region  ...It is not Religion. So your statement of ‘Religion’ is not correct   ...other things is fine…different languages, different colours, different nations, I agree with that  ...so that they may recognize each other; not that they shall fight amongst each other. 

You said that…‘I never mentioned that Hinduism is a Religion.’ I again disagree with you. I said…‘Religion is a belief in Almighty God, according to Oxford dictionary. To understand Hinduism, to understand the religion of Hinduism, you have to understand the concept of God. To understand the Religion of Judaism, you have to understand the concept of God, in Judaism. To understand the Religion of Christianity, you have to understand the concept of God, in Christianity. To understand the religion of Islam, you have to understand the concept of God, in Islam’  ...That is what I said. 

Regarding differences…Who has created?  ...Not Almighty God. Allah clearly says in 

Surah Anam, Ch. 6, V. 159.

“Anyone who breaks the Religion into sects, Allah has nothing to do with him.” 

You cannot divide the religion  ...Anyone who divides, is in the wrong. You asked me…‘Why are people killing each other?’ That you have to ask them. Suppose as a teacher you tell the people…‘Don’t copy.’ And yet they copy…who is to blame   ...the teacher or the student? The student. Here, Almighty God has given a free will to the human beings, that you can do what you want  ...I have given you Guidance. The last and final Guidance, the last and final Revelation is the Glorious Qur’an  ...the do’s and don’ts is mentioned here. And Allah says  ...and I mentioned in my talk in 

Surah Maidah, Ch. 5, V. 32…

“If anyone kills a human being”  ...whether it be a Muslim or a Non Muslims, whether it be Hindu, Jew, Christian, Sikh, anyone ... “unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land, it is as though he has killed the whole of human race. If he saves any human being, it as though he has saved the whole of humanity.”

So God Almighty doesn’t like people killing each other ... but if human beings do not want to follow, who is to blame? The human beings. So this world… the Qur’an says in 

Surah Mulk, Ch 16, V. No. 2, that… 

“This world   ...Allah has creates death and life, to test which of you is good in deeds.” 

Allah has created death and life, to test which of you is good in deeds. 

Allah does not interfere   ...If He wants, He can. The Qur’an says…‘If Allah wanted, He could have made all the people believe’ ... but then where is the test. If the teacher wants, he can easily pass all the students, irrespective whether they fail ... Teacher can…But that will be biased. Then where is the free will of the student? If they are undergoing a test and if someone does not give a right answer  ...yet the teacher passes…then a person who has studied hard, will object...that… “I slogged so much for the examination ... this person, he is copying and he is cheating ... he writes wrong answer, and he passes.” So the next batch, if the people realize, that teacher passes every one, irrespective whether he gives right answer or wrong answer, then everyone will stop studying. Then you may get a degree…a medical degree, but that doctor when he passes in medical, when he comes out, he will not cure the people, he will kill the people. 

So therefore Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) has given the guidelines in the Glorious Qur’an… ‘Do not kill, do not harm others, love people, love your neighbor’ ... All that, I said in my talk. But if people do not do, that means they are not following the Qur’an ... let it be any one…Let it be anyone ... whether it be America, whether it be Pakistan, whether it be any country in the world. People may say…‘See just by calling yourself a Muslim name, Abdullah or Zakir or Mohammed, you do not get ticket to Jannah. Just by saying that you are a Muslim, does not make you a Muslim. ‘Muslim’ is not a label ... that okay, if I say…‘I am a Muslim’  ...I am a Muslim. Muslim means…‘A person who submits his will to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala).’ Just by calling a person Zakir, Abdullah, Mohammed, Shakir…these people ... if they act, if they submit their will to Allah, then they are Muslims. By calling themselves Muslims, as the Qur’an says…‘There are some people whose are lip service Muslims.’ So if people are killing, they are not following the guidance of the Qur’an. If they follow the guidance of the Qur’an, peace will prevail throughout the world ... Hope that answers the question. 

Questioner: So Zakir Bhai, if a Hindu follows the principles of Qur’an, which are very similar to the principles given in the various Hindu Religious books, can a Hindu call himself as a Muslim ...or on the other hand, can a Muslim call himself as a Hindu, because the very topic of your lecture is Universal Brotherhood? I properly understood Dr. Vyas, when he asked his question. 

Dr. Zakir: Very good question  ...brother has asked a very good question - If you ask a clear question, I can give a reply   ...Alhamdulillah. Brother has asked a very good question  ...Can a Hindu following the principles of Islam in the Qur’an  ...and Hinduism, be called as a Muslim, and can a Muslim be called as a Hindu  ...Very good. Let us understand the definition of the word ‘Muslim’ and a ‘Hindu.’ As I said… ‘Muslim is a person who submits his will to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala)’… Almighty God. What is the definition of the word ‘Hindu’   ...Do you know? Hindu is a geographical definition    ...Any one living in India, anyone living on this side of the Indus valley  civilization  ...he is a Hindu. By definition, I am Hindu   ...do you know that? Hindu is a geographical definition   ...You ask anyone.   ...According to Swami Vivekananda, ‘Hindu is a Misnomer’. Geographically I am an Indian    ...I am a Hindu, geographically. But Swami Vivekananda said that…‘They should be called as Vedantist ... They should not be called Hindus   ...Vedantist. If so you ask me ‘Am I geographically ‘Hindu’ ? Yes I am geographically Hindu   ...I am. But if you ask me… ‘Am I a Vedantist, following the Vedas?’ I said that… “ Those parts of the Vedas which conciliates with the Glorious Qur’an   ...I have got no objection in following those parts  ...for example, ‘That there is one God.’ ” But if you say…‘I believe that Almighty God created the Brahmins from the head, a different caste which are superior caste, the Kshatriyas from the chest’. It is Veda I am quoting. If you do not believe in the Veda, it is your problem brother   ...but this is the Veda, I am quoting. You can ask the scholars… of Vedic scholars  ...they are sitting here… they are sitting here  ...Vedas say that  ...Not I. ‘The Vyashyas from the thighs, and the Shudras from the feet.’ I don’t agree with this concept  ...that is right. So if you ask me…‘Do you believe in this philosophy of Veda’  ...I say… ‘No’. This particular philosophy… 

Someone from the audience: According to you, anybody who inhabits this land, is a Hindu?

Dr. Zakir: Yes. 

Someone from the audience: According to you. 

Dr. Zakir: Yes, yes… Geographically I… I said that  ...Yes. The brother has rightly said that… ‘Anybody who inhabits India, has to be a Hindu’  ...but natural. Any one living in America, is a citizen of America  ...he has to be American. Very good  ...Alhamdulillah  ...so anyone… living…... 

Audience: Everyone is a Hindu here. 

Audience: Ye real brotherhood hai. 

Dr. Zakir: Yes, that is it. I agree with you brother  ...Geographically, everyone living in India, is a Hindu  ...So I completely agree with it. By the geographical definition if you say... if you say, that… ‘Anyone who lives in India is a Hindu’  ...it is correct. Any scholar will agree­…Anyone living in India is a Hindu…Geographically I am Hindu. But because I stay in India… can I be a Muslim?  ...Yes. 

Audience: Please maintain it. 

Dr. Zakir: Of course. So a person ... Can a Muslim be a Hindu? Yes  ...If the Muslim is living in India, he can be a Hindu   ...but if a so called Hindu lives in America, he is not a Hindu  ...Do you know that?  ...he is an American. So ‘Hinduism’ cannot be called a Universal Religion…according to scholars ...Hindu is a Religion of India only  ...it is not a Religion  ...it is a geographical definition. 

According to Swami Vivekananda who is a great scholar   ...he is said... ‘Hinduism is a Misnomer.’ You know ‘Misnomer’?  ...Misnomer means a wrong label given  ...They should be called as Vedantist. So if you ask me... ‘Am I a Hindu’? I will tell you... ‘If Hindu is a person living in India, by all means I am a Hindu  ...But if you say ‘Hindu’ is a person who worships... as the person said you know  ...that if you believe in so and so gods, who have got forms, etc., and have got heads and hands, etc., then I am not a ‘Hindu.’ But if you mean a geographical definition   ...‘Yes I am a Hindu.’ Similarly, ‘Can a Hindu be a Muslim’? Yes, an Indian can be a Muslim   ...A Hindu can be a Muslim. But if that Indian... if that Indian does idol worship, he can’t be a Muslim – 

Because the Qur’an says in 

Surah Nisa, Ch. 4, V. 48, and 

Surah Nisa, Ch. 4 V, 116, that 

“Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) never forgives the sin of committing shirk, associating partners’. Any other sin, if He wishes, He may forgive, but shirk He’ll never forgive.” 

So an Indian, living in India   ...‘Geographical Hindu’... can be a Muslim. But if that ‘Geographical Hindu’...‘Indian’, breaks any commandments… that is the basics of concept of God… belief in Prophet Mohammed (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam)... then he cannot be a Muslim. Any Muslim who follows the Qur’an and lives in India  ...he is an Indian Muslim. Hope it is very clear for you.  

Questioner: (ha..ha..ha..ha) Two things I want to make very clear  ...First, you might have…

Dr. Mohammad: Brother…

Questioner: …might not have properly heard me. 

Dr. Mohammed: Ah…Brother… I thing as far as the Question-Answer session goes, we will allow normally one question. You put your question completely as a question, rather than lecture  ...and let the speaker answer. After the Question-Answer session is over… after the program is over  ...And when others who might not be interested in discussion  ...we will welcome discussion after the program…So every one else is not blocked up one question  ...and we give opportunities to many other people  ...Yes Advocate Hegde.

Advocate Hegde: This is a Question-Answer session, and not a debate ... What you are doing, is like a debate. If anybody has a question, the speaker will give the answer.

Questioner: We got the answer to our questions  ...But we are got not satisfied. 

Advocate Hegde: Then you can sit down and let someone else ask a question. 

Questioner: Yes, it is alright … We do not mind  ...But another question is that…

Dr. Mohammed: Brother… excuse me brother… brother excuse me…. I will put forward the question on the slip ... Mr. Mehta’s… Why are most of the Muslims, fundamentalists and terrorists? 

 

Dr. Zakir: The question posed is, by brother Mehta…‘Why are most of the Muslims fundamentalists and terrorist?’ The question is posed… I give the answer  ...If you like it you take it, if you do not like it, leave it. 

Qur’an says in 

Surah Baqarah, Ch. 2, V. No. 256 

“La ikraha fid deen”

“There is no compulsion in Religion   - Truth stands out clear from error” 

I have to present the truth to you  ...If you like it, you take…if you do not like it, reject it  ...No problem. There is no compulsion is Religion, 

“La ikraha fid deen”, Surah Baqarah Ch. 2, V. 256. 

Brother Mehta has asked a question, that why are most of the Muslim fundamentalist, why are they terrorist? What is the meaning of the word…‘fundamentalist’? ‘Fundamentalist’ is a person who follows the fundamentals. For example… a person to be a good mathematician, he should know, he should follow, and practice the fundamentals of Maths. He should be a fundamentalist in the field of Maths, to be a good ‘Mathematician’. For a person to be good Scientist... he should know, he should follow, and practice the fundamentals of ‘Science’. He should be a fundamentalist in the field of Science, to be a good Scientist. For a person to be a good Doctor, he should know, he should follow and practice the fundamentals of medicine. He should be a fundamentalist in the field of medicine, to be a good Doctor. You cannot paint all fundamentalists with the same brush. You cannot say...‘All fundamentalists are bad’ or ‘All fundamentalists are good’.

For example, you have fundamentalist robber, who is expert in the field of robbing. But, he is harmful for the society ... he robs the people, and does not promote brotherhood ... he is not a good human being. On the other, hand you a fundamentalist doctor  ...who follows and practices the fundamentals of medicine, and he cures the sickness of human beings  ...he is a good person, he helps the human being. So you cannot paint all fundamentalists with the same brush. 

Regarding...‘Muslims are fundamentalist’  ...I am proud to be a fundamentalist Muslim; because I know, I follow and Alhamdulillah strive to practice the fundamentals of Islam  ...I am proud to be a fundamentalist Muslim. And every Muslim to be a good Muslim, should be a fundamentalist Muslim ... otherwise he cannot be a good Muslim. Every Hindu to be a good Hindu, he should be a fundamentalist Hindu... otherwise he will not be a good Hindu. Every Christian, to be a good Christian, he should be fundamentalist Christian   ...otherwise he won’t be a good Christian. 

Regarding is a fundamentalist Muslim, good or bad?   ...That is the question. Alhamdulillah, the fundamentals of Islam  ...There is not a single fundamental of Islam, which is against humanity. So far, many of the brothers posed certain questions; because of the misconceptions ... Because of the misconceptions you may think that this teaching of Islam is wrong. Like brother said that... ‘Having cow is wrong’  ...And  I gave the answer ... Brother said about certain thing, and I gave the answer. So a person who has lack of knowledge, he may think that there are certain fundamentals of Islam which are wrong. But if anyone who has the knowledge of Islam   ...there is not a single teaching of Islam, which goes against humanity, goes against society. I challenge anyone, not only this audience, in the full universe, to point out to me a single   ...a single teaching of Islam, which is against the basics of humanity  ...A single. 

Some people may feel bad, but as a whole the teaching of Islam is best for Universal Brotherhood, to promote humanity. There is not a single teaching, and I challenge again…anyone from the audience   ...they can ask me questions  ...I will clarify the misconception, Insha-Allah when the time comes. Brother, next question you can pose. One question at a time   ...when your turn was there you don’t reply. See the thing is that you have to follow certain rules  ...the mike was empty for half an hour  ...no one come up. I told the brother, you most welcome   ...you stand on the mike  ...No one comes  ...You can keep on asking one  ...one question  ...Every third question will be your question. No problem…You can ask as many… as much as the time, as the auditorium has been hired for  ...there is no problem  ...so I am proud to be a fundamentalist Muslim. But if you read the definition of ‘fundamentalism’ in the Webster’s dictionary, it says that... ‘Fundamentalism was a movement which was started in the early twentieth century, by a group of Christians... the Protestants in America, who protested and said that…‘Not only is the Bible... the teachings of Bible is, the word of God   ...but every letter of the Bible, is verbatim, the word of God’. 

So ‘Fundamentalism’ was first used for a group of Protestant Christians in America, who protested and said that…‘Every letter, word, of the Bible is the word of God’. If any human being who can prove that every word of the Bible is the word of God, then the movement is good. But if someone can prove that every word of the Bible is not the word of God, then the movement is not a good movement. But if you read the Oxford dictionary   ...What is the meaning of the word ‘Fundamentalist?’ ‘Fundamentalism’ according to Oxford dictionary means...‘Strictly adhering to ancient laws of any religion, especially Islam’. In Oxford dictionary they write... ‘Especially Islam’. The word ‘Especially Islam’ is there in the latest edition of Oxford dictionary. That means...‘Fundamentalist’   ...Immediately you think of a ‘Muslim’ ... Why? The media is bombarding people that...‘You know… that these Muslims ... they are fundamentalists, they are terrorists’. The moment you think of a ‘fundamentalist’  ...immediately the people starting thinking of a ‘Muslim’  ...Start thinking of the word ‘terrorist’. What is the meaning of the word ‘terrorist’? A ‘terrorist’ is a person who causes terror… who causes terror   ...And sometimes for peace to prevail, you may have to cause terror. When a robber sees the police, he is terrified   ...so for the robber, the police is a terrorist  ...Right or wrong? I am speaking English  ...I am not playing around with words  ...I am speaking English. ‘Terrorist’ is a person who causes terror. So for the robber, for the criminal, for the anti-social element, the police is a terrorist. In this context, every Muslim should be a terrorist ... In context… Should be a terrorist, for the anti-social element. Whenever an anti-social element sees a Muslim, he should be terrified  ...Any robber sees a Muslim, he should be terrified, any rapist sees a Muslim, he should be terrified. But I do agree that ‘terrorist’ is a word normally used for terrorizing the common people, the innocent, people. In that context, no Muslim should be a terrorist  ...he should not terrorize innocent people. But where anti-social elements are concerned, where robbers are concerned, where criminals are concerned  ...as policemen are terrorists to the criminals ... even the Muslim should be a terrorist to the criminal. 

And if you analyze, many a time, two different labels are given to the same person, for his same activity. For example, you know there were many Indians who fought for the freedom of India  ...When the Britishers ruled India, there were many Indians who fought for the freedom of India. The Britishers called them as ‘Terrorists…ahh… these people are terrorists’  ...But we Indians, we call these freedom fighters, as ‘Patriots’ ... Right or wrong? ‘Patriots’  ...they fought for the freedom of the country. Same people, same activity ... two different labels. The Britishers called them as ‘Terrorist’  ...the Indian citizens call them as ‘Patriots’... ‘Freedom fighters’. Same activity, same person ... two different labels. So before you give a label, you should first analyze, that which view do you adhere to. If you agree with the British view, that the British government had a right to rule over India, then you would call these people as ‘terrorists’. But if you agree with the Indian citizens, that the Britishers ... they came to do business, and they started ruling us unlawfully, then you will call these people as freedom fighters. So before you give any label to any particular person, you should analyze which view do you have. Same people can be given two different views, by different people. In this context I would say…‘Every Muslim should be a fundamentalist, where Islam is concerned   ...because every teaching of Islam promotes human values, and humanity, and Universal Brotherhood’. Hope that answers the question. 

Mohammad Naik: Yes brother…

Questioner: I am a retired teacher…Laxman Dokras Guruji  ...I want to ask what is the exact remedy to increase the Universal Brotherhood?’ For which subjects we have to give priority  ...either for Religion or Sociology or Politics  ...Will you please tell me please kindly, what is? 

Dr. Zakir: The brother has asked a question that, what is the priority to spread Universal Brother  ...Is it Religion, is it Sociology, is it dealing with Politics? Brother I have given a talk based on that full topic  ...I do not have to repeat the same thing  ...My answer will be the same. The priority to spread Universal Brotherhood, in all the Religions, is…‘To believe in one God, and worship Him alone’  ...that is the basic priority. I have repeated that in the talk, I have repeated in answers to several questions, and I am repeating it again. The basic priority is not Sociology or Politics  ...that come later on. Politics deals with ‘Brotherhood’ which is limited, Sociology...which is limited. Belief in one God, is Universal. He is the one who created all human beings, whether male or female, whether black or white, whether rich or poor. So if you believe in one God, and worship Him alone, then there will only be Universal Brotherhood  ...Hope that answers the question.  

Dr. Mohammed: The next question would be from the slip  ...Then if the sister will allow, there is one Raj Malhotra  ...he is asking…If Islam is a religion of peace, then how come it was spread by the sword?

Dr. Zakir: The question posed was…‘If Islam is a Religion of peace… how come it was spread by the sword?’ Islam comes from the root word ‘Salaam’, which means ‘Peace’. It also means ‘Submitting your will to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala)... Almighty God’. In short, Islam means… ‘Peace, acquired by submitting your will to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala)’. 

But as I mentioned earlier, everyone in the world does not want peace to prevail in the world. There are certain anti-social elements... for their own benefits, they do not want peace to prevail… the robbers, the criminals  ...If peace will prevail, they will go out of business. So for their own benefits, there are certain human beings, who do not want peace to prevail. So for such type of people, force may have to be used  ...therefore we have police, etc. So Islam is for peace but sometimes you may have to use force, to put the anti social elements in their place. And the best answer to this question…‘That Islam was spread by the sword’, is given by Delay C Olary, he is a Non-Muslim historian, of great repute. In his book   ...‘Islam at the Cross Road’, on page number 8, he says that… 

“History makes it clear, that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping across the world, forcing Islam at the point of the sword, over conquered races, is the most fantastic absurd myth that historians have ever repeated”

De Lacy O’ Leary, page number eight   ...Book…‘Islam at the Cross Road’. 

I am asking you a question that...‘We Muslims, we ruled Spain for about eight hundred years  ...later on the Crusaders came, and they wiped out the Muslims. There was not a Muslim who could openly give the Adhaan... the call for prayers   ...We did not use any force. 

You know, we Muslims, we ruled the Arab lands for about fourteen hundred years  ...for a few years the Britishers came, for a few years the French came  ...but overall the Muslims were the lordship of the Arab land, for fourteen hundred years. Do you know, today there are fourteen million Arabs, who are Coptic Christians? ‘Coptic Christian’ means, they are Christians through generations since generations. If the Muslims wanted, they could have converted every Non-Muslim at the point of the sword  ...we didn’t do it. The fourteen million Arabs who were Coptic Christians, are giving witness, that Islam wasn’t spread by the sword. 

You know India  ...India was ruled for hundreds of years by the Muslims ... We did not use the sword... we didn’t use the sword. If few people do a wrong thing, you cannot catch up those people, and blame the Religion for that… If few people do not follow the religion. You cannot say that Christianity is bad, because Hitler incinerated six million Jews. If Hitler incinerated six million Jews, burnt six million Jews, you can not blame Christianity for that  ...There may be black sheep in every community. But we Muslims, we ruled India for hundreds of years  ...If we wanted, we could have forced every Non-Muslim to convert, at the point of the sword. We did not do it  ...The Non-Muslims of India today... more than eighty percent ... they are giving Shahada, they are giving witness  ...you Non-Muslims present here, are giving witness that Islam was not spread by the sword. You are giving witness  ...we had the power… we did not do it  ...Islam does not believe in that. Today the country which has the maximum number of Muslims, is Indonesia ... Which Muslim army went to Indonesia? Which Muslim army went to Malaysia… which has fifty five percent of population of Muslims? Which Muslim army went to the east coast of Africa?   ...Which Muslim army? Which sword?   

Thomas Carlyle gives the reply  ...Thomas Carlyle… he writes in his book…  ‘Heroes and Hero worship’ that... ‘You have to get this sword  ...Little good will it do, that he should spread with the sword. Every new opinion initially begins in the mind of one  ...One man in the whole world  ...One man against all the human beings. It will do little good, that he picks up a sword and propagates it.’  ...Which sword? Even if we had the sword, we cannot use it  ...Even if we had the mental sword, we cannot use it. Qur’an says in 

Surah Baqarah, Ch. 2, V. 256…

“La ikraha fid deen” 

“There is no compulsion in Religion  ...Truth stands out clear from error’. Anyone who grasps the hands of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) and rejects the evil, he has held the most strong hand hold, that never breaks.” 

“Anyone who believes in Allah... Allah will take him from darkness to light. Anyone who believes in the Satan, the evil one, he will take him from lightness to dark.” 

Which sword?  ...

Sword of the intellect. Qur’an says in Surah Nahl Ch. 16, V. 125

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

 

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

There was a article that came in the ‘Plain Truth’ Magazine - It was a reproduction of ‘The Readers Digest Al Manager Book’ 1986. It gave the statistics of the increase of the world religion, between 1934 to 1984. In the 50 years, number one increase in major Religion’s was Islam; two hundred and thirty five percent; 235%. I am asking you... ‘Which war took place between 1934 and 1984, which converted millions of Non-Muslims to Islam? Which war? Do you know, today the fastest growing Religion in America, is Islam? ... Who is forcing the Americans to convert at the point of the sword? The fastest growing Religion in Europe is Islam  ...Who is forcing them at the point of the sword? 

Qur’an gives the answer in no less than three different places, in 

Surah  Tawbah, Ch. 9, V. No. 33; In 

Surah As Saff, Ch. 61, V. No. 9; and 

Surah Fath, Ch. 48, V. 28, the Glorious Qur’an says 

“Huwal ladhi 'Arsala Rasulahu Bil-Huda Wa Dinil Haqq Liyuzhirahu `Alad-Dini Kullih Wa Kafa Billaahi Shahidaa”

“Walaw karihal mushrikoon”

Allah says that... ‘Allah has sent His messenger with Truth, and with Guidance, so that it will prevail over all the other ways of life, over all the other isms.’ Islam is destined to supersede all, master them all, overcome them all, ‘Kulli.’

‘Enough is Allah as a Witness’. 

And I would like to end this answer, by the giving the quotation of Adam Pearson. Dr Adam Pearson said that...

“People who fear that one day nuclear weaponry will fall in the hands of the Arabs;  they fail to realize that the Islamic bomb has already been dropped. It fell the day Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) was born.”

Dr. Mohammed: There is question from brother Sunil, he asks... When Islam preaches Universal Brotherhood, then how come Muslims themselves are divided into sects?

Dr. Zakir: The question posed is that, when Islam preaches Universal Brotherhood, how come Muslims are divided into various sects? The answer is given in the Glorious Qur’an, in 

Surah Al Imran, Ch. No. 3, V. No. 103, it says 

“Wa’tasimoo bihabli Allahi jamee’an wala tafarraqoo”

“Hold to the rope of Allah strongly, and be not divided” 

Which is the rope of Allah? The Glorious Qur’an is the rope of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). It says that the Muslims should hold to the rope of Allah… the Glorious Qur’an and the Sahih Hadith, and they should not be divided. And the Qur’an says as I mentioned earlier, in 

Surah Anam, Ch. 6, V. 159, that... 

“Anyone who divides the religion into sects   ...you have nothing to do with him. Allah will tell him about their affairs, on the day of judgment” 

That means, it is prohibited for anyone to make sects in the Religion of Islam. But when you ask, certain Muslims...‘What are you?’ Some say...‘I am a Hanifi’, some say...‘I am Shafi’, some say...‘I am a Hambli’, some say... ‘I am a Maliki’. What was our beloved Prophet? Was he Shafi ?… was he Hambli?… Was he Maliki?… What was he? He was a Muslim.

The Qur’an says in 

Surah Al Imran, Ch. 3, V. 52 that... 

‘Jesus (peace be upon him) was a Muslim.’ 

The Qur’an says in Surah Al Imran, Ch. 3, V. No. 67 that... 

‘Abraham (Alaihe Salaam) was a Muslim’. 

And what was our beloved Prophet?  ...He was a Muslim. 

The Qur’an says in 

Surah Fussilat, Ch. 41, V. No. 33 

“Waman ahsanu qawlan mimman daa ila Allahi wa’amila salihan waqala innanee mina almuslimeen”

“Who is better in speech, than one who invites people to the way of thy Lord, works righteousness, and says I am if those who bow to the will Allah, Those who way say...‘I am a Muslim’”

So when anyone poses a question...‘What are you?’   ...You should say...‘I am a Muslim’. I have no objection if someone says...‘I believe in certain verdicts, certain views given by great scholars like Abu Hanifah, Imam Shafi, Imam Malik, Ahmed Ibn Hambal  ...May Allah be pleased with them all  ...I respect all these great scholars. If someone agrees with certain views of Imam Shafi sometimes, (may Allah be pleased with him)  ...Sometimes Abu Hanifah, (may Allah be pleased with him) ... I’ve got no objection. But if anyone poses a question…‘What are you?’  ...You should say...‘You are a Muslim’. And as the brother said earlier, that Qur’an says  ...‘There will be seventy three sects’. What he was referring to, is a saying of our beloved Prophet  ...It is mentioned in 

Abu Dawood, Hadith number 4579  ...it says that...

“The Religion of Islam will be divided into seventy-three sects.”

But if you note the wordings of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam)... Muhammad (peace be upon him), he said that… ‘The Religion will be divided’  ...He did not say… ‘You  should divide the Religion’. He is prophesing  ...though the Qur’an says.. ‘Do not be divided’  ...the     Muslims are bound to divide. 

And there is another Hadith which is mentioned in 

Tirmidhi H. No. 171  ...the beloved Prophet said...

‘There will be seventy three firkas...Seventy three sects, and all will go to hell, except for one’. And the companions asked... ‘Which one?’ The Prophet said... ‘The one that is on the path of the Prophet, and the companions ... One that follows the Qur’an and the Sahih Hadith.” 

So anyone who follows the Qur’an and the Hadith, is on the true path ... Islam does not believe in division. Every person, he is a Muslim  ...Anyone who follows the Qur’an and Sahih Hadith, is a Muslim  ...And Islam is against dividing the Religion into sects and divisions. So if you read the Qur’an and Sahih Hadith  ...Muslims should be united on the basis of Qur’an and Sahih Hadith. Hope that answer the question.

Dr. Mohammed: Yes brother  ...We will allow two questions before we have the impressions of our chief guests and the Presidential addressed by Advocate Hingorani  ...Yes brother. 

Questioner: I am a retired teacher…Laxman Dokras Guruji  ...I want to ask what is the exact remedy to increase the Universal Brotherhood?’ For which subjects we have to give priority  ...either for Religion or Sociology or Politics  ...Will you please tell me please kindly, what is? 

Dr. Zakir: The brother has asked a question that, what is the priority to spread Universal Brother  ...Is it Religion, is it Sociology, is it dealing with Politics? Brother I have given a talk based on that full topic  ...I do not have to repeat the same thing  ...My answer will be the same. The priority to spread Universal Brotherhood, in all the Religions, is…‘To believe in one God, and worship Him alone’  ...that is the basic priority. I have repeated that in the talk, I have repeated in answers to several questions, and I am repeating it again. The basic priority is not Sociology or Politics  ...that come later on. Politics deals with ‘Brotherhood’ which is limited, Sociology...which is limited. Belief in one God, is Universal. He is the one who created all human beings, whether male or female, whether black or white, whether rich or poor. So if you believe in one God, and worship Him alone then there will only be Universal Brotherhood  ...Hope that answers the question.  

Dr. Mohammed: The next question is something connected  ...One brother, Prabhu, is asking ‘All the Religions basically preach good things ... thus a person can follow any one of the Religions - it is one and the same?           

Dr. Zakir: The question posed is that all the religions basically teach good things   ...So you can follow any Religion   ...it is one and the same?’ And I do agree with him in the first part of the question  ...that all Religions do basically preach good things. For example all Religions say...‘You should not rob, you should not molest a woman, you should not rape her’  ...Hinduism says that, Christianity says that, Islam says that. But the difference between Islam and the other religion is, that Islam besides speaking of good things, it shows you a way how to implement those good things. Like all religions speak about brotherhood but Islam practically shows you  ...it demonstrates how to practice it in your day to day life  ...Salaah, Hajj, etc. So Islam, besides speaking theoretically, it shows you a way how to practice it in your life. 

For example, Hinduism says…‘You should not rob’; Christianity says… ‘You should not rob’; Islam says…‘You should not rob’   ...So what is the difference between Islam and the other Religions. Islam shows you a way how to achieve that state, in which people will not rob. 

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

After this, the Glorious Qur’an says in 

Surah Maidah, Ch. No. 5, V. No. 38... 

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

Some people may say, ‘Chopping of the hands…in this age of twentieth century  ...Islam is a barbaric Religion…It is a ruthless law’. And I do know, that there are thousands of people who rob. So if you chop off all the people, then many people will lose their hands. But the law is so strict, that the moment you implement it, and if a person comes to know that his hands will be chopped off if he robs, immediately the thought of robbing will go away from his mind. 

Do you know, today America which happens to be one of the most advanced country in the world  ...Unfortunately it also has one of the highest rates of crime, highest rate of robbery and theft. I am asking you a question, if you implement the Islamic Shariah in America i.e. every rich person gives Zakaat, 2.5% of his excess wealth in  charity, and after that, if any man or woman robs  ...Chop off his or her hands’. I am asking you a question...‘Will the rate of robbery and theft in America ... will it increase, will it remain the same, or will it decrease?’ It will decrease. It is a practical law. You implement the Shariah, and you get results.

Let me give you another example  ...that most of the major religions say that...‘You should not molest a woman, that you should not rape a woman’ ... Hinduism says that, Christianity says that, Islam says the same but Islam shows you a way how to achieve that state, in which people will not, men will not molest or rape a woman. Islam has a system of Hijaab. People normally talk about Hijaab for the woman  ...but Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) in the Glorious Qur’an first speaks about the Hijaab for the man, and then for the women. The Glorious Qur’an says in 

Surah Nur Ch. No. 24, V. No. 30. that...

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

Whenever a man looks at a woman, and any brazen thought comes in his mind... any unashamed thought comes in his mind, he should lower his gaze

There was once a friend of mine, who was a Muslim friend, who was staring at a girl, for a long time. So I told him ‘Brother what are you doing? It is prohibited in Islam to stare at a girl’. So he told me...‘Our beloved Prophet said that…

“The first glance is allowed, the second is prohibited” 

I have not yet completed half my glance. What did the, Prophet mean by saying “The first glance is allowed  ...the second is prohibited”. He did not mean that you could look at a woman, and stare continuously at her for twenty minutes, without blinking  ...What the Prophet meant…‘that if you look at a woman unintentionally’. ‘Intentionally do not look at her again…do not feast on her’ ...that is what the Prophet meant. 

The next verse speaks about the Hijaab for the women 

Surah Nur, Ch. 24, V. 31, says that...

 

“Say to the believing women, that she should lower her gaze and guard her modesty, and display not her beauty, except what appears ordinarily off, and to draw a head covering over the bosom.  And display not her beauty, except in front of her husband, her father, her sons…” etc. 

And a big list of mehram, the close relatives, who she cannot marry, is given. And there are basically six criteria for Hijaab. 

The first is the extent, which differs between the man and the woman. For the man, the extent is from the navel to the knee; for the woman, the complete body should be covered  ...the only part that can be seen, are the face and the hands up to the wrist. Some scholars say even these should be covered. 

The remaining five criteria are the same. 

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

Third  ...it should not be transparent, so that you could see through. 

Fourth  ...it should not be so glamorous, that it attracts the opposite sex. 

Fifth  ...it should not resemble that of the unbeliever.

Sixth  ...it should not resemble that of the opposite sex. 

These are basically six criteria for Hijaab, mentioned in the Qur’an and the Sahih Hadith. 

And the Qur’an says in Surah Ahzab, Ch. 33, V. No. 59 ... giving the reasons for Hijaab. It says... 

“O Prophet, tell your wives and the believing women, that when they go abroad, they should put on the cloak. So that they shall be recognized, and it will prevent them from being molested.”  

Qur’an says...‘Hijaab has been prescribed for the women, so that it will prevent them from being molested’. And the Islamic Shariah says if anyone rapes any women, he gets capital punishment. People may say…‘Capital punishment, in this twentieth century  ...Islam is a barbaric Religion, it’s a ruthless law…It is a barbaric Religion! 

Do you know, America which happens to be the country which is supposed to be most advanced  ...it has one of the highest rate of rape? According to the statistics, it says that on an average, every day more than one thousand, nine hundred females are being raped everyday, every 1.3 minute, one female is raped. Since the time I am in this auditorium. It is more than two and half hours. How many rapes may have taken place... how many? More than a hundred, in America. I am asking you a question…‘If you implement the Islamic Shariah in America i.e. every man when he looks at a woman, he should lower his gaze ... the woman should be properly dressed up in the Hijaab  ...and after that, if any man rapes, capital punishment’. 

I am asking you a question…‘Will the rape increase, will it remain the same, or will it decrease?’ It will decrease  ...it is a practical law  ...you implement the Shariah and you and get results. And I have been asking this questions to Non-Muslims that suppose someone rapes unfortunately... your wife or your mother and if you are made the Judge and if the rapist is brought in front of you, what punishment will you give? And believe me all of them said “we will put him to death. Some went to the extent of saying...”We will torture him to death”. So why do you have these double standards? Someone rapes somebody else’s wife... Capital punishment is barbaric law ... Someone rapes your wife... You want to give him Capital punishment. Why these double standards? 

And do you know, in India, according to the statistics of Crime Bureau… It says that...‘Every 54 minutes, one case of rape is reported in India’. How many taking place?…Every few minutes  ...may be one case. And no wonder, the Home Minister of India, L. K. Advani  ...you know what he said? It came in headlines of ‘Times of India’... headlines!   ...What it says, that... ‘Advani...Advani puts a death rap for rapes, and recommends an amendment in the law’ ... Headline in ‘Times of India’, 20^th of October, 10 days back. On Tuesday, one day before, 27^th of October 1998, he said that he wants death penalty for the rapist, Alhamdulillah. What Islam has said 1400 years ago, L.K. Advani is saying that and I am congratulate him for that. I am not here to promote any political party. I am not a politician but if someone speaks the truth, I have to appreciate it. And if you implement this, surely the rate of rape will diminish. 

May be the next Home Minister may implement the Islamic Hijaab here also. So InshaAllah, the rapes will be completely abolished. They are coming closer to Islam  ...I appreciate it. 

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

 

Come to common terms as between us and you. 

Mr L.K. Advani realized that rape is increase in India  ...and he rightly recommended that the law should be amended  ...and death penalty should be put for the rapist  ...And I am for it  ...I am the first Indian to support him. 

So if you analyze, Islam besides speaking good things, it shows you a way how to achieve that state of goodness. Therefore I say that Islam unlike other religions which speak good things, it shows you a way how to achieve goodness. So therefore if I have to follow any religion, I would follow a religion which speaks good things and shows you a way how to achieve that good things. 

Therefore it is rightly said in 

Surah Al Imran Ch. 3, V. No. 19 

“Innad deena inda Allahi al-islam”

The only religion acceptable in the sight of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) is the person who submits his will to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala).

Questioner: My name is, Manoj Raicha  ...my first question is under the name ‘Universal Brotherhood’, you are advertising Islam… and on the basis of that, please define your terms, when you are saying that ‘Universal Brotherhood’. You should ... under the name ‘Universal Brotherhood’... you should accept brotherhood to all ... whether ‘Muslims’... that is followers of Islam, and  Non-Muslims... which you say ‘Kaafir’, who don’t ... Otherwise for the term ‘Muslim brotherhood’ ... it will be okay. 

Dr. Zakir: The brother has asked a question ... that in the name of ‘Universal Brotherhood’, I am promoting Islam. Suppose if I have to say, that…‘You know the best cloth… I am promoting the best cloth in market.’ And suppose Raymonds, has to be the best cloth ...So it is a fact, I am promoting Raymonds, if Raymond’s company is best.’ Any way I do not get any cut from Raymond  ...it is just an example…I am not a dealer of Raymonds. But if I say...‘The best cloth is Raymond’  ...and if the talk is… ‘Which is the best cloth?’ I have to speak about that. Suppose I am giving a talk on...‘Who is the best doctor in the world?’ ... and if I have to take a person named ‘XYZ’ ... and if he is a best doctor…I am promoting him... Yes. So similarly universal brotherhood, I am telling you that Islam is a Religion which speaks about ‘Universal Brotherhood’, and shows you a way how to achieve it. 

Regarding your question that ... in ‘Universal Brotherhood’, can you call a Muslims and Non-Muslims as brothers ... or only Muslim as brothers? The ‘Universal Brotherhood’ of Islam is...‘All human beings are your brothers’  ...I made it very clear in my talk ... I am not mincing with words. I am very clear   ...may be, it may have slipped… you may not have heard it. I started my talk in 

Surah Hujuraat, Ch. 49, V. 13. 

“Ya ayyuhannasu inna khalaqnakum min zakarin wa onsa waja’alnakum shu’ooban waqaba-ila lita’arafoo inna akramakum inda Allahi atqakum inna Allaha’aleemun khabeer.”

 

that... 

“O human kind, We have created you from a single pair of male and female, and I have divided you into nations and tribes, so that you shall recognize each other, not that you shall despise each other, and the most honored in the sight of Allah, is the person who has Takwa, who has righteousness, who has piety, who has God consciousness.” 

In the Universal Brotherhood are all human beings   ...the person who as got piety is one who has got taqwa, righteousness. I have got two brothers  ...one is a good person  ...actually I have got one brother only  ...But suppose I have two brothers. One is a medical doctor ... like this brother, and treating the patients, etc., curing  ...And the other brother is a drunkard, he is a rapist.   Both are my brothers  ...Who is a better brother? A brother who is a doctor and treats the people, and does not cause harm to the society  ...the other brother…he is my brother, but he is not a good brother of mine. Similarly all human beings are my brothers  ...but those who are closer to me, are those who have Taqwa, who has righteousness, who has piety. Anyone who has piety, who has righteousness, who has God consciousness, is closer to me  ...It is very clear. I have said in my talk, and I repeat it  ...Hope that answers the question. 

Questioner: You have differentiated Hinduism, Islamic and Christianity. In all three Religions, there is good things for brotherhood  ...You have not explained brotherhood in Hinduism, brotherhood in Christianity? 

Dr. Zakir: The brother said that I have spoken good things about Islam... Universal Brotherhood  ...I have not spoken good things about Hinduism and Christianity. I did speak certain good things  ...I did not speak everything about brotherhood in Hinduism and Christianity, because people may not be able to digest it here. These things what I am saying, people can’t digest ... I have to be patient. I know Christianity, I have studied the Bible; I have studied the Hindu Scriptures; if I speak on that   ...I am not here to create a rift. What I am here, to talk about the commonalities  ...so what is common I spoke. Hinduism says...‘Don’t rob’ ...Christianity says...‘Don’t rob’  ...don’t molest... don’t rape’ ... fine. 

Other things on Brotherhood  ...do you know, just a sample I am giving you ... Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) said  ...it is mentioned in the 

Gospel of Matthew, Ch. No. 10, V. No. 5 to 6   ...It says...I am quoting Chapter No., Verse No., quoting  ...there is no two doubts about it. He told the Apostles that…

“Go ye not in the way of the Gentiles ... But rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel”. 

Who are the Gentiles? The Non Jews, the Hindus, the Christians… we are the Gentiles. 

“Don’t throw pearls before pigs”... 

He calls us as pigs! Am I going to speak about that? Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) says in the 

Gospel of Matthew, Ch. No. 15, V. No. 24 ... he says that...

“I have not been sent but, to the lost sheep of the house of Israel”.  

I am quoting ... Chapter No., Verse Number. So this means that, religion is meant for the Jews ...not for the whole Universe. 

In other religions, they believe in monasticism… in monasticism. If you have to come closer to God, you have to renounce the world... you have to renounce the world  ...most of the major religions… Hinduism says that...Christianity says that…

“To come closer to God, you have to renounce the world”. Qur’an says in 

Surah Hadid, Ch. 57, V. No. 27, that it’s against monasticism. 

Monasticism is not allowed in Islam  ...Our beloved Prophet said…

“There is no Monasticism”.

It is mentioned in 

Sahih Bukhari, Vol. No. 7, in the Book of Nikaah, Ch. No. 3, H. No. 4…

“O young people, whoever has the means to get married, should get married” 

 

Hadith says that. If I agree, that if you renounce the world, you came closer to Almighty God ... and if every human being renounces the world today, then within a span of 100 to 150 years, there will not be a single human being alive in this world. If every one practices this law throughout the world, where is the Universal Brotherhood? Therefore brother, I am only come to talk about the good points  ...Unless you want to have knowledge about other religions  ...it’s my job  ...I have to speak the truth. Qur’an says in 

Surah Isra, Ch. No. 17, V. No. 81 

“Waqul jaa alhaqqu wazahaqa albatilu inna albatila kana zahooqa”

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

 Hope that answers the question. 

Questioner:  I am Advocate Madhav Phadhke  ...you said in your speech that God is alive, imageless and formless, as stated in Hinduism then why Muslims doing Hajj Pilgrimage, they worship Holy shrine, as the Hindus, they worship?

Dr. Zakir: That’s a very good question the brother has posed that if Almighty God has got no image in Islam, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) has got no form then why do the Muslims, they worship the Holy Shrine…referring to the Kabaah  - in Hajj Pilgrimage? Brother, it’s a misconception, no Muslim ever worships the Kabaah, it’s a misconception among the Non-Muslims, that we Muslims, we worship the Kabaah. No Muslim worships the Kabaah, we only worship Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), Who we cannot see in this world. What we do is the Kabaah is the Qibla  ...Qibla in Arabic means ‘The direction.’ Kabaah is the Qibla, because we Muslims. We believe in unity, always unity. For example, if we want to pray to Almighty God, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), if we have to offer Salaah, some may say... ‘Let us face the North; some may say...‘Let us face South’ ; some may say...‘East’ ; some say...‘West’. Where do we face? We believe in unity. So for unity, all the Muslims throughout the world, they are asked to face in the direction of the Qibla i.e. the Kabaah, it is our direction, we don’t worship it. And the first people, who drew the world map, were the Muslims and when the Muslims drew the world map, they drew with the South Pole on top, and North Pole down   ...and Kabaah was in the center. The Westerners came and they turned the map upside down ... North Pole on top, South Pole down. Alhamdulillah, yet the Kabaah is in the center, Mecca is in the center. 

And since Mecca is in the center, any Muslim in any part of the world  ...if he is staying in North of Kabaah, he faces towards the South; If he is staying in the South of Kabaah, he faces towards the North. All the Muslims throughout the world, they face in one direction. Kabaah is the Qibla… it is the direction   ...No Muslim ever worships it  ... And when we go for Hajj… to the pilgrimage, we circumambulate round the Kabaah. We circumambulate around the Kabaah, because everyone knows, that all circles have only one center  ...So we circumambulate round the Kabaah, to testify that there is only one God  ...not because we worship it. And the statement of the second Khalifa of Islam, Hazrat Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, he said, it’s mentioned in 

Sahih Muslim, in the Book of Hajj, Volume No. 2, he said, Hazrat Umar may Allah be pleased with him, that... 

“I am kissing the black stone i.e. the Kabah, Sange Aswad, only because my Prophet kissed it  ...otherwise this black stone can neither harm me, neither can it benefit me.” 

The second Khalifa of Islam... Caliph of Islam, Hazrat Umar, may Allah be pleased with him  ...he made it clear for eternity, that no Muslim ever worships the black stone  ...it can neither benefits us, neither can it harm us. And the best example is that, during the time of the Prophet   ...the Sahabas... the companions of the Prophet, they even stood on the Kabaah, and gave the Adhaan   ... Adhaan is the call for prayers. People stood on the Kabaah, and gave the Adhaan. I am asking you...which idol worshipper, will ever stand on the idol he worships? So these are sufficient proofs, that no Muslim ever worships the Kabaah. Kabaah is the Qibla and we worship only Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), Who we cannot see with the eyes. Hope that answers the question. 

Dr. Mohammad: Yes brother…

Questioner: I am Dr. Vyas ... a medical practitioner. We came here for having views on Universal Brotherhood   ...We did not come here for a Bhauddik on Islam. I would request you to tell us about brotherhood in this world. Now this is Universal Brotherhood  ...I would like to know whether there are brothers in other parts of the Universe. We have brothers in India, so we talk of Indian brotherhood  ...and how brotherhood in this country, has affected the history of this country during last one hundred years? 

Dr. Zakir: The brother has asked a very good question, a very relevant question. He said that, you know, he has come here to hear about Universal Brotherhood   ... and what I spoke is about the brotherhood of the world only and are there brothers in other parts of the Universe. Brother is a doctor, Alhamdulillah, and if you heard my talk, if you paid attention to it brother, I said that...‘We believe in Almighty God, Who is the Lord of the worlds, Rabbul Aalamin, Lord of the worlds, means...‘Lord of the Universe, besides this world’. 

Questioner: Talk about brotherhood of Universe or of this world or Indian. Brotherhood. 

Questioner (another): Ek do batein mai apke samne guzaarish... 

Dr. Zakir: Bhaisab zara pehla main unko answer kar du… I will reply to him, and then I will come to your question ... You are most welcome ... I am here  ...I will reply to everyone, InshaAllah. First I will just reply to the elderly gentleman   ...he has asked a question  ...it is my pleasure to reply. He said...‘Talk about Brotherhood  ...that’s the brotherhood.’ And Universal Brotherhood means, not only brotherhood of this world, but of the worlds, of the whole Universe. 

And according to the Glorious Qur’an, in 

Surah Shura, Ch. No. 42 V. No. 29, it says that...

“Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) has created the heavens and the earth, and has put creatures between them.” 

That means, the Qur’an says that there are living creatures besides this world. There are living creatures besides this world. Science hasn’t reached that far to prove that there is life besides this earth. You know Scientists, they are sending rockets and satellites and spaceships, to try and prove there is life on Mars, etc. It’s not established, they say there are high chances. But the Qur’an says there is life besides this earth and I believe in it. 

So Universal Brotherhood does not only mean brotherhood in this world  ... it means brotherhood even in the other worlds, as you rightly said,  even brotherhood in India ... even brotherhood in India ... throughout the world. And for this brotherhood to prevail, if you heard my talk  ...I do not want to repeat the full talk again, that there should be a moral conduct   ...that no human being should kill any other human being, he should not rob, he should give charity, he should love his neighbors, he should not backbite, he should see to it that when he sleeps with a full stomach, even his neighbor is fed well, he should see to it that he does not have alcohol. Alcohol prevents the brotherhood to prevail in the world, he should not backbite, he should not slander anyone. All this things promotes Universal Brotherhood not only in India, not only in the world, in the full Universe  ...May be possible that you did not pay attention to some portions of my talk. My talk Alhumdulillah was focused on the topic  ...and it did cover India, America, full world, as well as the Universe. And this can only take place  ...and all the religions, if you believe in the concept that the Creator of all the human beings, of all the creatures whether in India, or whether in America, or whether outside this world, is one Almighty God. And all the religions basically speak in belief of one God, which I discussed in details. For more details about ‘Concept of God’  ...I have given this talk ‘Concept of God in Major Religions.’ It speaks more about the concept of God in other religions like Sikhism, and Parsism, etc. and it deals in detail. If a person wants to have more knowledge on how it can prevail, you can avail of my cassette ‘Concept of God in Major Religions’, It is available for sale outside in the foyer. 

Dr. Mohammed: Now we will have the respected advocate Prabhakar Rao Hegde, presenting his impression as a chief guest. 

Prabhakar Rao Hegde: Dr. Zakir Naik and friends, I admit my privilege to be here this morning to hear this talk by Dr. Zakir Naik, the President of the Islamic Research Foundation and I was really impressed by it. I am a Hindu, but do not go to the temples neither introduce religion in my politics ... I belong to the Congress. Here, those who came to here Dr. Zakir Naik should have seen and realized that he is a person who has to do with Islam Religion  ...and he is asked to speak only on Islam Religion  ...and I feel it very unhappy, that some of the people who introduce Religion in politics, tried to obstruct his speech, by asking inconvenient questions? May I ask them a question...Have they read Vedas, have they read Upanishads, have they read any of the Religious Scripts or because it is convenient to be a Hindu, to come in power, they want to canvas religion? My submission is… most respectful  submission is…Here, I came to hear a Muslim scholar on the  topic  ...what his religion wants to convey ... whether I accept or I do not accept, is another thing. But I will tell you, that the Hindu Religion is there for thousands of years, and Islam religion has come fourteen hundred years back. It is a religion which has come up, after seeing this torture done by other religions, of the people of the world  ...And therefore that is the Religion which is more socialistic  ...and has given the method also, how to implement. I remember in 1978, when I contested from Thana, from this Bhiwandi, I met my friend Ishaq Narbe…Advocate  ...and he gave me the translation of Qur’an in English, which I had gone through, before I contested election. I still remember that I read the contribution of the Muslims in the freedom movement of India  ...a book written by author. And I have to tell my friends here, who are talking about the religion in Hinduism  ...that it was the Wahabis, who first stood against the British in 1833. It is not the Hindus that collected together to fight the battle of Independence; it was the Muslims who fought the battle of independence. It is unfortunate that we do not  ...both of us don’t go together  ...It is unfortunate for this country that  ...But it is really equally unfortunate, that some persons want to canvas it, and make it a point in politics to introduce religion. I am really impressed by the speech…I’ve learnt a lot  ...Not that I agree with whatever he has said. It is a way of thinking, and certainly deserves a serious consideration, and I am thankful to him   ...I thank you all. 

Dr. Mohammed: May I now request, respected Advocate K.R. Hingorani, to present his presidential address. 

K. R. Hingorani: Dr. Naik, Hegde Sahaab, my friends, I am really honored to have been asked to preside over this function though of course in a vacancy filling manner. But even then, I am really proud to be here, and associated with the thoughts which are expressed by Dr. Naik. I am not an expert on any religion either mine or of Dr. Zakir’s ... but one thing I can claim, that I was born in a place, where Islam was first brought in to the shores of India ... I come from Province known as Sindh. For the first time in my life, I have heard a Muslim scholar    ...though I have heard so many Muslim Maulanas  ...who can understand and really read the things comparatively, not only from an exclusive point of view as normally it is misunderstood by us that Islam is a exclusive religion, only meant for compartmental people, who believe in certain things and who disbelieve in other things. When he said that...‘We should bring out the communalities, the common things between the different Religions first, and then disagree upon the points, which we do not agree upon’  ...I think this one of the best statement that I have heard in my life. Once I have heard Dr. Radhakrshnan speaking in the same manner, on the comparative religions of India  ...and after that, after about 50 years, I heard Dr. Naik to speak that there are certain common things. And really there are certain common things...and really there are certain common things because when he spoke about the Taqwa  ...it is a Arabic word  ...I think that is the pronunciation, and he is said…‘It is God-consciousness’  ...I was reminded of my own Shivaism…Kashmiri Shivaism, which also talks about the ‘God-consciousness, as being the fundamental force in life  ...that everything emanates from it; It is not born, it is not created, it is not come out of a womb of a woman, it is self evident, swambho, it is there in existence since time immemorial  ...When the time has not started, Shiva was there’  ...And when he talked about  ‘God-consciousness’, I was reminded of that. Hinduism as such, is not restricted only to Vedanta’ or  ...The four Vedas are also very difficult to understand  ...Of course he has studied them  ...I bow before his scholarliness, and I feel that what he says is correct. And I quite agree with him, that Hindu word is a geographical connotation, and I am proud to say that it came into existence, because of the Sindh. When the foreigners came to India, they tried to cross the Indus River ... especially Sikandar  ...and he said that ‘it is Sindhus’. It is... it was… it was told to him, that the name of this river was ‘Sindhu’ ... and being an Iranian or a Unani, he could not pronounce ‘Sindhu’ ... he said... ‘It is Hindu’. After ‘Hindu’, they called ‘Seven rivers’ ... as the Haft Hindu…‘Seven rivers’ ... So I am proud that the word ‘Hindu’ has come, because the ‘Sindh’ was there. And really in India, we need this type of thing because much misconception has gone there, that…‘Muslims are terrorists’ ...Somebody asked the question. I mean, I think, this is the most reprehensible statement that was ever made, that...‘Muslims are terrorists’. 

This is all nonsense, and it should be curbed   ...and it is because of this, that we feel that we are so insecure in this country. You… you cannot read a Muslim as a ‘terrorist’, because he is a Muslim  ...he is a ‘fundamentalist’  ...If he is a fundamentalist of the color of Dr. Naik, I welcome him  ...I welcome him to my house. And you must also know, Of course, I have to talk about these things, which I never wanted because when I came, I have done some spiritual experience by his talk. But then recently, two three days back, there was news in the paper, that the front man for the person in Dubai, is a Hindu. I am referring to Dr. Ramesh Sharma ... he is the man, who they claim to be the person who co-ordinated all the works of Dawood sitting in…Now whom will you say…‘A Hindu is a terrorist, or a Muslim is a terrorist’. Therefore please forget these things ...forget about Muslims have been there ... Bad things from Muslims were there ...Bad things from Hindus were there ... and they need to be improved. But you can’t say or hold anything against Dr. Naik, for what Alauddin Khilji did in his times, or what Aurangzeb did to his brothers, or what Akbar did  ...These things are nonsense…These are facts of History, which you have to glance over. You want to live in this country  ...try to understand the common things between the parties, bring them out. I request Dr. Naik to go into Hindu congregations, and try to make them understand what Islam stands for. And as per my personal belief is concerned, I think Islam is one of the greatest things that have happened to this world. Thank you very much for giving me this honor and hearing me out.