Lecture 

 

(Duration: 2 hour 18 minutes)

 

 

Mohammad Naik: Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! May I take this opportunity to welcome all the audience in a vast multitude present on this huge Somaiya Grounds, the largest ground in Mumbai as well as the over 100 million people watching   us on Peace TV, welcome to this last day of the 10-Day International Islamic Conference and exhibition entitled ‘Peace – The Solution for Humanity’. We begin today’s program with the Qirat by Shaikh Abdul Fattah At-Tarooti from Egypt.

 

Abdul Fattah Tarooti: [Qirat]

 

Mohammad Naik: The translation of the Qirat by brother Musa Cerantonio from Australia.

 

Musa Cerantonio: And We did not give the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam), knowledge of poetry, nor would it be befitting for him. It is not but a reminder and a clear Qur'anMuhsin Khan

And We have not taught him (Muhammad SAW) poetry, nor is it meet for him. This is only a Reminder and a plain Quran. 

to warn whosoever is alive and to justify the words against the disbelievers.

 

Muhsin Khan

That he or it (Muhammad SAW or the Quran) may give warning to him who is living (a healthy minded the believer), and that Word (charge) may be justified against the disbelievers (dead, as they reject the warnings). 

Do they not see that We have created for them from what Our hands have made, grazing livestock, and then they are their owners?

 

Muhsin Khan

Do they not see that We have created for them of what Our Hands have created, the cattle, so that they are their owners. 

And We have tamed them for them, so some of them they ride, and some of them they may eat.

 

Muhsin Khan

And We have subdued them unto them so that some of them they have for riding and some they eat. 

And for them therein are other benefits and drinks, so will they not then be grateful?

 

Muhsin Khan

And they have (other) benefits from them (besides), and they get (milk) to drink, will they not then be grateful? 

But they have taken besides Allah other gods that perhaps they would be helped.

Muhsin Khan

And they have taken besides Allah aliha (gods), hoping that they might be helped (by those so called gods). 

They are not able to help them, and they themselves are but soldiers in attendance.

 

Muhsin Khan

They cannot help them, but they will be brought forward as a troop against those who worshipped them (at the time of Reckoning). 

So let not their speech grieve you. Indeed, We know that which they conceal and that which they declare.

 

Muhsin Khan

So let not their speech, then, grieve you (O Muhammad SAW). Verily, We know what they conceal and what they reveal. 

Does man not consider that We created him from a mere sperm-drop,  then at once he is to be to us a clear adversary?

 

Muhsin Khan

Does not man see that We have created him from Nutfah (mixed male and female discharge semen drops). Yet behold! He (stands forth) as an open opponent. 

And he presents for Us an example and yet forgets his own creation. 

 

He says, "Who will give life to the bones whilst they are disintegrated?"

 

Muhsin Khan

And he puts forth for Us a parable, and forgets his own creation. He says: "Who will give life to these bones when they have rotted away and became dust?" 

Say, "He will give them life who produced them the first time; and He is, of all creation, Knowing."

 

Muhsin Khan

Say: (O Muhammad SAW) "He will give life to them Who created them for the first time! And He is the All-Knower of every creation!" 

It is He who made for you from the green tree, fire, and it is from that  which you are able to ignite.

 

Muhsin Khan

He, Who produces for you fire out of the green tree, when behold! You kindle therewith. 

Is not He who created the heavens and the earth Able to create the likes of them? Yes, indeed it is so; and He is the Knowing Creator.

 

Muhsin Khan

Is not He, Who created the heavens and the earth Able to create the like of them? Yes, indeed! He is the All-Knowing Supreme Creator. 

His commands is only when He intends a thing that He says to it, "Be," and it is.

 

Muhsin Khan

Verily, His Command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, "Be!" and it is! 

So exalted is He in whose hand is the realm of all things, and to Him you will be returned.

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful 

 

Say, "He is Allah, One,

Allah, the Self Sufficient.

He begets not nor is He begotten,

And there is nothing that is like unto Him."

 

Mohammad Naik: JazakAllah Shaykh Abdul Fattah Tarooti for your Qirat and brother Musa for the translation. I welcome the huge crowd gathered here at Somaiya Ground on this last day, last session of the 10-Day International Islamic Conference and Exhibition. InshaAllah, we will be starting the session of the talk followed by the question and answer session and the concluding part of the session would be brief remarks by each of the speakers. You have been hearing over the last ten days the distinguish international speakers addressing this conference and InshaAllah we will conclude the session lastly by the Dua by Shaikh Salaah Al Budair, Imam Masjid Al Nabwi, Madina. 

 

Though many know about Dr. Zakir Naik, it’s my honorous duty to introduce him especially those watching him for the first time on Peace TV with its more than 100 million viewers.  

 

Dr. Zakir Naik is the President of and the main driving force behind the Islamic Research Foundation as well as the organization of this conference. The Islamic International School, Mumbai has been conceived, planned and developed by Dr. Zakir Naik. 

 

The United Islamic Aid is his systemic ventured through Zakaah for the up-liftment of the many underprivileged Muslim brothers and sisters. Starting with the educational scholarships and now the primary health care centers for the needy. 

 

Dr. Zakir is a medical doctor by professional training and is renowned as a dynamic Islamic Orator on Islam as well as a shock conductor of Comparative religious study. Dr. Zakir Naik clarifies Islamic view points and clears misconceptions about Islam using the Quran, authentic Hadith and other religious scriptures in conjunction with reason, logic and scientific facts. 

 

Dr. Zakir is famous for his specific analysis and satisfying answers to challenging questions posed by audiences and critics of Islam after his public talks. His public dialogues with prominent personalities of other faiths like Dr. William Campbell of USA and the famous Guru Shri Shri Ravi Shankar of India as well as others have infallibly overturned the widespread wrong notions about Islam. These dialogues have also reaffirmed the revelation of the Qur’an for entire humanity being in continuation of the earlier revelations of God All Mighty for humankind.

 

The Indian Express included Dr. Zakir Naik in its list of the hundreds most powerful Indians 2009 amongst the billion plus population of India in its special list of the top 10 spiritual gurus of India, Dr. Zakir Naik was ranked no. 3 after Baba Ramdev and Shri Shri Ravi Shankar being the only Muslim in the list. 

 

Dr. Zakir appears regularly on many international TV Channels throughout the world. He is the sprit and brain behind Peace TV which is telecasted worldwide with separate English and Urdu Programming channels via 4 strategically located satellites. Peace TV is the most watched 24 Hour Islamic Satellite Channel in the world. 

 

For this concluding session of the conference to talk on a topic of great and ultimate significance for most of the people in this world ‘What is the Purpose of our Life?’ 

 

Brothers and sisters with thunderous applause lets welcome on stage the articulate analyst, Dr. Zakir Naik.

 

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

 

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

 

“Wama Khalaqtul Jinna wal Insa illa li yabudoon”

 Bismillah hirrahman nirraheem

 

“Allathee khalaqa almawta wal hayata liyabluwakum ayyukum ahsanu amala”

 

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

 

The honorable scholars, speakers, the respected guests, my respected elders, my dear brothers and sisters and the millions of viewers who are watching this program live on Peace TV, I welcome all of you with the Islamic Greetings, Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh, May peace, mercy and blessings of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), of All Mighty God, be on all of you.      

 

The topic of this last lecture of the last session of the last day of the 10-Day Islamic Conference, ‘Peace the Solution for Humanity’ is 

 

‘What is the Purpose of our Life’.

 

How many of us have really ever thought in their life, what is the purpose of our life? How many of us have ever thought what is the purpose of our existence? What are we doing here? Why are we here? Let us start analyzing right from here itself. I request all the people in the audience, all of you if you have ever thought in your life what is the purpose of your life, please raise your hand. I would like to know amongst the audience how many of you have ever thought in your life what is the purpose of your life? May be I can see 10-50.. may be 100 hands in an audience of more than 100 thousand that is less than point 1%. Some may have felt shy to raise their hand so surely I can say less than 1% of the human beings have ever thought in their life what is the purpose of our life? Is it required that should we know what is the purpose of our life? To help you let me give you an example.

 

Once a man when he was travelling and when he came at a cross road he asked the passer by “where does this road lead to?” The passer by asked him “where do you want to go?” The man replied “anywhere”, the passer by answered “then take any road, it will make no difference.”

 

Imagine that traveler, he had no goal whatever actions he did, whatever deeds he did, it made no difference because he wanted to go anywhere. And many of us are leading our life in the same way.

 

Let me give you one more example. Imagine there is a builder who starts constructing his building and he lays a foundation and he digs a big whole for the foundation and when you ask him how many stories is your building going to be? He says “I don’t know”. “How many sq. feet is the build up area?” He says “I haven’t thought if it”. The builder has got no goal at all. 

 

Once there was a man who told his neighbor, your dog always chases vehicles and cars, I wonder will your dog ever catch up with any car? The neighbor replied “I don’t wonder whether he’ll catch up or not, I wonder if my dog catches up with the car what will he do?” The man who asked him will the dog ever catch up with a car, he is short-sighted. The neighbor who was the owner of the dog, he was far-sighted. Even if he caught up with the car, what will he do? What is the purpose of his goal? 

 

And unfortunately many of us, we are leading our lives same fashion just like the dogs. You know people do graduation and you ask them why are you doing graduation? And they don’t know the reason. Just because they want to be a graduate. What will you do after you finish your graduation, I haven’t thought of it yet.

 

Most of us are leading our lives like that traveler or like the dog who is chasing cars absolutely without a purpose. 

 

Many of us we copy goals of others without scrutinizing it. When we ask a student, why are you doing commerce so he will reply “because my friend is doing commerce”. Many people they emulate and they copy the actors, the models without realizing what they are doing. 

 

Once a person comes from the village to Bombay to become a millionaire and when the question was asked to him “why have you come to Bombay?” So he gives a reply that I have seen Amitabh Bachan in the Hindi movie, he is a pauper, he comes to Bombay and he becomes a multi-millionaire overnight. That’s the reason we find many people coming from outside Bombay and there are settling in Bombay to become a multi-millionaire overnight. And that’s the reason you find that the slums in Bombay are increasing. 

 

Many a times we see actors and models, they are brand ambassadors and they endorse certain products. There was a person who purchased a new car Hyundai i10 and when the question was asked, “Why have you chosen this particular car, Hyundai i10? So he says my favorite actor Shahrukh Khan, he owns Hyundai i10. I doubt whether Shahrukh Khan ever sat in the Hyundai i10 except in the advertisement. He may be owning a Mercedes or a BMW or somewhat similar. I doubt whether he owns an i10. 

 

You know Shahrukh Khan endorsed the watch Tag Heur, he is a brand ambassador of the watch Tag Heur and we find many of his fans buying Tag Heur. I wonder what has Tag Heur has to do with the acting of Shahrukh Khan. Has that watch, has that wrist watch ever helped him in acting? I doubt whether he wore Tag Heur before he became a famous actor also. So these are the various ways, the media promotes products and unfortunately we blindly follow goals of other people without realizing what we are doing.

 

Imagine there is an industrialist who buys a textile factory and when asked “Why have you brought the textile factory?” He tells us that I have come to know that there is good profit in textile business. Then you ask the next question, “Do you have a feasibility report?” He says “No”. “Have you hired someone to take care of your business? Have you hired a CEO, Chief Executive Officer?” He says “No”. “What is the percentage of profit you will make?” He says “I don’t know”. “Where will you buy the raw materials from?” He says “I haven’t thought of it”. “Where will you sell your textile?” He says “I don’t know”. Do you think that businessman will make profit in the textile industry? 

 

Imagine there is a person who has a goal; he wants to become the best scientist of the world. What does he do? He does a survey of all the scientists from the first human being, Adam (peace be upon him) till today. And after doing a survey, he comes to know the best scientist of human history was Isaac Newton and his survey was correct. After that what does he do? To become like Isaac Newton, he starts growing long hair, curly hair like Isaac Newton. He wears shoes like Isaac Newton, he wears clothes like Isaac Newton, do you think he will become a successful scientist? Such people have a goal but their planning is wrong. They have a planning. They did a survey of the scientist but their planning is wrong. 

 

Coming to the basic question, what is the purpose of our life? What is the purpose of our existence in this world? Who do you think would be the best person to reply to this question, what is the purpose of our life? Do you think its Dr. Zakir Naik? Surely the answer is no. Do you think the scientists can answer this question? The answer is no. Do you think the philosopher can answer this question? The answer is no. The best answer to this question what is the purpose of our life can be given by our Creator, God All Mighty, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). 

And I started my talk by quoting the verse of the glorious Quran from 

Surah Dhaariyaat ch. no. 51 verse no. 56, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) says 

 

“Wama Khalaqtul Jinna wal Insa illa li ya’budoon”

 

“I have not created, the jinns and the men but to worship Me”

 

I have created the Jinn and the men only to worship me. The Arabic word used here is ‘Ibadah’ coming from the root word ‘Abd’ which means servant which means slave, Ibadah means servitude means worship, it means obedient submission. In short Ibadah means worship or obeying the commandments of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), of our Creator, All Mighty God. 

 

Whatever Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), All Mighty God commands us, if we obey, it is called as Ibadah, it is called as worship.

 

For example Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) says that you have to follow the 5 pillars. So if you believe in Tawheed, believe there is no God but Allah then you are doing Ibadah, then you are worshipping Allah. If you pray, if you offer Salaah, you are doing Ibadah, you are worshiping Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala).

If you give Zakaat, obligatory Charity, you are doing Ibadah, you are worshipping Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala).

If you fast, you are doing Ibadah, you are worshipping Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala).

 

Allah says in the Quran that you have to provide neighborly needs so if you take care of your neighbor as Quran says in Surah Ma’oon ch. no. 107 verse no. 7 then you are doing Ibadah, you are worshipping Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala).

 

If you abstain from the things, All Mighty God, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) has told you to abstain from, then you are doing Ibadah. If you abstain from having alcohol, you are doing Ibadah. If you abstain from having pork, you are doing Ibadah, you are worshipping Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). If you abstain from stealing, cheating, telling lies, you are doing Ibadah, you are worshipping Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). In short when you follow the commandments of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), if you submit your will to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), you are doing Ibadah, you are worshipping Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). 

 

And every act of a human being can be converted into worship if you follow 2 criteria. 

 

No. 1 is the act should be done only and only for the pleasure of our Creator, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala).

 

Point no. 2 the act should be done according to the Sunnah, the way of the last and final messenger Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has done. 

 

If you have these 2 things in your act, every act of yours can be converted into Ibadah, can be converted into worship.

 

Whenever you buy any equipment, along with the equipment, you get an instruction manual. If you allow me to call the human being a machine, you will have to agree that the human being is the most complicated machine on the face of the earth. Don’t you think that this human being, this machine requires an instruction manual? The last and final instruction manual for the human beings, it is the Glorious Quran. The Glorious Quran, the last and final commandment of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) revealed to the last and final messenger, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), is the last and final instruction manual for the human beings. The do’s and don’ts, how a human being should lead his life is given in this instruction on manual, the glorious Quran.

 

Many people ask me the question, why does All Mighty God want us to worship Him? Is He hungry of our worship? Why does he want us to praise Him? Allahu Akbar, Allah is the Greatest. Is All Mighty God, hungry for praises? Allah replies in the Glorious Quran in 

 

Surah Faatir ch. no. 35 verse no. 15

 

“O ye men! It is you who need Allah and Allah is free of all wants, worthy of all praises”

 

The Quran says in Surah Faatir ch. 35 verse no. 15 

 

“O ye men! It is you who need Allah and Allah is free of all wants and worthy of all praises”

 

The reason why Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) wants us to worship Him and to praise Him is not for His benefit, it is for our benefit. When we say Allahu Akbar, it does not make Allah great. Allah is already the greatest, irrespective whether you say Allahu Akbar or not, Allah will yet remain the greatest. It will make no difference to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) but the reason Allah wants us to praise Him is because He knows the human psychology. 

 

We human beings whenever we praise someone, whenever we know someone who is great and famous we but natural tend to follow his advice.

 

For example if your mother, has a heart attack and you have an option there is a layman who comes and gives you advice , will you follow his advice or a person who you know is the best heart specialist in the world? And he is willing to give you free advice. Whose advice will you take? Will you take the advice for your mother from the best heart specialist in the world or from a layman? But natural because you know the heart specialist is famous, people keep on praising him, you indirectly tend to follow his advice. 

 

Similarly Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) wants us to praise Him, He is the Greatest! Allah is the Greatest! Allah is the Most Knowing! Allah is the Most Wise! So that the moment when we say He is the Most Wise, when He gives us the advice, we indirectly tend to follow it. If we don’t agree He is Most Wise, Most Knowledgeable then the chances we will follow His advice is less. 

 

So Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) wants us to Worship Him and to Praise Him not so that it will benefit Him but it will benefit us. Allah says in 

Surah Faatir ch. 35 verse no. 15  

 

“O ye men! It is you who need Allah and Allah is free of all wants, worthy of all praises”

Let me give you an example. Suppose there is a couple who is married for several years and they don’t have any children. But natural most of such couples, they will feel sad. You have another couple who is married and they have a child they bring him up with love and affection after he reaches the age of 15 or 16 that child dies. But natural these parents will be sad. The first group of couples who do not have any children, they’ll feel sad but the second group of parents who have children and after they have brought them up when they reach the teen age and when they die, they will feel more sad.

 

Now you have a third category of parents who have children, they bring them up with love and affection, they take care of them but when they grow and they become an adult, they don’t ask about their parents, they don’t take care of their parents. What would you call such kind of children? Surely you will call them inhuman, unjust and ungrateful. 

 

All of us will agree that if your parents, they bring you up with love and affection, take care of you, give you all the facilities, once you grow and become an adult, you don’t even talk to them, you don’t care about them, you don’t even meet them. Surely such children will be called unjust, ungrateful and inhuman. 

 

If you agree with this point imagine what would you call those human beings who are ungrateful to their Creator? Our Creator, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), All Mighty God has not only Created you, He has even created your parents. So don’t you think that we should thank our Creator, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala)? Shouldn’t we be obedient to Him? How many of us ever thank Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) for the bounties, for the blessings that He has bestowed upon us? How many of us? All Mighty God, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), He has given us life, He has given us the blessings of this world, food, clothing, shelter. Can you imagine if you don’t get water for a few days but natural, you will die. How many of us have ever thanked our Creator, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) for the water He has provided us? 

 

Have you ever thought that the air we breath, if we don’t get this air for a few minutes, what will happen to us? But natural we will die. 

How many of us have thanked our Creator, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) for the air he has provided us?

 

Allah says in the Quran in Surah Ibraheem ch. no. 14 verse no. 34 

 

“If you count the favors of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), you will not be able to number it. And man indeed is unjust and ungrateful” 

 

Allah says in the Quran in Surah Aadiyaat ch. no. 100 verse no. 6 

 

“Inna al-Insana lirabbihi lakanood”

 

“Verily, human beings are to their Lord very ungrateful”

 

Allah says this in several places that 

 

“Verily, human beings to their Lord are very ungrateful” 

 

Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) wants us to worship Him and to Praise Him not that it’ll benefit Him because it will benefit us, benefit the human beings. Imagine when Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) comes to know that after you have followed His advice, its benefitting His creation, He feels Happy.

 

For example if there is a doctor who is giving free treatment and free advice to the poor patients. Imagine if that patient doesn’t listen to the advice of the doctor how will the doctor feel? And if you follow the advice of the doctor, it will not benefit the doctor, he is giving you free treatment, it will benefit you. And once you follow his advice, the doctor is happy. At least my patient has now become healthy. 

 

Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) is far superior than all the doctors in the world, it’s mentioned ‘Huwas Shafee’, it is He who cures. So when you worship Him, when you follow His advice, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) feels happy because the moment you praise Him and you follow His advice, it benefits His creations, it benefits the human beings and it pleases Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). Allah is not pleased when you worship Him and praise Him because it benefits Him, He is pleased because it benefits the human beings, His creations. And even after you commit sins, you commit crimes the moment you repent, the moment you ask for forgiveness, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) immediately forgives you.

 

Allah mentions this in several places in the Quran 

 

“Wallahu Gafoorur Raheem”

“And Allah is Oft Forgiving and Most Merciful”

 

In several places 

In Surah Nisa ch. no. 4 verse no. 25,

in Surah Ma’idah ch. no. 5 verse no. 74, 

in Surah Al Hijr ch. no. 15 verse no. 49, 

in Surah Nahl ch. no. 16 verse no. 119, 

in Surah Al Zumar ch. no. 39 verse 53, 

in Surah Burooj ch. no. 85 verse no. 14 

 

“Wallahu Gafoorur Raheem”

“For verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving and Most Merciful”

 

Even though you don’t obey Him, even though you disobey Him, you don’t follow His advice, the moment you repent, the moment you ask for forgiveness, Allah forgives you and He is Happy. He is pleased that you made a mistake these human beings are My creation, I forgive them.  

 

Allah says in the Quran in 

 

Surah Nisa ch. no. 4 verse no. 48 and 

Surah Nisa ch. no. 4 verse no. 116 

 

“If Allah pleases, He will forgive any sin but the sin of Shirk, associating partners with God, joining partners with God, Allah will never forgive for anyone who has done Shirk, associated partners with God, he has done a heinous sin.”

 

So Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) will forgive any sin if He pleases but the sin of Shirk, if you die as a Mushrik, if you die associating partners with God and before your death if you do not repent if you do not ask for forgiveness, Allah will never forgive you. So one greatest sin from which all the human kind should abstain from no. 1 is Shirk, associating partners with Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), joining gods with All Mighty God. 

 

People very often ask this question, we understand God has created the human beings for worshipping Him but what is so special about the human beings? Why has he created us?

 

Human beings are a unique creation of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), they are the best creation of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). The human beings and the Jinns are the only creation who have a freewill of their own. All the creation of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), they have submitted their will to All Mighty God, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) and they do not have any freewill, they obey Allah 100% they have no choice but the human beings and the Jinns they have option to either obey or to disobey Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala).

 

Allah says in the Quran in 

 

Surah Teen ch. no. 95 verse no. 4 

 

“Verily We have created the human beings in the best of moulds”

“Laqad khalaqna al-Insana fee ahsani taqweem” 

 

“For verily We have created the human beings in the best of moulds”

 

Human being is the best creation of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). Besides being created in the best of moulds we are unique, we have a choice of either obeying or disobeying Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). After a freewill has been given to you and if you obey the commandments of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), you are superior to the angels because the angels, they have no freewill, they obey All Mighty God without a freewill so if after a freewill has been given to you and if you obey and submit your will to All Mighty God, you are superior to the angels. You know when you say “O this man is an angel” it has 2 meanings one is may be it’s an insult because human beings are superior to angels but it means that you are a human being after a freewill is given to you but you are obeying the laws of God like an angel so it makes you superior. A human being who is obeying like the angel so then it makes you superior but if you disobey Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), if you go against His commandments then you become the brother of the devil and you become a Satan.

 

So human beings have a choice to either obey the commandments of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) and to become superior than the angels or to disobey Him and become like the Satan. The choice is yours. 

 

And when we analyze that why has Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), why has He created us? It is because we are the best of creations. We have an option of either obeying Him or we have the option of disobeying Him. If we obey Him we become superior than angels, if we disobey Him we become like Satan. 

 

And this life, Allah says is a test for us. I started my talk by also quoting one more verse of the Quran of 

 

Surah Mulk ch. no. 67 verse no. 2 where Allah says 

 

“Allathee khalaqa almawta waalhayata liyabluwakum ayyukum ahsanu amala” 

 

“Allah has created death and life to test which of you is good in deeds”

 

Allah has created death and life to test which of the human beings are good in deeds. So this life is a test for the hereafter. 

 

Allah says in 

 

Surah Ale Imran ch. no. 3 verse no. 185 

 

“Kullu nafsin tha-iqatal mawt”

 

“Every soul shall have a taste of death, your final recompense will be on the Day of Judgment and whosoever has been saved from the fire and has entered the garden of paradise, he has achieved the objectives of this world. For verily this life is goods of chattels and deception.”

 

Allah says in the Quran in Surah Baqarah ch. no. 2 verse no. 155 

“Be sure, We shall test you with something of fear or hunger or loss in goods or lives or the fruits of your toils and give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere”

 

Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) has created this life for us and death as a test. To test which of the human beings is good in deeds and surely Allah will test you with fear, with hunger, with loss of goods, with loss of lives and what you have earned in your full life, the fruits of your toils He will test different people in different ways.

 

Allah says in the Quran that Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) bestows His sustenance more freely on some of the human beings as compared to others.

 

Allah says in the Quran in 

 

Surah An’aam ch. no. 6 verse no. 165 that 

 

“He has raised some of the human beings in higher ranks above others and He has bestowed gifts on some of them so that He will test them” 

 

So if Allah raises you in ranks and gives gifs to you, bestows bounties on you, be prepared, Allah is testing you.

 

Allah says in the Quran in Surah Anfaal ch. no. 8 verse no. 28 that 

 

“Your wealth and your children, they are a test for you”

 

The wealth that All Mighty God has given you, the children that All Mighty God has given you; they are a test for you.

 

Allah says in Surah Munaafiqoon ch. no. 63 verse no. 9

 

“Let not the love of your wealth and children take you away from the remembrance of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala)” 

 

Allah says in the Quran in the Surah Ankaboot ch. no. 29 in verse no. 2 

“Do not think just by saying you believe, Allah will let you go and Allah will not test you”

 

Just by saying I am a Muslim, I am a believer, I am a Mo’min, Allah says in the Quran don’t think that Allah will not test you, Allah will surely test you and only if you pass in the test, will you get paradise. Just by saying I am a Muslim, I am Mohammad, I am Zakir, I am Abdullah will not take you to Jannah, Allah will surely test you. And if you pass in the test then, InshaAllah, you will go to Jannah.

 

What are the criteria for a person to go to paradise, for a person to attain Jannah? And the answer to this question is given in 

 

Surah Al Asr ch. no. 103 verse no. 1 to 3 where Allah says 

 

“Wal Asr

Inna al-Insana lafee khusr

Illa allatheena amanoo wa amilus salihati watawasaw bil haqqi watawasaw bis Sabr” 

 

“By the token of time, 

Man is verily in a state of loss 

Except those who have faith, those who do righteous deeds, those who exhort people to truth and those who exhort people to patience and perseverance” 

 

For a person to attain ‘P3’ he has to do ‘P4’     

 

P3 is, first P is the pleasure of Allah, to attain the pleasure of Allah

Peace in this world and paradise in the hereafter, To attain these 3 P’s you have to do 4 P’s 

 

The first P is the purity of faith,

Second P is piety, righteous deeds 

Third P is propagation, inviting people to truth and the 

Fourth P is patience and perseverance… invite people to patience and perseverance.

 

For any human being to attain the pleasure of Allah and peace in this world and paradise in the hereafter, he should have Eemaan, that’s purity of faith. He should have Amal-e-Salehat, righteous deeds, piety. He should have ‘watawasaw bil haq’, he should do ‘watawasaw bil haq’ invite people to truth i.e. do propagation and ‘watawasaw bis sabr’, invite people to patience and perseverance. 

 

To attain 3P’s, you should follow the 4 P’s. 

 

And there is a Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) its mentioned in 

 

Sunan Trimidhi Vol. no. 4 ch. no. 60 Hadith no. 2517 

 

“Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) he said that once a man, he asked the Prophet “Should I tie it i.e. my camel and trust in Allah or should I leave it? Leave my camel and then trust in Allah?” The Prophet said “Tie it! Tie your camel and then trust in Allah.”

 

That does not mean that you leave your camel and then say that I have got trust in Allah Tawakal-to-AlAllah, I have got trust in Allah. You can’t leave your door open and then say and you know I have got trust in Allah, no robber will come. You have to close your door and then trust in Allah. Trust in Allah is important but also following the guidance of Allah is important.  And for success trust in Allah is the most important.

 

Allah says in the Quran in Surah Ale Imran ch. no. 3 verse no. 160 

 

“If Allah helps you, none can overcome you. If Allah forsakes you, who is there then who can help you. So let the believers put their trust in Allah”

 

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

 

“If you strive in the path of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), He will open up your pathways”

 

Allah also says in Surah Nahl ch. no. 16 verse 43 and
 Surah Anbiya ch. no. 21 verse no. 7

 

“Fas-aloo ahla alththikri in kuntum la ta’lamoon”

If you don’t know, ask the person who is knowledgeable, ask the one who possess the message.

 

So for success, 1^st is trust in Allah, no. 2 is striving, doing Jihaad in the way of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala).  No. 3 is ask the person who knows. Even planning is important, even goal setting is important.

 

And we find when we read the books of management gurus there are various goal settings that have been given by them but for me the best planning, the best goal setting is ISLAMIC, I-S-L-A-M-I-C.

 

‘I’ is for Islamic, you goal should be according to the teachings of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) and the beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam), your goal should be based on the teachings of Quran and the teachings of Sahih Hadith of the last and final messenger Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). 

It should be Islamic, no. 1.

 

‘S’ you goal should be specific, your goal should be focused your goal can’t be vague. Let me give you an example once there was a teacher who was teaching archery to his students and he tells his students who were learning bow and arrow, “Aim at that bird who is sitting on the treetop”. All of them take aim and he says “Don’t release until I give the command.” So he asked the first student, “Have you taken the aim?” he said “yes”. “What do you see?” he says “I see the forest, I see the trees and I also see the bird.” He asked the second student “What do you see?” he tells “Sir, I see the tree, I see the branch of the tree and I see the bird.” He asked the third student, “What do you see?” The third student replies, “I only see the branch of the tree and the bird and the eye of the bird”. He asked the fourth student, “What do you see?” The fourth student replies “Sir, I only see the eye if the bird and nothing else.” The teacher says, “Let the arrow go!” And the arrow hits, they eye of the bird. 

 

Your goal should be specific, it should be focused. It should not be like the traveler who wants to go nowhere, not like the dog running after the car without purpose.

 

No. 3, ‘L’. ‘L’ is for Lucrative, it should be profitable. No. 1 it should be profitable in the hereafter, Aakhira and if possible simultaneously, it can even be profitable in this world but more important is Aakhira. 

 

Allah says in the Quran in 

Surah Baqarah ch. no. 2 verse no. 201 

 

“Rabbana atina fee alddunya hasanatan wafee al-akhirati hasanatan waqina athaban naar”

 

“O Lord! Give us the good in this world and the hereafter and save us from the torment of hellfire.” 

 

So it should be lucrative, it should be profitable, no. 1 in the hereafter and then secondly in this world but more important is the hereafter and then the world. Let not your profit of this world take you away from the profit of the hereafter.

 

Fourth is ‘A’, ‘A’ it should be apt, it should be appropriate, it should be suitable. Your goal should be apt and appropriate.

 

‘M’, M is for measurable. Your goal should be measureable and for your goal to be measureable first it should be specific, after it is specific, it should also be measureable. For example suppose a builder says “I want to build the tallest building in the world” the goal is specific but to make it measurable, he does a survey which is the tallest building in the world and he comes to know that Burj AlKhalifa, it is 828 meters tall, specific. So now his goal is, he has to build a building which is more than 828 meters tall, it’s specific and measurable. If it’s measurable, it can be monitored, how much are you reaching, how much are you coming closer to your goal.

 

‘I’ is for intention. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) said, its mentioned in 

 

Sahih Bukhari Vol. no. 1 ch, no. 1 in the Book of Faith Hadith no. 1, first Hadith of Bukhari 

 

“Inna mal a'malu bin Niyyah”

 

Your deeds will be judged on your intention and you will be rewarded for your intentions. Your intention should be to please Allah and His Rasool, Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam). Your intention should not be to become famous, to become popular; if that’s your intention then your goal is not correct. If your intention is to please Allah, your Creator and His messenger, surely you will be rewarded in the hereafter and, InshaAllah; Allah will reward you even in this world. It should be consistent till the time you achieve the goal if the goal is time bound, if it’s not time bound, it should be consistent forever. 

 

For example if your goal is, I want to read Quran at least once in the month of Ramadhaan so then you have a target, I will read one Juz every day then you are consistent. Every day in the month of Ramadhaan, you read 1 Juz of the Quran at the end of Ramadhaan; you will finish the Quran, at least once. 

 

If your goal is not time bound may be you want to say I want to read the Quran daily then you set up a target, I will read only Quran everyday half Juz or may be one Juz and then you start, the moment you achieve reading half Juz or one Juz a day keep on being consistent till the end of your life.

 

And our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) said, its mentioned in 

 

Sahih Muslim Vol. no. 1 Book of Salaah ch. no. 272 Hadith no. 1711, he said that 

 

“Once a person asked the Prophet which is the best of deeds which is loved by Allah, so the Prophet said, Allah loves those deeds which are done consistently even if they are small. It is far better then bigger deeds which are done only once” 

 

So deeds which are done consistently are far superior than deeds which are done once in a while even if they are greater. So the goal should be ISLAMIC. 

 

I for Islamic 

S for Specific, focused

L for Lucrative, profitable

A for Apt, appropriate 

M for Measureable which can be monitored 

I for Intention, should be to please Allah 

C, it should be Consistent.

 

Let me give you an example, some of us may be aware of the history of Wilma Rudolph. Wilma Rudolph was a girl who was born and she had polio since childhood and the doctors, they put braces on her legs and they said this girl will never set foot on the earth. Her mother, she encouraged the child and she told “Wilma! what you want to do, you will be able to do.” and the mother encouraged her daughter. Wilma at the age of 9, she removed the braces and she wanted to be the fastest woman on the earth, that was her desire, that was her goal. After removing the braces, at the age of 9, at the ager of 13 for the first time in her life, she takes part in a race and she loses. She comes out last but yet, she is consistent, she keeps on striving, she loses… again she strives, a day comes when she qualifies for the Olympics and this is a true story, it’s not a anecdote, it’s not a fairy tale. Once she qualifies for the Olympics, in 1960 Olympics she comes out first in 100 meters amongst the women. She gets a gold medal, she also gets the gold medal in 200 meters sprint amongst the women, she also wins the gold medal for the 400 meter relay, 100 x 4 amongst the women. She gets 3 gold medals in the 1960 Olympics and she creates history. A paralyzed, a paralytic woman who had polio, she becomes the fastest woman on the face of the earth in the year 1960. 

 

Now when we analyze the goal setting done by Wilma and if you have read books of the management Gurus, she fulfills all the criterias. Those who have read about the smart goals, I don’t want to go into detail but let us verify how much she fulfills of the main target of the Creator, ISLAMIC. 

 

No. 1 was the goal Islamic? Was her goal according to Quran and Sunnah? I don’t know her personal life but I knew that she was not a Muslim. I don’t know whether she did for the Creator or not. 

 

No. 2 was the goal specific? Yes it was specific. She wanted to be the fastest woman on the face of the earth.  

Was it lucrative? Was it profitable? Yes, for this world it was profitable, yes. She gets fame, she gets honor but for the hereafter, Allahu Alam. I doubt whether in the hereafter this Olympic gold medal will bring her profit unless she dedicates the gold medal towards Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). 

 

‘A’, was it apt and appropriate, yes it was. 

 

‘M’, was it measureable? Yes she could measure who is the fastest woman on the face of the earth may be the timing is somewhere close to 9 seconds or 10 seconds or 11 seconds. Measureable and she practiced, she achieved the goal.

 

‘I’, what was the intention. If the intention was fame, surely she got it. Was her intention to please Allah, I doubt. 

 

‘C’, was it consistent? Yes it was consistent, she consistently practiced even though she lost till she won and became the fastest woman on the earth. 

 

Let me give you another example to compare and show the difference between the goal settings. I would like to give you an example of the man, of the person who had very small means but reached the heights in his field. The man, the person who changed my life and converted me from a doctor of a body to the doctor of a soul and I am sure you know the name of the man; he is none other than Shaikh Ahmed Deedat. 

 

Let us compare his goal setting. Shaikh Ahmed Deedat, and if you know the life history of Sheikh Ahmed Deedat, he acquired education only till Std. 6^th because both his ends could not meet; he was forced to leave his education. After passing Std. 6, he was forced to leave his education. A man with small means, he was forced to leave his country, India, where he was born. Then he goes to South Africa, he does a job of a salesman, he works in a furniture shop, does a job of driving etc. and while he was in South Africa, he used to constantly be harassed by the Christian Missionaries who used to tell Islam is a useless religion, it is merciless, they used to attack Islam and because he used to get harassed a desire came in his heart that I want to reply all the allegations against Islam made by these Christian missionaries. I want to give a fitting reply to these Christian Missionaries. Imagine a man only studied till Standard 6^th but natural, he had faith in Allah, he strived. He stumbled across a book, a book which was lying in a room which had dust on it, he stumbled across a book by the name of ‘Izhar-Ul-Haq’, the Truth Revealed by Maulana Rehmatullah Kairanvi and he gets the direction for his goal, that’s how he started and he strived for 40 years till the time he challenged the stalwarts of Christianity. 

 

Imagine, a 6^th Standard pass man, strived for 40 years and challenged the stalwarts of the world so much so that in 1986 he was about to debate Reverend Jimmy Swaggart and at that time in 1980’s Jimmy Swaggart was the no. 1 most powerful, most famous Christian Televangelist. Just a few weeks before his debate one of the fans of Shaikh Deedat told him that “Shaikh Ahmed Deedat, I am your fan but I want to give you one advice, this man Jimmy Swaggart, I know him, I have studied him, please don’t debate him, he will chew you and he will spit you out”. Imagine, a fan of Deedat giving advice to Deedat “You don’t debate this Jimmy Swaggart, you don’t know him, I know him. He will chew you and he will spit you out” the person who was the most famous televangelist, owns television channels, whose budget was more than a million dollar a day to keep his head up above the water. 

 

Our Shaikh Ahmed Deedat, MashaAllah, with Allah on his side, he goes to USA in the hometown of that Christian Missionary, in the country where he is famous, he goes and he has a debate. And Alhamdulillah, Suma Alhamdulillah, with Allah’s help he turns the tables over. Imagine a man of small means, not even passed school, leave aside being a graduate, challenges the stalwarts of Christianity so much so that he became the biggest stumbling block for the Christianity of the world for the Christian missionaries, 1 man alone, Shaikh Ahmed Deedat with the help of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), he challenged the  whole of Christianity.

 

Lets analyze his goal setting, no. 1 the ISLAMIC.

 

‘I’. Was it Islamic? Was it according to Quran and Sahih Hadith? Was it for Allah and His Rasool? But natural it was. That’s the reason; he was able to achieve his goal.

No. 2 was it specific, yes. His goal was specific ‘I want to reply to the allegations against Islam’, specific. I want to give a fitting reply, remove the misconceptions about Islam that is there in the minds of the non-Muslims.

 

No. 3 was it lucrative? Was it profitable? He wanted profit in Aakhira. And InshaAllah, InshaAllah, Allah will grant him Jannah, InshaAllah. But besides being profitable in the Aakhira, it even profited him here. You know, a no. 6^th Std. passed man in 1986, he gets the biggest award in the Muslim world, he is awarded the King Faisal Award for his service in humanity. A 6^th Std. man! He didn’t do for the award may be he got 200 thousand dollars, he didn’t do it for that. May be for the gold, King Faisal Award, he didn’t do it for that. He did for Allah and His Rasool, Allah profits him in Aakhira and even in this world. Lucrative.

 

‘A’, was it apt? Was it appropriate? Very apt, at the right time his style and everything at that time when the Christian missionaries were hammering the Muslims, our morale was at the lowest. This man Shaikh Ahmed Deedat, he inspired thousands of youngsters including myself. We could at least raise our head and stand. Apt! 

 

‘M’, was it measureable, yes. What did he do? He collected the books of Christianity, the Christian missionaries who wrote against Islam. You know, John Gilcreast, all these books… Jimmy Swaggart and started replying. When they attacked the Quran and Islam, he replied and he studied their scripture, Bible, used the verse of the Quran and implemented on them and he found results. Measureable! 

 

‘I’, what was his intention? His intention wasn’t to become famous, his intention wasn’t to win the King Faisal Award, his intention was to please Allah and His Rasool.

 

‘C’, was he consistent? Yes, he was. Imagine he struggled and strived for 40 years and if you know his history, his office was a small dungy place and he tells us that even to print a black and white phamplate, a thousand quantity, they used to have a meeting.   Let’s have a meeting, can we print thousand quantity of black and white phamplate, MashaAllah. Consistent, kept on striving till he reached his goal. 

The difference that we find in Wilma Rudolph and Shaikh Ahmed Deedat is, that the goal of Wilma Rudolph, it was shortsighted, is worth more for this world but the goal of Shaikh Ahmed Deedat, it was farsighted and it was for the Aakhira and InshaAllah, Allah will give him reward in the Aakhira and even gave him reward in this world. 

 

Most of us human beings, what is our purpose in life, no. 1 purpose of our life is how to earn a living majority of the people you ask them and you enquire with them, no. 1 their main concern is, to earn a living. They are more bothered about earning a living then how to lead a life and depending upon how much they earn, their life style revolves around it, what will they eat, what will they wear, where will they live, which school will they study in, which graduation course will they take up, everything revolves around their earnings and these people think that if I can earn good money in this world, they have achieved the purpose of their life. 

 

You know, I gave the example of being focused, you know, most of us what we do? Instead of focusing on the eye of the bird and shooting, what we do? We shoot and then we draw the bulls eye around it. We shoot anywhere, we take up any course of graduation then when we ask why have you taken this course? “O I haven’t thought of it.” Then they do specialty, then they do super-specialty and then they try and justify why they have chosen that course. You know people first they think how much will they earn and based on what will they earn; they decide how will they lead their life. This is just an apt example of shooting in the air and then drawing the bull’s eye. 

 

First we have to identify what is our center. On which act does our life revolve around. Different people have different centers of their life. Some people, they are self-centered everything for them is themselves; they are least bothered about anyone else on this world.  They are only bothered about themselves, how they lead their life. They are least bothered about others, they are self-centered. Some people they are family-centered, their whole life revolves around that their family is happy. They are ready to break and make any rule irrespective whether it’s right or wrong to make their family members happy. Their main aim in life is to make their family members happy. Some may be parent-centered, some may be spouse-centered, wife-centered or husband-centered, some may be children-centered. You know some people, to make their parents happy; they will go to any extent. Their whole rules and regulations of life are based on what their parents like and don’t like. 

 

Allah says in the Quran in Surah Luqmaan ch. no. 31 verse no. 14 that 

 

“We have enjoined on the human beings to be good to their parents in trivial upon trivial did your mother bore them and in pain did she give him birth”   

 

Immediate next verse,Surah Luqmaan ch. no. 31 verse no. 15 says 

 

“But if your parents strive, do Jihaad, strive and struggle to make you worship somebody else besides Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) of which you have no knowledge, don’t obey them. Yet live with them with love and compassion” 

 

That means our Creator says you have to love your parents, you have to respect them, obey them but if they tell you to go against the Creator, against Allah and His final messenger, you don’t have to obey them yet live with them with love and compassion. There are limits. 

 

Some of us, we are spouse centered, we want to satisfy our wives or we want to satisfy our husbands and suppose the man’s wife, she wants a very expensive diamond necklace. The person, he can’t afford it what does he do, he begs, borrows and steals but buys that expensive diamond necklace for his wife. His goal is to satisfy his wife. 

 

Some of us, we are children-centered; we want to satisfy our children. There are cases where sometimes the son wants to go abroad for studies. The course in which he is getting admission is useless, it will not help him in the Aakhira won’t help him here also but yet because the son wants to go abroad this person mortgages his property and sends his son to America and then says “Mera beta toh America mein padh raha hai” as though the objective of his life is to send his son to America to study. What are the objectives, what is the center of your life?  

 

Some of us, we are society centered we want to know what do the other people outside our family think about us. So the full life revolves around the society.

 

Some people, they are neighbor centered. They are having competition with the neighbor. 

 

That reminds of an anecdote, once an angel, he comes and tells a man, “I am pleased with you, whatever you ask, I will fulfill your desires but there is one condition, whatever you ask, I will give it to you but I will give your neighbor double”. So the man says “I want a Rolex watch.” so the angel gives him a Rolex watch but gives the neighbor 2 Rolex watches. The man says “I want a Mercedes car”. The angel gives him a Mercedes car but gives the neighbor 2 Mercedes cars. The man says “I want a big beautiful bungalow!” The angel gives him a big beautiful bungalow but next to his bungalow there are 2 big beautiful bungalows given to his neighbor.   So the man says “Angel, please fulfill my last one desire.” “What is it?” “Please break my one eye so that I cannot see with one eye.” 

 

Imagine he is more bothered about his neighbor than himself, he is not bothered whether his life is simple or complicated, whether he lives in poverty or luxury, he is more bothered that he should lead a better life than his neighbor, so much so that he tells the angel “break my one eye so that my neighbor’s both eyes are broken”. This is how we are neighbor-centered. He’s not bothered whether he is happy whether he can see or not see as long as the neighbor is completely blind, I don’t mind losing my one eye. Neighbor-centered!

 

Some people are friend-centered. 

 

Some people are enemy-centered, they are more bothered about what are their enemies doing. What is my enemy thinking against me so they plan strategies if my enemy does this, I will do that. Full time, their full life goes in thinking what the enemy is doing. And you find this in various, you have businessman thinking about their enemy, you have students thinking about their enemies. What are they planning so I will counter plan. They spend most of their time in planning to counter the enemy. 

 

I would like to give a peace of beautiful advice to them which I follow in my life. 

 

“If someone throws stones at you, raise yourself so high so that the stones don’t reach you” 

 

If someone throws stones at you, raise yourself so high that the stones should not reach you

 

So where is the question of competition? Where is the question of enemy planning against you?

 

And there is another advice if someone throws bricks at you, use those bricks to build your house. 

 

When I was in school, I used to learn Martial Arts, Karate, Judo and if a big man comes and pushes you, what do you do, you take a side step, use his force to throw him over, use his force. When someone throws bricks at you, use that brick to build your house. 

 

Some people are fame-centered, they want to get famous. Their main aim is to get famous, they can break any of their principals, they can break any of their rules and regulations. 

 

Some people, they are materialistic, they are material-centered. They are more bothered what do they own, what do they possess, what do they wear and this is common very common amongst people who are rich and when they meet their friends, they start discussing, what brand of watch are you wearing? Is it Tag Huer? Is it Omega? O it is Rolex? What is the strap? Is it metal strap or leather strap? What is the basal? O what kind of a dial do you have? Is it gold plated or is it diamond studded? O designer watch! Party Philipp! And most of these people who are rich, they don’t have one watch, they have multiple watches and they start planning, okay this watch I wore today next time I will not wear the same watch when I meet my friend. So they spend their time in planning in which watch to wear for which function.

These same people start discussing for cars, what car do you have? BMW? Mercedes? Porsche? Rolls-Royce? Maybach? Bentley, designer? This is their pass time. And very often as though this is their identity, if they don’t wear that watch, who will recognize them, if they don’t travel in the car, if they don’t travel in Mercedes or in a BMW who will recognize them? This is their identity. This is common amongst people of big cities, on a higher level you go, they start discussing what yatch do you have? What kind of a ship do you own? On a higher level, which jet do you own?  I have a private jet. How many engines? 

 

People may be wondering how come I know all this knitty gritty of the watches, of the brands, you know, the profession that I am in, Alhamdulillah. Fortunately or unfortunately, the profession that I am in, I mix around with all types of people right from paupers to the kings. Allah has blessed me, fortunately or unfortunately, I mix around with people from paupers to the kings and every opportunity I get whenever I meet a person who is materialistic I try and convey the message and I tell them “you know your watch may be costing thousands of dollars, or tens of thousands of dollars or hundreds of thousands of dollars. My watch that I am wearing it cost only 1400 rupees, less than 30 dollars, I have it for several years yet it gives the same time accuracy as your watch”

 

Simple watch, 1,400 rupees, Alhamdulillah, Allah has blessed me. All these brands that I mentioned, most of these brands I have got gifts, I have got gifts of these brands, all these Omega, Rolex, many I got and I always follow the guidance of Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam), I give it to other Da’ees and I give it to my staff members so that I am away from the ‘Khutuwatush Shaitaan’. 

 

There have been occasions, there have been occasions where my hosts they send their private jet plane, their private jet plane to get me into the country. There were a few occasions. Imagine cost of the fuel of the jet plane just to get one man, the salary of the pilot, the salary of the air-hostess, the salary of hiring the airport! So I told this man that it would have been preferable that you had given me an economic class, Alhamdulillah, Allah has blessed, Allah has blessed my family that, MashaAllah, we can own all these cars we can travel 1^st class, Alhamdulillah, but I am a Da’ee so I told him instead of spending such a big amount you’d preferably given me an economic class air-ticket, I would have come and you could have given the difference as charity in the way of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). 

 

My host also, MashaAllah, being very clever, he told me that who can I send my jet private plane to pick up? Who is a better person than a Da’ee of Allah? So I told him, InshaAllah, if your Neeyat was there, InshaAllah, you will get the reward. His Neeyat was to give a servant of Allah the best of treatment, Allah will reward him.

 

The point to be noted is, I am not telling you that all these material things are Haraam, they are not always Haraam, you have to know your objectives of life, they can become Haraam, they may not become Haraam. 

 

Let me give you an example, suppose you belong to Category 1 in which a person cannot afford these things.. these expensive watches, such expensive cars, expensive bungalows yet he begs ,borrows and steals or takes a loan and he wears expensive watches, he travels in expensive cars, it is called as Israaf, it is Haraam. 

 

We have 2^nd category of people who Allah have given them the means as Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) says in the Quran in 

 

Surah An’aam ch. no. 6 verse no. 71 

 

“We have bestowed bounties more freely on some human beings than the others”

 

But Allah says in Surah An’aam ch. no. 6 verse no. 165 that 

 

“Allah has raised some people in higher ranks and giving gifts to others so that He may test you”

 

So if Allah has given you the means and if you have all these things expensive cars, expensive watches, expensive bungalows and if your life is revolving around it that you cannot do without it, it is your center, it is your purpose of life, yet it is Haraam.

 

We have the 3^rd category of people who Allah has given the means, they own these things but they aren’t dependent on them, they own it … we have examples of Prophet Sulaiman (Alaihi Salaam) who was rich and he owned but he wasn’t dependent on it. So if you own these things and yet you follow the guidance of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), you aren’t dependent on these material things then it is Muba, its optional, it is not Haraam. 

 

But the best category is the 4^th category that Allah has given you the means and yet, you don’t use it, you don’t acquire it like our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam), our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam), the power he had, the fame he had, the command he had, he could have become the king of the world that time, he could have owned all the riches but whenever he got a gift most often, almost all the time he gave the gifts to the Sahabas. Not that it was Haraam to own it, if someone gives a good gift, you can keep it its not Haraam but the Prophet, he gave it to others.

 

4^th category, Allah has given you the means but yet you spend those means in the way of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). 

 

We have to identify our center, what is our center? The most important center for the human beings is he should be Allah-Centered. His purpose, his goal should be Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) and the last and final messenger Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) and believe me, if you are Allah-Centered that does not mean you have to neglect yourself, yoo neglect your family, neglect your society. If you are Allah centered, Allah says that take care of yourself, sleep at night, Allah says that take care of your family. 

 

Allah says about your parents in Surah Isra ch. no. 17 verse no. 23 and 24 that 

 

“Allah has ordained that you worship none but Him that you be kind to your parents and if one of them or both of them reach old age don’t say a word of contempt, don’t say ‘Uff’ to them but address them with honor and lower to them your wing of humility and pray to the Lord that cherish them as they cherished me in childhood.” 

That means if you are Allah centered, you have to love your parents, you have to respect them, you have to obey them. Only when they go against Allah and His Rasool that’s the time you don’t obey but live with them with love and compassion, Surah Luqman Ch. no. 31 verse no. 14 and 15.

 

If you are Allah centered that does not mean you don’t take of your wife, there is a Hadith of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam), 

 

Ahmad ibn Humbal Hadith no. 7396, our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) said 

 

“The best of the believers are those who are best to their family especially your wife”

 

Allah centered doesn’t mean neglecting your family, neglecting your society, Allah says in 

 

Surah Ma’oon ch. no. 107 verse no. 1 to 7 that you provide neighborly needs, help your neighbors.

 

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) said, it’s a Hadith in 

 

Sahih Bukhari Vol. no. 1 Book of Faith Hadith no. 13 that 

 

“A person is not a believer if he does not wish for his brother, the same thing what he likes for himself”

 

That means take care for other people. So by being Allah centered, it doesn’t mean that you are neglecting that you have to lead a life of a pauper, your focus should be Allah. If Allah has given you wealth, see to it that you use your wealth for the cause of Allah. If Allah has given you fame, use that fame for the way of Allah. If Allah has given you quality, if Allah has bestowed gifts on you, use it for the cause of Allah. 

 

And the best example, the role model for the person who was the most Allah Centered is the last and final messenger Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) is the best example of a person who is Allah centered and he was not a mercy only for the Muslims, he was a mercy for the whole of humankind and Allah says in 

 

Surah Anbiya ch. no. 21 verse no. 107 

 

“Wama arsalnaka illa rahmatan lil aalameen” that 

 

“We have sent thee not but as a mercy to the whole of humanity, as a mercy to al the creatures, as a mercy to all the worlds”

 

The best example for a person who had the best purpose of life, the best example in humankind for a person who converted the barbarians into human beings, for a person who changed the human kind. And when we read history, you can speak for hours and days together leave aside what the Muslims have said about our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam), we can give a hundreds of quotations of non-Muslims who have praised the Prophet. 

 

Just to give you a few examples George Bernard Shaw, he said when talking about Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam), he said, 

 

“I have studied him” i.e. Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) “and in my opinion far from being an anti-Christ he should be called as a savior for humanity”George Bernard Shaw! 

 

Thomas Carlyle who was a famous historian, he was a European, a non-Muslim, he writes a book, ‘Heros and Hero-worship’ and he gives down the history of hero and no. 1 hero, a hero Prophet, it wasn’t Jesus (peace be upon him), it wasn’t Moses (peace be upon him), it was not David (peace be upon him), it was not Solomon (peace be upon him), it was Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). 

 

Imagine, Thomas Carlyle, a European, was a Christian, he places no. 1 hero Prophet as Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

 

We have the example of La Martine, La Martine was a famous historian, he was a French who wrote ‘The History of the Turks’ and he writes 

 

“If greatness of purpose, smallness of means and astounding results, if these 3 are the criteria to judge the greatness of a person there will be no one in modern history who dare to compare himself with Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)”

 

If greatness of purpose, smallness of means and astounding results are the 3 criterias for judging how great a person is, I dare any man in human history, modern history who will come close to Muhammad (peace be upon him) and he continues 

 

“With all standards of human kind there is no one who can compare himself to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).”

 

Michael H. Hart, he is a famous historian and he writes a book on the ‘100 most influential people in human history’ right from Adam (peace be upon him) to the present time and no. 1 he places is Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The most influential people in human history from Adam (peace be upon him) till the present time is Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and he writes 

“My choice of putting Muhammad (peace be upon him) no. 1 will surely astonish many people, would not go down the throat, would not be agreeable by many people but the reason I have chosen Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as no. 1 because he was the only man in history who was successful in the religious field as well as secular field. And if you read Encyclopedia Britannica, 11^th edition when talking about Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), it says that “Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was the most successful religious personality of the world” 

 

Imagine Encyclopedia Britannica, they are forced, they have no choice, if they want to be authentic how much ever they may try, they have to mention the truth as Allah says in the Quran   in 

 

Surah Israa ch. no. 17 verse no. 81 

 

“Waqul jaa alHaqqu wazahaqal batilu innal batila kana Zahooqa”

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

 

Allah says in the Quran in Surah Qalam ch. no. 68 verse no. 4 

 

“Verily in Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), you have the most sublime and excellent character”

 

Allah says in Surah Ahzaab ch. no. 33 verse no. 21 

 

“Indeed in Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), you have a beautiful pattern of conduct”

 

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), he was successful in all the fields of life, not only religious, he was successful in political, in secular, in how to lead a life, he was so successful that every act of his could be emulated. What he wears, if you emulate, InshaAllah, you will get Sawaab. He commanded, he wore trousers above the ankle, if you wear trousers above the ankle, InshaAllah, you will get a reward. Unlike if you want to become a scientist, long hair will not help you like Isaac Newton, shoes will not help you, clothes will not help you but if you want to become like the Prophet everything the Prophet did, if you copy, it will benefit you, in this world as well as the Aakhira. He told you to sport a beard, if you sport a beard, InshaAllah, it will benefit you. Whatever the Prophet did, he was successful in all spheres of life, he is the best role model anyone can follow.

 

In the history of Islam you have several role models; we have the example of Al Ashrah Mubashshirah, the 10 people who were promised paradise by the Prophet mentioned in 

 

Sunan Trimidhi Vol. no. 4 Hadith no. 1171 where the beloved Prophet promised 10 people paradise, 

 

“Abu Bakr As Siddique, Umar bin Al Khattab, Usman Bin Affan, Ali bin Abi Talib, Talha bin Ubaidullah, Zubair bin Awam, Abdur Rahman bin Auf, Sad bin Abi Waqas, Saeed bin Zaid, Abu Ubadah   ibn al Jarrah”

 

These 10 people, they were promised paradise by the beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam). There are other role models if you read life history, time does not permit to speak in detail. 

 

We have the example of women who were role models. The best example is Mother Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ (peace be upon him), Allah says in the Quran in 

 

Surah Ale Imran ch. no. 3 verse no. 42 

 

“Wa-ith qalati almala-ikatu ya Maryamu”

 

And behold the angels said “O Mary

 

“InnAllaha istafaki watahharaki waistafaki ala nisa-i al alameen”

 

Allah has chosen thee and purified thee and chosen thee above the women of all nations.”

 

Mariyam (Alaihe Salaam), she was chosen as the woman above the woman of all nations. 

 

We have the example of Aasiya (may Allah be pleased with her), who was the wife of Firawn, Allah says in 

 

Surah Tahreem ch. no. 66 verse no. 11 that 

 

She prays to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) that I pray that I would like to exchange for a mansion in Jannah close to Allah in exchange for everything of the Firawn and his deeds . 

 

That means she prays that she wants a place in Jannah close to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) in exchange of all the wealth she had, she was the wife of the richest man in the world that time, the most powerful man in the world that time, Firawn. 

 

We have the example of Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her) who was the first wife of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam). We have the example of Fatima (may Allah be pleased with her) who was the daughter of Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam). These were role models for the women. 

 

We have examples of best couple, best husband and wife, that’s Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) and Bibi Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her). We have the example of worst couple, worst husband, worst wife Abu Lahab and his wife, Allah says in 

 

Surah Al Lahab ch. no. 111 that 

 

“Both of them, they will burn in hell” 

 

We have the example of best husband and worst wife, Allah says in 

 

Surah Tahreem ch. no. 66 verse no. 10 that 

 

“We have the examples in the wives of Lut (Alaihe Salaam) and Nuh (Alaihe Salaam) that they were righteous servants of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) but their wives, they did not follow the husbands and Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) puts the wives in hellfire” 

 

We have the example of best wife and worst husband which I gave earlier, Aasiya (may Allah be pleased with her) who was the wife of Firawn. Firawn was the worst husband, she was the best wife. And the prayer she gave in 

 

Surah Tahreem ch. no. 66 verse noi. 11 

 

“I would like to have a place in Jannah, close to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) in exchange of the wealth of the world, all the wealth of Firawn”

 

We have several examples and our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) said that 

 

“Allah loves a strong believer more than a weak believer”

 

In our present age we have several examples. We have examples of Shaikh Bin Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him), Raheemullah, he had small means, he was blind yet he was a scholar. Even though he was blind, he was one of the best scholars of his time. 

 

I gave you the examples of Shaikh Ahmed Deedat, 6^th Std. pass, challenged the stalwarts of Christianity. 

 

We have another example though not great but unique that’s in myself, my example itself though I don’t consider myself great but is  unique those who know my childhood, they know that I was a stammerer. If you would have asked me that what is my name? My name is Za. . Za.. Za..Za.. Zakir, that was me. I was a stammerer since childhood. Being inspired by Shaikh Ahmed Deedat while I was doing my medical studies, I could have dreamt of becoming the best doctor in the world but I could not have dreamt of even speaking to 25 people, that was me, Zakir Naik. I could have dreamt of becoming the best doctor in the world, best surgeon but I could not have dreamt in my wildest dream.. you know in your dream, you can dream anything but I could not have dreamt of speaking in front of 25 people.

 

Alhamdulillah, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), with His help being inspired by Shaikh Ahmed Deedat… now this servant of Allah, humble, MashaAllah, speaks to an audience of tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, MashaAllah, you can see the audience here, more than hundred thousand. 

 

My main aim being inspired by Shaikh Ahmed Deedat.. when we started our foundation, Islamic Research Foundation, it was not to become a speaker, it was to make a place to make speakers. You can’t be a king, become a king-maker. I could not become a speaker so I started an organization to make speakers. Allah has his planning, the first speaker got cold feet, I was forced to go on the stage and I realized that while I am doing Da’wah with the non-Muslims, I don’t stammer. When I speak with the Muslims, I stammer. When I speak with the non-Muslims, I don’t stammer. When I am on the stage…. normally people stammer on the stage, Alhamdulillah, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala)… when I went on the stage, I didn’t stammer. He has His way. He made me from doctor of a body to a doctor of a soul. 

 

And Shaikh Ahmed Deedat, you know, I asked him Uncle, … in 1987 I met him the first time, you know I was his driver, chauffer, wherever he used to go, I used to take him so that I could spend more time with him. I said “Uncle, why are you so aggressive?” he told me “Son, I am not aggressive, I am militant, I am militant. You can fight the devils with 2 ways, holy water or fire. I chose the fire” 

 

That was his reply. And when I started my Da’wah, I used his material but I was very soft.. very soft, very kind, no results. In the medical collage, I used to do Da’wah. Then I became militant, more militant than Shaikh Deedat and, Wallah, what results I got! My Muslims friend used to run away, I was left alone with the non-Muslims. The results I got after being militant then, MashaAllah, Allah gave me Hidaayah, coming more on the stage, I become soft; I became so soft that when the questioner abused me, I used to smile. So Shaikh Deedat then he gave me the title, first he gave me ‘Deedat Plus’ then when he saw me, son, they are abusing you, they are cursing you and you are smiling then he gave me the title, that “son what took me 40 years to achieve, you have achieved in 4 years” 

 

And Alhamdulillah, you know, if you know my history, my background, I was a person who was wanted something best. I could never compromise for no. 2, best. In childhood days I remember, best electronics, now, I have converted my desire to have best things in the way of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala).

 

I want to have the best of camera, best of equipment, state-of-the-art equipment only to spread the message of Allah, I want to have the best conference. And that’s why we have this conference; it was my desire after seeing Grammy Awards and Oscar awards, objective is Haraam but I used to admire the science and technology we said why can’t we do the same for the sake of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala)? The purpose is different; the purpose is to please Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). To show to the world that we Muslims also, Alhamdulillah, all these things not that without this we can’t do Da’wah but we want to show that even we want the best for the way of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). If we want the best office for ourselves.. you know we want best office… in our house Italian marble, I put Italian marble in my office, in Islamic Research Foundation, there is no Italian Marble in my house, why? The place where people come to learn about Allah, I want to give them the best. At that time when, in 1990’s, Italian marble in India… Muslim office… unheard of. We started small with only 20 to 25 sq. meter was my office. 25 sq. meter was my office. 1 employee, now MashaAllah. Allah’s grace, we have more than 400 employees, MashaAllah. Largest Da’wah organization, MashaAllah. Allah’s help! 

 

And in School days, I was very good in debating, very good, what was the purpose, just to win the debate, now I changed my purpose, trying to spread the Deen, Deen-ul-Haq, got more results. First, I used to sleep only 5 hours, 6 hours, medical collage. Now sleep only 3 hours for sake of Allah and I always had the philosophy of doing something unique or best in the world, one of the two. MashaAllah, I started a unique channel Peace TV on comparative religion, Allah made it the most popular channel in the world, more than 100 million viewers, MashaAllah. 

 

After a couple of years, we launched a new channel, Peace TV Urdu, the last conference we announced, InshaAllah, in June or July we will launch a new channel Peace TV Urdu and Allah made it possible, this year 19^th of June, we launched a new channel, Peace TV Urdu. InshaAllah, in this conference, the last day of the conference, InshaAllah-InshaAllah, if Allah wills, I would like to announce we will be launching a third channel, Peace TV Bangla because Bangla language, MashaAllah, a few hundred million people speak Bangla language, it’s a requirement. My desire is to have Islamic channel in all the languages but as for InshaAllah, after Ramadhaan, InshaAllah, next year, 2010, InshaAllah, if Allah wills, if Allah helps, with Allah’s help we will launch the third channel, Peace TV Bangla, InshaAllah. 

 

It was a desire that besides channel have a place where people are trained for their purpose of life and we started our school, Islamic International School, purpose is to please Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). But while pleasing Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) you realize, Allah, InshaAllah will give you in the hereafter and even in this world. With the same desire, I started the school saying InshaAllah every student of the school in Islamic International School, we have more than 400 in Bombay and about 250 in Chennai, InshaAllah, all of them, InshaAllah, all of them will get 100 times better teaching and surrounding than what Zakir Naik got. It is up to Allah whether he creates Zakir Naik or multiples but our desire is give them a base, give them a foundation where they can have 100 times better training, foundation, atmosphere than what Zakir Naik had. But it is in the hands of Allah whether he makes it or not. 

 

And just to give you one more example of my son, Fariq Naik. You know my son, MashaAllah, as I told you in my speech day before yesterday, I don’t know Arabic as a language. I said I will teach my son Arabic, InshaAllah, Luga-Fusa and all the students of our school we taught, MashaAllah. My son when the school started, MashaAllah, he got the best Sports Boy Trophy. Not once, not twice, not three times, not 4 times, for 5 consecutive years! It made me happy, it made me happy, you know, because we used to think, you know, when I was in school, when I was in school, I used to admire, coming out first, getting gold medal, that was my goal, you know…youngsters O coming out first in 100 metre dash! In school, I never got any medal. When I reached collage, MashaAllah, I discovered that I was a longest runner and I got a gold medal, in the medical collage in 10kms but then I realized Gold medal, useless. Good from Fariq, looks good, what is a gold medal? 10kms, people are… nothing great. 

 

Then I looked at Shaikh Ahmed Deedat.. Ah.. this is the man and my focused changed and that’s how MashaAllah, he told me that son, I have done research and study in Christianity and Islam, you study other religions. Christianity is like everything on a platter, Shaikh Deedat did the job so well everything on a platter, it’s a cake walk. If you read Shaikh Deedat’s book, you can even debate the Pope. So then I studied Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism, science other subjects and MashaAllah. I used to admire the crowd with Shaikh Deedat, the largest audience he addressed in Birmingham, 12,000 people, MashaAllah. Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), MashaAllah, He opens up the pathways... with His help, MashaAllah, my son then became Hafiz-ul-Quran, at the age of 13, unique style, 1 year, 5 days a week, unique. People said Zakir is crazy! One hour every day, 5 days a week, 9 months a year, impossible. Most of the students in our school within 2 and a half to 4 years, they completed Hifz and one amongst them was my son. 

 

Then my son got black belt in Taekwondo but what really pleased me was when he started giving lectures in public. At the age of 8, small lectures, 10mins, 15mins, 50,000 people, 100,000 people before my talks. The first time I gave a lecture, public lecture was at the age of 27, 28 people used to tell me “O what a young person, 28 years” I used to feel… 28 years old! Shaikh Deedat 60, 70… 28 years used to feel happy. My son, the first long public lecture of more than 1 hour 15 minutes with 119 quotation, 56 from the Quran, 52 from the Bible, and 11 Ahadith with Arabic at the age of only 14, half my age. That pleased me, MashaAllah, 1hr 15mins, 119 quotations without any notes. And this year, MashaAllah, again he gave a lecture just last week, last Sunday, he gave a lecture, this Sunday again he gave a lecture, 1^st Misconceptions about Islam, Concept of God.. InshaAllah, InshaAllah, I pray to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) that may He accept his efforts and I always tell, I tell my son that Allah has given you the means but see to it that you make your requirement small, make your requirement less, why? Tomorrow, you may not have this luxury, your aim is to do Da’wah, as Allah says in the Quran in 

 

Surah Fussilat ch. 41 verse no. 33

 

“Waman ahsanu qawlan mimman daa ila Allahi wa amila salihan waqala innanee minal Muslimeen”

 

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

 

Why I say? I remember when I married my wife, I told her, “I am a doctor, I can promise you only 4,000 rupees a month”. 4,000 rupees is less than a $100. “I can only promise you 4,000 rupees a month if you want to marry me, marry me.” And MashaAllah, she was a teacher in the collage earning much more than what I promised her but she also wanted a Da’ee, MashaAllah. So I tell my son, make your requirements less so that if you are used to sleeping on the floor, if you are used to taking all the troubles, if you have to sacrifice and yet continue your Da’wah, its easy. If you are used to luxury and if the luxury is taken away from you, it will prevent you from continuing as a Da’ee, MashaAllah. I have seen to it that my son has slept on the floor; he has been in 7 star hotels. Train the person when he is young, he should be able to take the struggle of life. Don’t give him a silver spoon in the mouth which will be difficult for him to achieve the purpose of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). 

 

I would like to end my talk by just summarizing in order to achieve the purpose of your life, in different stages of your life; you have to see that you are towards the direction. Before I give the 6 points when people take admission in our school, I only ask them when is the best time, the latest time that you have to think about the future of your child, when is the latest, what your child will become? What will he do? When is latest? Many people reply, “When he goes to collage”. Some people say that “No, when he takes admission in school.” Some people say, “No, when he takes admission in Kinder Garden”. No one has given me answer earlier than that. The Islamic way, the latest that you can think about the future of your child is when you choose your life partner. When you choose your life partner is the time, you think what will you make your son. Because the mother, the father, the parents, they are the best teachers. You have to plan early, that’s the latest that you have to think regarding the future of your child.

 

I would like to summarize the purpose of life and how a person should lead is 

 

No. 1 that when you get education, see to it you get education in an institution in a school, in a collage which caters to you for both the worlds for Aakhira and this world. Only to get the degrees of this world will not help you. Put him in a school with caters for both Aakhira and this world both. And InshaAllah, we started with that philosophy of having Islamic International School and if Allah wills we want to expand more branches of our schools.

 

No. 2 you should see to it that they have friends which also have the same purpose of life, they have friends which are Islamic. When they grow up, they should join an organization whose goal and objective is based on Quran and Sahih Hadith. 

 

Join Islamic Organizations but before joining an organization check whether that organization is following the commandments of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) given in the Quran and the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam).

 

No. 4 when they choose their profession, Allah says in 

 

Surah Ale Imran ch. no. 3 verse no. 104 that

 

“Let there arise out of you a band of people that enjoins people towards the good and forbid them from doing wrong. These are the ones who shall attain felicity.

 

Allah says in 

 

Surah Fussilat ch. no. 41 verse no. 33

 

“Waman ahsanu qawlan mimman daa ila Allahi wa amila salihan waqala innanee minal Muslimeen”

 

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

 

Choose a profession that will take him closer to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) and there is no better profession than the profession of spending your time in spreading the message of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). 

 

No. 5 see to it that you choose your life partner which has the same purpose, same goal, Allah and His Rasool, Allah centered.

 

And the 6^th point, I would like to end my talk by the verse of the Quran from 

 

Surah An’aam ch. no. 6 verse no. 162 which says 

 

“Qul inna salatee wanusukee wamahyaya wamamatee lillahi rabbi al aalameen”

 

All my prayers, my service of sacrifice, my life and my death are for the sake of Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. 

 

Wa Aakhiru Da’waana Anil Hamdu Lillaahi Rabbil Aalameen!

---

What Is The Purpose Of Our Life?

 

(Peace Conference 2009 – Somaiya Grounds)

 

by

Dr. Zakir Naik 

 

Question & Answer session 

 

(Duration: 1 hour 16 minutes)

 

 

Mohammad Naik: JazakAllah Khair, Dr. Zakir Naik for your elucidative talk on such a significant topic which many of us really don’t think very much about… not really seriously. We would like to thank our audience Jazakamullah Khaira for being such a beautiful audience with so much patience you have carried on sitting. I would just request you if there are elder people or ladies who might not be getting proper seat kindly, I would request the youngsters to kindly make allowance for them, make adjustment for them, I know space is less.. many people standing far off behind, some sitting on the ground in the far off end of this ground but I am certain you’d be more accommodating.

 

Now we have the more interesting, the open question and answer session, but before we start, may I remind you, we are going to have all the distinguish speakers who have spoken at this conference and are present here today would be addressing you with their brief concluding remarks for a minute or two and after that we would also have in the end a special Dua by Shaikh Salaah Al Budair, Imam and Khatib of Masjid Al Nabwi, Madina Munawwara to conclude the session. 

 

We begin with the question and answer session and to get more out of this session in the limited time available, I would request you to kindly follow the rules very-very strictly.

 

Your question should be on the topic ‘What is the Purpose of our Life?’ only. For non-Muslims we may allow questions which are away from the topic but on Islam and comparative religion as some of them may not have had adequate time yesterday during the open session. 

 

Second point, your question should be brief and to the point. You may ask only one question at a time.

 

Three mikes have been provided in this vast ground, one in the front on my left for the gents. Mike no. 2 for the gents in the rare section and one mike for the ladies in front of the ladies section.

You may kindly queue at the mikes to put forward your question.

 

Non-Muslims will be given first preference to ask questions. Volunteers at the mile are requested kindly to ensure the same.

 

Kindly state your name and profession before you put forward your question. We start with the ladies section. Can we have our first question from the ladies mike please? 

 

Questioner: Assalaamu Alaikum. Mera Naam Bhagya Laxmi hai. Mein ek Hindu hoon ab mein Islam mein chalna cha rahi hoon.

 

Dr. Zakir: The sister has said that she is a Hindu but she wants to accept Islam. Behen mein aapse poochna chahata hoon, ke aap Islam dil se qabool karna chahati hai? 

 

Questioner: Ho. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Koi aap pe zabardasti kar raha hai? 

 

Questioner: Koi bhi zabardasti nahi hai. Meri marzi se mein yahan aayi hoon. 

 

Dr. Zakir: MashaAllah, I am asking the sister that does she want to accept Islam out of free will, and she has said yes. 

Kya aap maante hai ke Khuda ek hai? 

 

Questioner: Hmm.. haan.. Ji

 

Dr. Zakir: Aur aap maante hai ke Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) uske aakhri paigambar hai? 

 

Questioner: Hmm.. ho

 

Dr. Zakir: Maante hai?

 

Questioner: ho.. ho..

 

Dr. Zakir: Toh InshaAllah main ap ko Kalma padhaunga, aap Arabi mein dohraiye, baad mein uska tarjuma karunga. 

Questioner: Achi baat hai! 

 

Dr. Zakir: Ashadu 

 

Questioner: Ashadu

 

Dr. Zakir: Allah

 

Questioner: Allah

 

Dr. Zakir: Illa ha 

 

Questioner: Illa ha

 

Dr. Zakir: Ill Allah

 

Questioner: Ill Allah 

 

Dr. Zakir: Wa Ashadu 

 

Questioner: Wa Ashadu

 

Dr. Zakir: Anna 

 

Questioner: Anna

 

Dr. Zakir: Muhammadan 

 

Questioner: Muhammadan

 

Dr. Zakir: Abduhu

 

Questioner: Abduhu 

 

Dr. Zakir: Wa Rasoolahu

 

Questioner: Wa Rasoolahu 

 

Dr. Zakir: Mein gawaahi deti hoon 

 

Questioner: Mein gawaahi deti hoon

 

Dr. Zakir: Ke

 

Questioner: Ke

 

Dr. Zakir: Allah ke ilawa 

 

Questioner: Allah ke ilawa 

 

Dr. Zakir: Koi ma’bood

 

Questioner: Koi ma’bood

 

Dr. Zakir: Nahi hai 

 

Questioner: Nahi hai 

 

Dr. Zakir: Aur 

 

Questioner: Aur 

 

Dr. Zakir: Muhammad 

 

Questioner: Muhammad

 

Dr. Zakir: Sallalla

 

Questioner: Sallalla

 

Dr. Zakir: alaihe wa sallam

 

Questioner: alaihe wa sallam

 

Dr. Zakir: uske 

 

Questioner: uske 

 

Dr. Zakir: bandhey 

 

Questioner: bandhey

 

Dr. Zakir: aur paigambar hai

 

Questioner: aur paigambar hai

 

Dr. Zakir: MashaAllah, aap Musalmaan ho chuki hai.

 

Questioner: Achi baat hai.

 

Dr. Zakir: Allah aapko Jazaya Khair de aur Allah aapko Jannat Naseeb kare. I pray to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) that may He grant her Jannah…

 

Questioner: Hmmm

 

Dr. Zakir: …And InshaAllah, InshaAllah we pray to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) that may you lead a peaceful life so that you attain all the 3, that’s the pleasure of Allah, peace in this world and paradise in the hereafter, InshaAllah.

 

Questioner: Mere ko ek naam rakhiye.

 

Dr. Zakir: The sister has asked that she wants me to suggest a name for herself. Aap apna naam Ayesha rakh sakti hai, Ayesha. 

 

Questioner: Acha.

 

Mohammad Naik: Can we have the next question from the mike no. 2 in the rare section of the ladies please? 

 

Questioner: Hello. Ah.. good evening sir my name is Ruby Parkar and I am a dress designer. This is a question on behalf of my friend, she is a Muslim and she is married to a Hindu. Okay but she follows Islam and the husband follows the Hindu religion and she and her family they are not comfortable regarding she married to a Hindu. Now can you please put some light on this because she is very confused of what to do? She is madly in love with that man. 

 

Dr. Zakir: If I understood your question correctly sister, you sid that there is a Muslim girl whose married a Hindu boy and she is madly in love, what she should do? Is this the question sister? 

 

Questioner: Right. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Has she got married or not? 

 

Questioner: Ya she has, court marriage. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Court marriage, sister has said that there is a Muslim girl who has married a Hindu boy, she is madly in love, court marriage, What she should do? The thing is that Quran says in 

Surah Baqarah ch. no. 2 verse no. 221, it says that 

 

“Do not marry a Mushrika, do not marry an idolatress until she believes. A believing woman even she is a bondswoman, she is much better than an unbelieving woman even if she allures you.” 

 

The verse continues that “Do not marry a Mushrik man, 

do not marry an idolater man even if he allures you until he believes. A believing man even if he is a bonds man, even if he is a slave man, he is far better than a Mushrik man, unbelieving man even if he allures you.”

 

So in Islam a Muslim girl cannot marry a non-Muslim man and as I told earlier the reason is that if you have a vehicle, one tyre of the vehicle is of a cycle, of a bicycle and the other tyre, it is of a truck. But natural, the vehicle will not run and furthermore every human being would want that their spouse also go to Jannah. So if she claims to be a Muslim, her main purpose of life is to please Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) and as I told you that the Quran says in 

 

Surah Nisa ch. 4 verse 48, 

Surah Nisa ch. 4 verse 116 that 

 

“Allah will forgive any sin but the sin of Shirk, associating partners with God, He will never forgive” 

 

So how can she have a life partner whose purpose of life is different? That means may be you are selfish. You want to go to Jannah but you don’t want your life partner to go to Jannah? So surely if she really loves the husband, she should put an ultimatum that if you continue, you will not go to Jannah. So put an ultimatum that if you want me, you will also get Jannah by accepting Islam. If you accept Islam, I am with you otherwise I am not with you. So that she gets the best of this world and he also gets the best of both the worlds. 

 

Mohammad Naik: Yes brother… Mike no. 1, in the front… 

 

Questioner: My name is Prem, full name is Prem Mishra and I am a non-Muslim. And my question with you sir.. Actually I want to accept Islam.. Its…it’s my own question.. Its…its not any love or something… its my own question… its..its by professionally.. I want to accept Islam but become a true… means how to.. what…whats a true Muslim guy or something ? so that’s why I just want to know that.

 

Dr. Zakir: Brother, if I heard your question correctly, you want to accept Islam and you want to know what is a true Muslim? 

 

Questioner: Yes, how to become a true Muslim? 

 

Dr. Zakir: How to become a true Muslim.

 

Questioner: Ya.

 

Dr. Zakir: Brother, to become a true Muslim… Muslim means a person who submits his will to God. So if you submit your will to God, you become a Muslim. Submitting your will to God means first you have to agree that there is one God and there is no one worthy of worship besides Allah. Then you have to believe Prophet Muhammad is the last and final messenger and then if you read the Quran as I mentioned in my talk, it is the last and final instruction manual for the human beings. So if you read the Quran and implement on the Quran and follow the guidance Allah has given you and abstain from things which is prohibited then you become a true practicing Muslim.

 

Questioner: And one more… Sir, does I have to change my total identity... like as a non-Muslim.. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Your name? Is it compulsory he is asking to change my name, is it compulsory to change your name if you become a Muslim? No. 

 

Questioner: Yes…

 

Dr. Zakir: It’s not compulsory, if you want you can. So changing the name is not compulsory unless your name involves Shirk. If your name does not involve any Shirk, any idol worship etc. it’s perfectly fine otherwise you can continue with your old name or you can adopt a new name but if you are proud to be a Muslim, I would advice that you adopt a Muslim name so people would recognize you. Like how if you become a doctor, you put a cross sign, you tell people you know, you are a doctor. So similarly, it’s not compulsory you should change your name but if you change its preferable, people will know that you are a Muslim. So now my question to you is that would you like to accept Islam now? 

 

Questioner: Yes sir. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Do you believe there is one God? 

Questioner: Yes.

 

Dr. Zakir: Do you believe that idol worship is prohibited?

 

Questioner: Ah.. Yes sir.  

 

Dr. Zakir: Yes… Do you believe that Prophet Muhammad is the last and final messenger? 

 

Questioner: Yes sir. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Is anyone forcing you to accept Islam?

 

Questioner: No sir, no definitely.

 

Dr. Zakir: Is there any economic pressure? 

 

Questioner: No Sir. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Is there any physical pressure? 

 

Questioner: Nahi.

 

Dr. Zakir: Because forcing anyone to accept Islam is prohibited in Islam. No one can force anyone to become a Muslim besides being prohibited in Islam, it is also prohibited in this country. Even in India, it is prohibited to force anyone to adopt any religion without his freewill but if you want to accept Islam no one can prevent you and even the country cannot prevent you. So if you want to accept Islam, I will say in Arabic and you repeat it brother, okay? 

 

Questioner: Okay sir. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Ashadu 

 

Questioner: Ashadu

 

Dr. Zakir: Allah

 

Questioner: Allah

 

Dr. Zakir: Illa ha 

 

Questioner: Illa ha

Dr. Zakir: Ill Allah

 

Questioner: Ill Allah 

 

Dr. Zakir: Wa Ashadu 

 

Questioner: Wa Ashadu

 

Dr. Zakir: Anna 

 

Questioner: Anna

 

Dr. Zakir: Muhammadan 

 

Questioner: Muhammadan

 

Dr. Zakir: Abduhu

 

Questioner: Abduhu 

 

Dr. Zakir: Wa Rasoolahu

 

Questioner: Wa Rasoolahu 

 

Dr. Zakir: I bear witness 

 

Questioner: Can you repeat? 

 

Dr. Zakir: I bear witness 

 

Questioner: I bear witness 

 

Dr. Zakir: That 

 

Questioner: That

 

Dr. Zakir: There is 

 

Questioner: There is 

 

Dr. Zakir: No God 

 

Questioner: No God 

 

Dr. Zakir: But Allah

 

Questioner: But Allah

 

Dr. Zakir: And 

 

Questioner: And

 

Dr. Zakir: Prophet Muhammad 

 

Questioner: Prophet Muhammad 

 

Dr. Zakir: Peace be upon him

 

Questioner: Peace be upon him

 

Dr. Zakir: Is

 

Questioner: Is 

 

Dr. Zakir: The servant 

 

Questioner: The servant 

 

Dr. Zakir: And Messenger 

 

Questioner: And Messenger 

 

Dr. Zakir: Of Allah

 

Questioner: Of Allah

 

Dr. Zakir: MashaAllah, you are a Muslim brother.

 

Questioner: Thanks a lot. I would request that you could come on the stage and take a copy of the Quran so that you can be a better practicing Muslim. I would like to give you the translation of the copy of the Quran. I’d request a volunteer if they can give some copies of the Quran here. Brother can you come on the stage please? I would like to give you a translation of the copy of the Quran so that it will help you to become a better practicing Muslim. 

 

MashaAllah… JazakAllah and we pray to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) that may he accept your efforts and may He grant you Jannah, InshaAllah. 

 

Mohammad Naik: The next question from mike 2 in the middle of the gents section. Yes brother…

 

Questioner: Abhi Dr. Zakir Naik Hussain idhar aake idhar bhashan kiya.. jitna aadmi idhar yeh baashan sunn ne ke liye aaya ‘Quran…’ woh sabko mein Allah se prathna kartha hai ki yeh log ka samsaar, bal-bacche sukhi raho. 

 

God came here to for good-production only; Zakir Hussain came here for good-production only. 

 

Acha abhi mein… mera naam Narayan Venkatesh Iyer, Dharawi mein rehta hai. Mein Hindu hai lekin mein Quran ko manta hai, mein Bible ko manta hai, mein Gita ko manta hai. I look equal for all. Lekin mein Dr. Sahab ko ye poochna chahta hai.. Sheikh, Sayyed, Mullah, Pathan kyon rakha? Brahman, Kshatriya, Chandal Shudra kyon rakha? Issko answer abhi chaiye.

 

Dr. Zakir: The brother before asking his question, he said that… he says that there are lakhs, hundreds of thousands of people gathered here and he wishes that peace be on all these people then he said that Dr. Zakir Naik has come here to give good message and he is asking the question that he is a Hindu but he has read and he believes in the Quran, he believes in the Bible, he believes in the Veda and he is asking that why are there Pathan, Shaikh, Mullah, Brahman, Kshatriya etc. 

 

As far as your question is concerned why are there Pathan, Shaikh, Mullah, these are family names.. just because a person is a Shaikh or a Mullah or a Pathan does not make him superior to any other human being, the Quran says in 

 

Surah Hujuraat ch. no. 49 verse no. 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.”

 

“O humankind! We have created you from a single pair of male and female and have divided you into nations and tribes so that you shall recognize each other, not that you shall despise each other. And the most honored in the sight of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) is the person who has Taqwa” 

 
 The criteria for judgment in the sight of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) its not sex, its not caste, its not color, its not age, its not wealth, it is Taqwa, it God Consciousness, it is piety. Just because a person is born in a Mullah family or a Khan family or a Shaikh family, will not take him to Jannah but its Taqwa, piety, righteous deeds, God-consciousness will take him to Jannah. But this is the Islamic concept. 

 

In the concept of Hinduism, the Vedas say All Mighty God created from the head, the Brahmins, from the chest, Kshatriya, Brahmin are the learned class, Kshatriya are the warrior cast, god from his abdomen or his thighs created the Vaishiyas i.e. the business class and from the feet, the Shudras that is the servant class i.e. the slave. This is the concept of Veda. 

 

In Islam no human being is superior or inferior because of birth. There is no caste system in Islam, it is there in Hinduism. And for more details why this is…you can refer to my video cassette ‘Similarities between Islam and Hinduism.’ 

 

Now coming to your question first part you said that you believe in Quran, you believe in Bible, you believe in Veda I request the people at least believe that one book is 100% the word of God, not 2, 3, 4 at least one book. So the Christian will say I believe Bible is 100% the word of God. The Hindu will say I believe the Veda to be 100% the word of God, the Muslim will say; I believe that Quran is 100% the word of God. You, MashaAllah, believe in all 3. Now do you know there are many contradictory things in the Quran and in the Bible and in the Veda? Let’s not discuss that. I am asking you today at least follow what is common.. at least what is common in the Vedas, Bible and Quran which you believe at least follow that. All these 3 scriptures say that God is one, this God has got no image, he has got no idol, he has got no picture. It’s mentioned in the Bible in the 

                           

Book of Deuteronomy ch. no. 6 verse no. 4  

 

Moses (peace be upon him) says 

 

"Shama Israelu Adonai Ila Hayno Adonai Ikhad."

“Hear O Israel! The Lord, our God is one Lord” 

 

If you read the Hindu scriptures it is mentioned in 

 

Chandogya Upanishad ch. no. 6 Section no. 2 verse no. 1

 

"Ekam evadvitiyam"

“God is only one without a second”

 

It’s mentioned in Svetasvatara Upanishad ch. no. 4 verse no. 19 and Yajurveda ch. no. 32 verse no. 3 

 

“Na Tasya Pratima Asti”

Of that God there is no pratima. 

 

Pratima in Sanskrit means an image, a photograph, a painting, a picture, a portrait, a sculpture, a idol.. of that God there is no pratima, of that God there is no image, of that God there is no photograph, there in no picture, there in no portrait, there is no painting, there is no sculpture, there is no idol, there is no statue. 

 

Quran says the same in Surah Ikhlaas ch. no. 112 verse no. 1 to 4 

 

“Qul Huwallaahu Ahad”, 

“Allahus Samad” 

“Lam Yalid Wa Lam Yulad” 

“Walam Yakullahu Kufuan 'Ahad” 

 

"Say that God is one and only
The Absolute, the Eternal.
He begets not, nor is He begotten.
And there is nothing like Him."

 

I am asking you the question, do you believe in one God brother? Kya aap ek Baghwan mein maante hai? 

 

Questioner: Mein abhi tak, Bhagwan ek hi hai manta hai. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Aap budh-Parasti mein maante hai? 

 

Questioner: Bhrama satyam Jagan mitrya jeevo Braham eva na paraaha

 

Dr. Zakir: Aap budh-parasti mein maante hai? 

 

Questioner: Nahi… Usko kya hai? 

Dr. Zakir: Budh-parasti.

 

Questioner: Murti-burti nahi manta hai. 

 

Dr. Zakir: MashaAllah, MashaAllah.

 

Questioner: Mein Roop-Rekh nahi manta hai..

 

Dr. Zakir: Brother believes in one God.. he does not believe in idol worship 

 

Questioner: Ek.. Ek..sha..Allah bole to ‘Aa’ Bole-toh paap jaata hai, ‘La’ bole-toh paap ko aane ko deta nahi uska naam Allah hai. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Yeh aap ka definition hai… yeh poora definition nahi hai.

 

Questioner: ‘Ra’ bole-toh paap jaata hai, ‘Ma’ bole-toh paap ko aane ko deta nahi, uska naam ‘Ram’ hai. Ram bole-toh aadmi nahi hai, aadmi roop-rekh nahi hai. Roop-rekhak mane wala God nahi hai.. God only belief, Vishwas , ek Satya, Ek praman mein chalne wala koi God, ek santosh deta hai, aap… one kind of you are a god. Dr. Zakir Hussain is one kind of god. woh bulaya toh itna aadmi aaya.

 

Dr. Zakir: Aap jo bhai saab bol rahe hai, aap ke Veda mein likha hai, 

 

Rigveda Book no. 1 Hymn no. 164 verse no, 46 

 

“Ekam Sat Vipra badhu vidaante”

“God is one, Truth is one but sages call Him by variety of names”

 

Aap ne kaha ke Dr. Zakir Naik God hai. Dr. Zakir Naik God nahi hai aur ho bhi nahi sakta hoon. Mein God ka creation hoon. Mein Allah ka banda hoon, mein Abdullah hoon, Allah nahi hoon. 

 

Kyonki aapne mujhe god kaha issiliye mein God thodi ban jaata hoon. Aap ke saath aap mujhe bhi ghasit rahe hai jahanum mein. 

 

Questioner: Nahi…

 

Dr. Zakir: Mein Allah nahi hoon, Abdullah hoon. Allah ka banda hoon. Ussi tarike se koi bhi Insaan Allah nahi ho sakta, woh Baghwan nahi ho sakta, Ishwar nahi ho sakta hai.. Issi tarike se Ram, Ram ek acche manushya the. Aap agar kehte hai ke who Avtar hai. Avtar ke mane hai, ‘AV’ – ‘TRA’ matlab Khuda ne bheja, lekin Khuda nahi, Khuda ne bheja toh aap agar kehte hai, if you say that Ram is an Avtar, ‘AV’ and ‘TRA’ means sent from All Mighty God, if you say that, I have got no objection, if you say Ram is a messenger of God, may be he is, may be he is not because our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) said there were hundred and twenty four thousand messengers sent on the face of the earth. By name only 25 are mentioned in the Quran. Ram may be a messenger of God, may be he is, may be he is not, I cannot say for sure but even if Ram was a messenger of God, even if Krishna was a messenger of God, he was sent only for those people and for that time. 

 

Today all the human beings whether they live in India, whether in America, whether Canada, whether UK, whether Saudi Arabia. They should follow the last and final messenger Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). I am not saying this, it is your scripture.. agar aap padhenge aap ki kitaab

 

Bhavishya Purana Parv 3 Khand 3 Adhyay 3 Shlokas 5 to 8

Bhavishya Purana Parv 3 Khand 3 Adhyay 3 Shlokas 10 to 27

 

Speak about Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). 

 

In Atharva Veda Book no. 20 Hymn no. 127 verse no. 1 to 14

Atharva Veda Book no. 20 Hymn no. 21 verse no. 6

Atharva Veda Book no. 20 Hymn no. 21 verse no. 7

RigVeda Book no. 1 Hymn no. 53 verse no. 9 

 

Speak about Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He is mentioned as Ahmad, Ahmad means one who praises. One who praises is called as Ahmad. He is mentioned as Ahmad if you read in Samaveda Uttarachika Mantra no. 1500 

in Samveda Indra ch. no. 2 Mantra no. 152,

in Yajurveda ch. no. 31 verse no. 18,

in Rigveda Book no. 8 Hymn no. 6 Mantra no. 10, 

in Atharva Veda Book no. 8 Hymn no. 5 Mantra no. 16 

Atharva Veda Book no. 20 Hymn no. 126 verse no. 14

 

He is mentioned as Ahmad, he is mentioned as Narashansa. Narashansa means ‘Nar’ means man, ‘Shansa’ means praise. A man who is praiseworthy. If you translate into Arabic, it is Mohammad. 

 

He is mentioned by the name Muhammad as Narashansa in several places in

 

Rigveda Book no. 1 Hymn no. 13 Mantra no. 3 

Rigveda Book no. 1 Hymn no. 18 Mantra no. 9 

Rigveda Book no. 1 Hymn no. 106 Mantra no. 4 

Rigveda Book no. 1 Hymn no. 142 Mantra no. 3 

Rigveda Book no. 2 Hymn no. 3 Mantra no. 2 

Rigveda Book no. 5 Hymn no. 5 Mantra no. 2 

Rigveda Book no. 7 Hymn no. 2 Mantra no. 2 

Yajurveda ch. no. 20 verse 37 

Yajurveda ch. no. 20 verse 57 

Yajurveda ch. no. 21 verse no. 31 

Yajurveda ch. no. 21 verse 55

Yajurveda ch. no. 28 verse no. 2

Yajurveda ch. no. 28 verse no. 19 

Yajurveda ch. no. 28 verse no. 42

 

I can keep on going only giving references from the Hindu scriptures about the last and final messenger Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He is also mentioned in Kalki Purana as Kalki Avtar that his mother’s name will be Sumati that’s Aamina. His father’s name will be Vishnuyash, that’s Abdullah. He will be born in a place of peace, Sambhala i.e. Makkah, he will be born in the family of the chief of the village of Sambala i.e. the chief of Makkah i.e. the chief of the Quraish.   He’ll have 4 companions talking about Khulfa-e-Rashdeen on and on. If you really believe in your scriptures. You have to follow and believe in the last and final messenger Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) 

 

Do you believe in Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)?

 

Kya aap Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) mein maante hai? 

 

Questioner: Mein manta hai…

 

Dr. Zakir: Ke woh paigambar hai? 

 

Questioner: Mein paigambar ko manta hai.

 

Dr. Zakir: Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) paigambar hai, maante hai?

 

Questioner: Paigambar manta hai.. Paigambar one kind of a god kyon… woh… 

 

Dr. Zakir: One kind of god nahi…. One kind of messenger of God

Questioner: Haan..haan 

 

Dr. Zakir: God bole-toh galat hai… God bole-toh galat hai… messenger of God boliye. 

 

Questioner: Mein Doh crore sixty three lakhs Ram-Ram-Ram likha lekin abhi tak Ram mere paas aaya nahi, kyon? 

 

Dr. Zakir: Barabar! The brother said he wrote 20 million times Ram-Ram-Ram but Ram hasn’t come to him yet. So therefore I am telling you believe in one and only Creator, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) and believe in all His messengers as well as the last and final messenger Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Hope that answers the question. 

 

Mohammad Naik: The next question from mike no. 3 in the rare section, gents.

 

Questioner: Good evening sir. I thank you for the word ‘Purpose of Life’ which you have given today and you have given the Surahs and the Aayat from the Quran. Surah 17:88 says 

If all mankind and the Jinn would come together to produce the like of this Quran, they could not produce it. 

 

But history of Al Tabari Vol. 6 page 107, ibn Shahat Kitaab Al Tabkaat, Al Kabeer Vol. 1 part 1 and 2 pages 236 and 239, Ibn Ishaaq Sirat Rasoolullah, page no. 165, 167 says that 

 

Mohammad was inspired by the Satan and spoken on behalf of 3 gods, goddess. Al Laat, Al Uzza and Mannaat saying that their in… intercession is hoped for. 

 

After sometime later upon receiving further revelation from angel Gabriel that those verses were not from Allah but inspired by Satan. My question is this incidence has several implications the challenges of the Quran to bring the Surah like it in Surah 17:88 was actually met by those satanic verse in Mohammad’s own time, right? Which in turn leads to the conclusion that the rest of the Quran is this from Allah either? 

 

Dr. Zakir: Brother, what’s your name? 

 

Questioner: I am Danny, I am a student. I am studying on the book. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Brother Danny has asked a very good question that he quoted Surah Isra ch. 17 verse no. 88 that says that if all the men and Jinn got together to produce the like of the Quran, they will not be able to do it. 

That’s also repeated in 

 

Surah Toor ch. 52 verse no. 34, just to help you out and I will give you more references.. but he said quoting Tabari etc. that this verse of the Quran was from Satan. May be you read it wrong, it was an allegation that people said these words of the Quran are from Satan and immediately the revelation came of 

 

Surah Waaqi’ah ch. 56 verse no. 77 and 80 says saying that

 

“This Book is well preserved who none shall touch except those who are pure, a Book well guarded by the Lord of the Worlds”

 

This verse came to say that no one will the able to touch the Quran in Lawh-e-Mehfuz, in tablet well preserved except the Mutahareen i.e. the pure angels indicating that the Satans can come close no where to the Quran. So this was the allegations laid by the Mushriks of Makkah on the Prophet that this is a Satan’s handiwork. In reply to this there are various verses… Quran says in 

 

Surah Nisa ch. 4 verse 82, Quran says 

 

“Afala yatadabbaroona alQur-ana walaw kana min indi ghayrillahi lawajadoo feehi ikhtilafan katheera”

 

“Do they not consider the Quran with care? Had it been from anyone besides Allah, there would have been many contradictions”

 

Besides this.. please let me reply brother.. 

 

Questioner: Ya…

 

Dr. Zakir: Besides this… what you mentioned, Allah gives a challenge that if you say it is from Satan, 

in Surah Tur ch. 52 verse no. 34 and Surah Israa’ ch. 17 verse 88 that

 

“If all the men and the Jinn got together, they would not be able to produce the like of the Quran”

 

Then Allah makes the challenge easier, Allah says in 

Surah Hud ch. no. 11 verse no. 13… I am giving you more material to attack..

 

Allah says in Surah Hud ch. no. 11 verse no. 13

 

“If all the men and the Jinns got together, they will not be able to produce 10 Surahs like the Quran” 

 

Allah makes the challenge easier… Brother do you want to listen to the answer or not? 

 

Questioner: Ya.. go ahead.. please sorry…please go ahead..  actually I just wanted to add.. please go ahead sir.. 

 

Dr. Mohammed Naik: Brother…brother…brother…

 

Dr. Zakir: Brother this is not a debate time…

 

Questioner: No sir..

 

Dr. Zakir: It’s a question answer time. You finish your question, your question is over. Now listen to my answer. 

 

Questioner: Sir, should I add it then you give the answer than it will be easy for me to understand.. 

 

Dr. Zakir: But why didn’t you add it in the first place? 

 

Questioner: Because..it’s now you are telling something then I have to add it.. 

 

Dr. Zakir: so then you go behind the queue and then add, no problem. Go behind the queue and add..

 

 Questioner: No because there was a verse which was saying…

 

Dr. Zakir: I am helping you…

 

Questioner: Okay, sorry sir.. please go ahead..

 

Dr. Zakir: Furthermore it’s mentioned, Allah makes the challenge easier… 

 

Allah says in Surah Yunus ch. no. 10 verse no. 38 that

“If all the men and Jinn got together, they will not be able to produce a Surah like the Quran”

 

Allah makes it much more easier in Surah Baqarah ch. 2 verse no. 23 and 24,

Allah says that 

 

“Wa-in kuntum fee raybin mimma nazzalna ala abdina fa’too bisooratim mim mithlihi”

 

“And if you are in doubt as what we have revealed to our servant, Prophet Muhammad, from time to time produce a Surah, somewhat, similar, ‘min mithlihi’,  not exactly, somewhat similar, min mithlihi”

 

“Wa’doo shuhadaakum min dooni Allahi in kuntum sadiqeen”

 

“And call forth your helpers and witnesses if there are besides Allah, if your doubts are but true”  

“Fa-in lam taf’aloo”

“But if you cannot” 

 

“Walan taf’aloo”

“And of a surety you cannot” 

 

“Fattaqun Narallatee waqooduha an Nasu wal hijaratu oiddat lilkafireen”

 

“Then fear a fire whose fuel is men and stones which is prepared for these who reject faith” 

 

This is a challenge, it’s a standing challenge, many people tried to produce a Surah like the Quran but they have failed miserably... the language of the Quran is so divine, is so pure.. not that people didn’t try... when the Quran was revealed, Arabic was at its peak, it was at its peak . The Arabs, they were proud of their language… Allah says with your language I have produced the Quran… try and produce a single Surah… somewhat similar.. not exactly and some Surahs of the Quran 1 Surah is hardly 3 verses.. hardly 10 words only… many people tried, they failed miserably. If you think this is from anyone besides Allah you try and produce a Surah, that’s a challenge. No one has done it neither can you do it. Hope that answers the question.

 

Mohammad Naik: Thank you, may I make a point clear.. we cannot allow one questioner to dominate the whole lecture series.. this is a question and answer session not a debate session. But anyone who is interested in long discussions.. this is not the time because we have just 10-15mins left for the question-answer session. I would request you to kindly frame your question briefly if it goes more than 4 to 5 sentences, we will disallow that question and allow the next questioner to put forward their question.

 

Dr. Zakir has a background of this kind of question and most of the questions which come forward assume he knows the background just put forward your question directly to him. Don’t give the background assume he knows the background and just put your question. Yes sister… mike no. 4 

 

Questioner: Good evening sir. My name is Sabina, I am a student. You gave an example about how we students, the youngsters ah... shoot an arrow and draw…bulls eye. Ah… I would just like to make the same sort of allegation to you, you shot an arrow, your arrow and drew your bulls eye and now if anybody does not aim where you have aimed before, they are wrong. That I think is inconsiderate and inhuman.

 

Dr. Zakir: Sister’s asked a very important question.. when I gave the example people shoot in the air and then draw the bulls eye.. she is saying and alleging even I have done the same. And if people don’t agree then I don’t agree with them. Sister please tell me where was my arrow wrong, which part of my lecture was shooting the arrow in the air and drawing a bulls eye. I gave example that people do graduation. Why do you do graduation? I don’t know. What will you do? I don’t know. After passing what job you’ll take? I don’t know. I gave example. Now you sister give me an example in my lecture which part of my lecture was shooting the arrow in the air and drawing a bulls eye. If not then I would tell you that you are shooting in the air and then drawing the bulls eye.

 

Questioner: But you already said it

 

Dr. Zakir: Sister, which part of my lecture? I give you a chance to reply.. which part of my lecture was shooting in the air and then drawing the bulls eye…

 

Questioner: Your part of the lecture was not shooting in the air.

 

Dr. Zakir: MashaAllah, thank you very much.

 

Questioner: The whole aim.. the whole aim was like judging people by defining them on the terms of ISLAMIC and what their purpose in life is only in terms of ISLAMIC. 

 

Dr. Zakir: You give me a better purpose of life. You give me a better purpose… 

 

Questioner: Why should I give you a purpose?

 

Dr. Zakir: See, we are having a open question and answer session.. Anyone can differ with me… I am not telling I’m always right..

 

Questioner: Exactly, people differ from you…

 

Dr. Zakir: You have the right to differ. But when you differ, you have to give the reason. For example I say 2 plus 2 is equal to 4. You say no it is not 4, it is 5.  I’ll ask you why. So if I…

 

Questioner: You just…

 

Dr. Zakir: …Say something wrong, you have to prove me wrong. Just by saying 2 plus 2 is not equal to 4… you are educated sister, correct? So you.. if you tell that I have done something, I agree with you. Prove me. 

 

Questioner: But he keeps on speaking... he does not let other people speak. 

 

Dr. Zakir: “Qul hatoo burhanakum in kuntum Sadiqeen”

“Produce your proof, if you are truthful”

 

So tell me which part of my lecture or you tell me is there any better purpose of life than to thank the Creator? Than to worship Him? Yes sister… yes could you on the microphone of the sister… 

 

Questioner: Ya

 

Dr. Zakir: She wants to educate us. 

 

Questioner: I am not trying to educate anyone… 

 

Dr. Zakir: I want to be educated; I am a student, sister. I love being educated. 

 

Questioner: But you don’t let people speak… 

 

Dr. Zakir: Sorry? 

 

Questioner: You don’t let people speak… you just go on and on… 

 

Dr. Zakir: I am giving you a chance to speak sister, speak. 

 

Questioner: There are differences and you cannot just.. you know, convert everyone.. convert not in the sense of converting into Islam..  converting people’s viewpoints, you know, there are differences. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Sister you are not answering my question. You are beating around the bush.

 

Questioner: I am not beating around the bush…

 

Dr. Zakir: my question is what is the purpose…

 

Questioner: because you are presuming that I will answer whatever you want me to answer.. 

 

Dr. Zakir: no sister.

 

Questioner: I will answer it in my way….

 

Dr. Zakir: So your way is beating around the bush..

 

Questioner: I have heard his answer.. why should I listen… 

 

Dr. Zakir: Thank you sister… thank you for your comments and we leave the audience to be the judge.. how many people will follow you, how many people follow me… 

 

Questioner: I don’t want followers…

 

Dr. Zakir: We come to know later on… So next time when you give a lecture I hope you get an audience which is big so then they listen to your answer of purpose of creation sister. 

 

Mohammad Naik: Yes, the next question from the sister in the rear..

Questioner: Assalamu Alamikum Sir, my name is Rashmi Singh.. mein aap se yeh bolna chahati hoon ke maine Islam dil se qabool kar liya par mein chahati hoon k aap mujhe Kalma padhaayen. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Sister has said that she wants to accept Islam and she wants me to make her read the Shahadah. Do you understand English sister? 

 

Questioner: Yes. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Do you believe there is one God? 

 

Questioner: Yes. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Do you believe that idol worship is wrong? 

 

Questioner: Yes. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Do you believe that Prophet Muhammad is the final messenger of God? 

 

Questioner: Yes. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Is anyone forcing you to accept Islam?

 

Questioner: No. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Is there any economic pressure? 

 

Questioner: No. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Is there any physical pressure? 

 

Questioner: No. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Are you accepting with your free will? 

 

Questioner: Yes.

 

Dr. Zakir: Yes sister, so I will InshaAllah recite the Kalma in Arabic and you can repeat it. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Ashadu 

 

Questioner: Ashadu

 

Dr. Zakir: Allah

 

Questioner: Allah

 

Dr. Zakir: Illa ha 

 

Questioner: Illa ha

 

Dr. Zakir: Ill Allah

 

Questioner: Ill Allah 

 

Dr. Zakir: Wa Ashadu 

 

Questioner: Wa Ashadu

 

Dr. Zakir: Anna 

 

Questioner: Anna

 

Dr. Zakir: Muhammadan 

 

Questioner: Muhammadan

 

Dr. Zakir: Abduhu

 

Questioner: Abduhu 

 

Dr. Zakir: Wa Rasoolahu

 

Questioner: Wa Rasoolahu 

 

Dr. Zakir: I bear witness 

 

Questioner: I bear witness 

 

Dr. Zakir: That 

 

Questioner: That

 

Dr. Zakir: There is no God

 

Questioner: There is no God

 

Dr. Zakir: But Allah

 

Questioner: But Allah

 

Dr. Zakir: And Prophet Muhammad

 

Questioner: And Prophet Muhammad

 

Dr. Zakir: Peace be upon him

 

Questioner: Peace be upon him

 

Dr. Zakir: Is His servant and messenger

 

Questioner: Is His servant and messenger

 

Dr. Zakir: MashaAllah sister, now you are a Muslim and I pray to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) that may He guide you and may He keep you on the straight path. As Allah says in the Quran says in 

 

Surah Ale Imran ch. 3 verse no. 8

 

“Rabbana la tuzigh quloobana ba’da ith hadaytana wahab lana min ladunka rahmatan innaka anta al Wahhab”

 

That “O Lord, please keep us on the straight path after Thou has guided us and keep us on the straight path”

 

So I pray to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) that may he give you more Hidaayah to keep you on the straight path and may he grant you Jannah. 

 

Questioner: Sir, I want to ask you one question. Sir agar mere ghar pe mere parents ko iss baaren mein pata chalta hai toh how can I like… mein unko samjaaon kaise ki mein jo karrahee hoon woh sahi hai?

 

Dr. Zakir: Sister asked the question that if the parents come to know at home, how will she convince the parents that what she is doing is the truth. Sister, first thing is that you start loving your parents more, number 1, start loving your mother and father more, obey them, respect them, follow them unless if they tell you something against Allah and His Rasool, that’s the only time you disobey. There should be a difference between what you were before and what you are now. May be you never used to follow many of their advice, now as long as what they say, doesn’t go against Quran and Sahih Hadith, my request to you is even if you don’t like it, you start following. There should be a difference.  This is my daughter before she was a Muslim and now this is my daughter after she accepted Islam. If they find a change in you, they will start asking you “Arre.. yesterday you weren’t following me, now you are fowling everything what I am saying” Immediately, why? This is what the Quran says. This is what our beloved Prophet said that Paradise lies beneath the feet of your mother.  In this way you try and win them over. 

 

The Quran says in Surah Fussilat ch. no. 41 verse no. 34 that 

 

“It is better to win over them”

 

And it can be done with Hiqma. Allah says in the Quran in 

 

Surah Nahl ch. no. 16 verse no. 125 

 

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

 

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

 I would request you to give my DVD, ‘Similarities between Islam and Hinduism’ to your parents and InshaAllah, it will soften their hearts and I pray to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) that may He give Hidaayah to your parents also and to your family members.

 

Questioner: Thank you sir.

 

Mohammad Naik: Yes brother… Mike no. 1 in the front.

 

Questioner: Dr. Zakir Naik sir mein tahe dil se aap ko Namaste kehta hoon. Mera naam Yeshudas hai toh mera prahna iss tarah se hai ki Islam kitni shaadi karne ka ijjazat deta hai aur kyon? 

 

Dr. Zakir: Brother asked the question that how many marriages are permitted in Islam and why referring to the polygamy 

 

Questioner: Matlab mein jaan na chahata hoon ki Quran ke anusaar mein sahi mein kitna hona chaiye ya kitna nahi hona chaiye.

 

Dr. Zakir: According to the Quran how many marriages can you do as far as the women is concerned according to Surah Nisa ch. no. 4 verse no. 20 to 24, a married woman cannot marry again. So woman should have only one husband maximum.

 

As far as the other is concerned, Quran says in 

 

Surah Nisa ch. no. 4 verse no. 3 

 

“Marry women of your choice in twos, threes or fours but if you can’t do justice, marry only one”

 

You can marry 2, 3 or 4 but if you can’t do justice marry only one. This statement ‘marry only one..If you can’t do justice’ is only given in the Quran. There is no other scripture on the face of the earth which says marry only 1 besides the Quran. If you read the Ramaayan, if you read the Mahabharat, you can marry as many wives as you want. 

 

If you read Ramaayan, the father of Ram, how many wives he had? He had more than 1 wife. Krishna, if you read Mahabharat, how many wives did he have, 2, 4, 10, 1,000, 10,000, 16,108 wives. So when Krishna can have 16,108 wives so why can’t we Muslims have up to 4? 

If you read the Bible, in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament, you can marry as many wives as you wish. 

 

Solomon had 700 wives; Abraham had 3 wives according to the Bible. It is the church which put an upper limit, Christian should marry only one. It is Rabai Gershom Bin Yahooda who passed a sainoite that Jews should marry only 1. 

 

In India, it is the Indian Penal Code, in 1954 which passed a law I Hindu Marriage Act which said that Hindu should marry only one. It is the Indian Penal Court, not the Hindu Scripture which says that Hindu should have only one wife. 

 

Let’s analyze what are the reasons that Islam gives permission for a man to have more than one wife.

Marrying more than one wife is not compulsory in Islam, it’s optional. But if you marry more than one wife, you should do justice between your wives. The logical reasons we can think that Islam has given permission are that male and female are born in equal proportion. But if you ask any medical doctor, any pediatrician, he will tell you that the girl, the female child is a stronger sex medically as compared to the male child, she can fight the germs and diseases much better than the male child. So more female children are alive as compared to male children. 

As life goes on there is death due to war, due to accident, due to cigarette smoking, due to alcohol, in all these cases more male are dying as compared to female. So today in the world, there are more females in the world as compared to males. 

In few third world countries like India etc. where the female population is less than the male population because of female infanticide and females feticide. Every year in India more than one million fetuses are being aborted after they are identified that they are females. If this evil practice stops even in India, the male population will become less than the female population. 

In New York alone there is 1 million female more than males. In USA alone there are 7.8 million more than males. In UK alone there are 4 million females more than males. In Germany alone there are 5 million females more than males. In Russia alone there are 9 million females more than males and God alone knows how many millions of females are more than males throughout the world. 

If I agree with you that one man should only marry one woman and suppose the market is saturated and if your sister happens to live in America or my sister happens to live in America and if she happens to be one of the 7.8 million females who has not found a life-partner, the only option for her is that she either marries a man who already has a wife or becomes public property. 

Public property! Such a harsh word! This is the most sophisticated word I can use. I cannot think of a better word than this and any modest woman would say that if the option is given she would prefer marrying a man who already has a wife or become public property. Hope that answers the question. 

Mohammad Naik: We will not allow any further questions. The volunteers are pointing out someone… this was the last question actually but we will allow that Shahadah and InshaAllah we will carry on with the other program.

Dr. Zakir: Do you believe there is one God? Brother, brother at the first mike. Do you believe there is one God? Kya aap maante hai ke Khuda ek hai? 

 

Questioner: Hello mein. Assalaamu Alaikum.

 

Dr. Zakir: do you believe there is one God? Kya aap maante hai ke Khuda ek hai?

 

Questioner: Mein ek hi God mein yakin rakhta hoon 

 

Dr. Zakir: Kya aap maante hai ki Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) aakhri paigambar hai. 

 

Questioner: Haan manta hoon.  

 

Dr. Zakir: Aap maante hai? 

 

Questioner: Maanta hoon.

 

Dr. Zakir: Aap ke koi zabardasti kar raha hai Islam qabool karne ke liye? koi aap pe zabardasti kar raha hai?

 

Questioner: Nahi.

 

Dr. Zakir: Aap apne marzi se qabool karma chahate hai? 

 

Questioner: Haan marzi se qabool karma chahata hoon.

 

Dr. Zakir: Okay, InshaAllah, both the brothers, InshaAllah they can say the Shahadah, I will say in Arabic and you can repeat it and then we can have the next session. 

 

Dr. Zakir: Ashadu 

 

Questioner: Ashadu

 

Dr. Zakir: Allah

 

Questioner: Allah

 

Dr. Zakir: Illa ha 

 

Questioner: Illa ha

Dr. Zakir: Ill Allah

 

Questioner: Ill Allah 

 

Dr. Zakir: Wa Ashadu 

 

Questioner: Wa Ashadu

 

Dr. Zakir: Anna 

 

Questioner: Anna

 

Dr. Zakir: Muhammadan 

 

Questioner: Muhammadan

 

Dr. Zakir: Abduhu

 

Questioner: Abduhu 

 

Dr. Zakir: Wa Rasoolahu

 

Questioner: Wa Rasoolahu 

 

Dr. Zakir: Mein gawaahi deta hoon 

 

Questioner: Mein gawaahi deta hoon

 

Dr. Zakir: Ke 

 

Questioner: Ke

 

Dr. Zakir: Allah

 

Questioner: Allah

 

Dr. Zakir: ke illawa 

 

Questioner: ke ilwaha 

 

Dr. Zakir: Koi ma’bood nahi

 

Questioner: Koi ma’bood nahi

 

Dr. Zakir: Aur 

 

Questioner: Aur 

 

Dr. Zakir: Muhammad 

 

Questioner: Muhammad

 

Dr. Zakir: Sallalla

 

Questioner: Sallalla

 

Dr. Zakir: alaihe wa sallam

 

Questioner: alaihe wa sallam

 

Dr. Zakir: uske bandhey

 

Questioner: uske bandhey

 

Dr. Zakir: aur paigambar hai

 

Questioner: aur paigambar hai

Dr. Zakir: MashaAllah, aap Musalmaan ho chuke hai. Allah aapko Jazaya Khair de aur Allah aapko Hidaayat de aur mein Dua karoonga ke Allah aapko Jannat Naseeb Farmaaye. 

And this ends the session and I give it to my brother to.. InshaAllah continue with the next session. 

Questioner: Mera ek naam rakhdijiye. 

Dr. Zakir: Aap apna naam Umar rakh sakte hai, Umar. 

Mohammad Naik: JazakAllah Khair. It was wonderful session. InshaAllah, we will have the dua but before a very short session. We have most of our distinguish guests and distinguish speakers who have come from various countries present here. I request them to kindly come on the stage before Shaikh Salaah Al Budair would present his Dua. 

May I request.. I will call out the names but I would request you before your name is called out kindly move up… all the distinguish speakers who have been officially invited by us. Kindly move up on to the stage and form a semicircle along with Brother Zakir. I will just repeat the names… Br. Shaikh Abdur Raheem Green of UK.

Dr. Zakir: I request all the speakers without your name being called please come on the stage, please. All the speakers, all the 30 speakers who have spoken for 10 days.

Br. Abdur Raheem Green – UK

Yasir Fazaga – USA

Shaikh Yaasir Qadhi – USA

Shaikh Husain Yee – Malaysia 

Shaikh Salem Al Amry – UAE

Shaikh Sa’id Ragge – Somalia 

Shaikh Assim Al Hakim – Saudi Arabia 

Shaikh Yusuf Estes – USA 

Dr. Jaffar Idris – Sudan 

Br. Yusuf Idris – Sudan

Dr. Zaghloul El Naggar – Egypt 

Shaikh Abdur Raheem McCarthy – USA 

Shaikh Yahya Ibraheem – Australia 

Shaikh Abdul Bari Yahya – USA

Shaikh Haitam Al Hadad – UK 

Br. James Yee from USA 

Shaikh Areeb Isalm – South Africa 

Shaikh Jimmy Jones – USA

Dr. Ahmad Ibn Saifuddin - Saudi Arabia 

Br. Iqbal Sacrani – UK

And of course from India we have Fariq Naik, Dr. Shuaib Sayyed, Br. Nisaar Nadiadwala, Br. Ather Khan and lastly Dr. Zakir Naik. 

All on stage before you… Let us give them a big occasion, recognition for all that they have been doing for the last 10 days, they have been busy not only on this ground and the AC auditorium before you but in Television talks which they have been recording all along.   

I would request the honored guests from abroad and India who are with us here to kindly stand on the sides of the speakers as they speak to give them encouragement and give them a warm, hearty send-off before this last session. 

I request Br. Bandar Al Raje - Saudi Arabia

Mannar Jasas - Saudi Arabia 

Mohammad Nassar – Al Muzarzi 

Oman Yusuf Mohammad Najabi – UAE

And the others from UAE, Ibraheem Fayyaz Al Shamsi, Hassan Mohammad Ar Rahaman. 

I request Brother Salman Fazlur Rehmaan from Bangladesh, Shayaan Fazlur Rehmaan from Bangladesh. 

I would request in fact all the others who have been invited by us as the honored guests to kindly come up on the stage without me actually spending more time with the audience calling you up.. please.. I would request especially we have the ambassador of Saudi Arabia to India, ambassador extra-ordinary Shaikh Faisal bin Hassan Taraad amongst us. I would request him to kindly move up on the stage along with Brother Abdul Muneim Al Mehmood, the Vice-Counselor General of Saudi Arabia to kindly come on stage and let us hear the speakers present their concluding remarks after which we would have dua by Shaikh Salaah Al Budair. 

I would request Shaikh Ali Al Abbasi to also come up on stage. May I request the others who have also been part of our program, the Nasheed Artists, Brother Abdullah Rolle of UK and all the Qaris to kindly come up on  stage. Shaikh Salaah Al Bukhatir from UAE, Shaikh Abdul Fattah At Tarooti from Egypt. Shaikh Al Sayyed Al Ibraheem Mohammad from Egypt and the others.

Please forgive me if I have missed out any of our honored guests. Kindly come up on stage so we can start the session right away. We have a short time request.. I would our distinguished speakers should present their brief concluding remark in approximately a minute or so.. so that we give all the speakers a chance to present their remark. 

We start with the same list in my hand Br. Abdur Raheem Green from UK, I would request you to come on mike.

Abdur Raheem Green: Assalaamu Alaikum wa rahmatullah!

Mohammad Naik: Wa Alaikum Assalaam Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh.

 

Abdur Raheem Green: Brothers and sisters, may Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) bless you so much for turning up… coming to this Peace Conference and for giving us such a beautiful warm reception in India.. in this MashaAllah very warm country, Alhamdulillah. It’s been a real pleasure spending these days here, Alhamdulillah. It’s been a real pleasure spending these days here in India and its been fantastic conference. It is really something for the whole of India to feel proud about.. this fantastic conference organized by these fantastic people here. May Allah bless all the volunteers, all the helpers, all the workers and of course Dr. Zakir Naik, JazakAllah Khair. Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi.

 

Mohammad Naik: Dr. Jaffar Idris. From Sudan.

 

Dr. Jaffar Idris: Bismillah hirrahman nirraheem. Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) says 

 

“Waallatheena jahadoo feena lanahdiyannahum subulana”

 

Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) promised for those who make Jihad for His sake.. make Jihad means strive.. strive for His sake then He would certainly guide them to His ways. 

 

This means that anyone who believes in the Creator whether he is a Muslim or a non-Muslim. If he turns to that Creator and sincerely asks Him to guide him to the right path then Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) promises that He will do so. 

Mohammad Naik: Shaikh Yasir Fazaga from USA, California.

 

Yaasir Fazaga: Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.

All praise is due to Allah and may His peace and blessings be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam). The theme of this conference has always been regarding peace, revolving around the concept o peace. Please lets all establish in our hearts by having relationship with our Creator and lets start peace by making sure that we have peace in our families. 

 

To the people of India, you should be very proud of this conference. This is the biggest conference in the world, in the Muslim world today. And for this say congratulation, may Allah bless you, may Allah bless all your efforts. Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh!

 

Mohammad Naik: Shaikh Yaasir Qadhi from USA. 

 

Yaasir Qadhi: Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh!

 

Alhamdulillah was salaatu was salaam ala rasoolillah.

 

Aap logon mein se bahut saare logn ne mujse dharkhast kiya ke mein aapko urdu Zabaan mein khitaab karoon. Mein zarah sharmata hoon kyonki urduu meri maadri zabaan nahi hai, maa ki zabaan hogi lekin maadri zabaan nahi hai. 

 

Aur Doosri baat yehh hai ki yeh conference toh angrezi mein ki jaa rahi hai toh issi liye Urdu munasib nahi hai lekin, InshaAllah, mein Allah Ta’la se Dua karta hoon, tamanna rakhta hoon ke ek din InshaAllah mein phir se aanuga aur aapko pura ek lecture Urdu mein hi dunga. 

 

Jo message mein chodna chah raha hoon. The message I leave you with is very simple and that is worship Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) alone and do that worship based upon the Sunnah of the messenger of Allah (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) and that is the message of our religion and that is the message of the Kalima, ‘La ila ha ill Allah Muhammadur Rasoolullah’. May Allah (Azza wa Jal) unite us upon this Kalma and bless all the organizers and volunteers of this conference. Wa Jazakmullah wa Khair. Was-Salaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh!

 

 

 

Mohammad Naik: Shaikh Hussain Yee from Malaysia.

 

Hussain Yee: Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh!

 

Mohammad Naik: Wa Alaikum Assalaamu Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh!

 

Hussain Yee: Alhamdulillah, the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) remind us 

 

“Rajula Tahabba fillahi Ijtima alai wa Tafarraqa alai”

 

If the Muslims meet for the sake of Allah and they are going to depart for the sake of Allah then Allah will give us the shade in Yaumul-Qiyamah. On behalf of me and my people we wish to thank all the organizing committees especially to Dr. Zakir Naik who has conducted this 10-Day conference that will enriched us with the knowledge of Islam. We would like to pray, may Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) forgive all our sins, InshaAllah. Aameen and also may Allah strengthen our Eemaan and we love you for the sake of Allah. What you are going to say? You must say that we love you too for the sake of Allah.

 

I say it again we love you for the sake of Allah. … May Allah bless us. May Allah bless us.. May Allah forgive all our sins, the sin of our parents who die as a Muslim. Aameen ya Rabbul Aalmeen. 

 

Wa Billahi Wa Taufeeqee. Wa Aakhiru Da’waana wal Hamdu Lillaahi Rabbil Aalameen! Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! 

 

Mohammad Naik: Wa Alaikum Assalaamu Wa Rahmatullahi. We just have Shaikh Ali Al Abbasi, Imam Masjid Al Aqsa also present on the stage. May I also mention that amongst our speakers who have left but they have given their regards, Dr. Jamal Badawi of Canada, Dr. Mamdooh Mohammad of USA, Dr. Lawrence Brown of USA, Brother Ammar Ammonate of USA and Brother Anwar Ibraheem, the deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia and present leader of the opposition in Malaysian Parliament, they have given their regard and the lastly we had very emotional Brother Zain Bikha also who had left us, he is from South Africa who has given his regards to the whole conference. 

 

May I have the next speaker, Shaikh Salem Al Aamry from UAE, present his comments to you. 

 

Salem Al Amry: Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! Alhamdulillah was salaatu was salaam ala rasoolillah wa ala aalihi wa ashaabihi wa mann wala. Wa man itteba huda   ila yawmud Deen

 

My dear brothers and sisters in Islam may Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) bless you. May Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) accept our efforts. May Allah accept the efforts of the organizers. May Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) unite our hearts upon the truth. Aameen. 

 

Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam), he mentioned in an authentic Hadith 

 

“Al-Jama’atu Rahma wal furaqatu Azaab”

 

“Togetherness and the unity is a mercy from Allah and division and disunity is a punishment from Allah”

 

And you have been experiencing this beautiful feeling, the feeling of brotherhood, the warmth of the brotherhood. This is because; this is the Barakah of the togetherness. My dear brothers and sisters in Islam remember that the unity is a mercy. So strive hard to bring and bridge the gap between the Muslims.

 

May Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) unite the hearts of all the Muslims on the truth. Wassalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh!

 

Mohammad Naik: Shaikh Sa’id Rage from Somalia. 

 

Saed Ragge: Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! Two quick comments that I would like to mention. One based on the Hadith of Nabi (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) when he said 

 

“Mal la yashkurun Naas la yashkurullah”

 

“Whosoever is not grateful to the people, he is indeed not grateful to Allah”

 

Here I’d like to state my gratitude and thankfulness for brothers and sisters who invited me and may Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) reward you for the beautiful way that you host us. 

 

Second, due to what I see the presence of people organization, it shows the presence of Ikhlas amongst the community here and you only need one person to carry the torch. And in this city, this country we have Dr. Zakir Naik. My advice to you is, you stay under him, follow his leadership and Bi’iznillahi, you will be guided. Jazakumullahu Khair. 

 

Mohammad Naik: Shaikh Assim Al Hakim from Saudi Arabia. 

 

Assim Al Hakim: Bismillah hirrahman nirraheem 

AlhamduLillaahi Rabbil Aalameen

Wa sallallahu wa sallam wa barakalaa mab’oosi Rahmatillaalmeen, Nabiyana Muhammad wa ala aalihi wa ashaabihi ajma’een

 

First of all we have a lot of distinguished speakers, they are people of knowledge and their knowledge that they have brought with them to this conference, to the TV Talks, to the public Talks are knowledge that Allah will ask you about on the Day of Judgment. If you apply it, if you implement it to your life, you will become a better human being and you will become among those preferred and chosen by Allah to His paradise. Therefore I call you and I call myself to do what the scholars have taught us from the Quran and from the Sunnah and if we have any… some thing that we do not understand to refer back to the scholars and ask them for clarifications. 

 

And secondly and finally I’d like to thank Allah, the All Mighty that He has gathered us in this blessed place and I’d like also to thank the volunteers whom without their efforts, this congregation would not have taken place. May Allah, the All Mighty, Yuj-zeehim Al Khair Fid Dunya wa Fil aakhira! Wassalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh!

 

Mohammad Naik: Shaikh Yusuf Estes from USA.

 

Yusuf Estates: Bismillah Alhamdulillah, Assalaamu Alaikum!!! 

 

Mohammad Naik: Walaikum Assalam!!!!

 

Yusuf Estes: Take it easy, Alhamdulillah… Allah tells us in the Quran that we are Ummatin Wast.. What is Wast? To be in the middle path. So I wanna leave you with this, lets stay in the middle path.

 

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) he said about Eemaan, about faith that you will not attain a real Eemaan until you love each other for the sake of Allah to the extent, you prefer the needs of your brother over your own needs. 

 

So look to your brother in a good way, take care of each other until we can be together again. And by the way all of these great speakers here, they are really my teachers, I am just out here having fun with you guys but you know what I wish and pray that you will stay with Peace TV and watch the things that are coming up next. Dr. Zakir bhai has got a lot of things in store, make dua for him, make dua for his family and make dua for all of the Shuyookh here and we are making Dua for you. May Allah always guide you, Allah always protect you, Allah raise you up with most righteous of people on the Day of Judgment and bring us all together is His Jannah until then Salaamu Alaikum!

 

Mohammad Naik: Dr. Zaghloul El Naggar from Egypt.

 

Zaghloul El Naggar: Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! May Allah’s peace, blessings and mercy be with you all. I would like to thank the organizers of this wonderful conference, IRF, Peace TV and the Naik family, to Dr. Zakir, Dr. Mohammad and the young Fariq and the volunteers, 2,000 volunteers, who did a great job to make this conference a success and if we can leave this conference with a good memory, we have to remember that the Glorious Quran is the only form of divine guidance to man that has been kept intact in exactly the same language of the revelation, the Arabic language, preserved by the will of Allah, word to word and letter to letter. No man or woman can be saved from the trials of this world without committing himself or herself to the guidance of the glorious Quran and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). So we have to leave this conference with this understanding that in as much as we Muslims believe in the unity of the Creator, we believe in the unity of His guidance that has been finally integrated in the holy Quran and in the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). 

 

We believe in the unity of the human race, in the brotherhood of all Prophets and Messengers of Allah and if everyone of us can leave this place with this understanding that the Glorious Quran is for all humanity at large, we believe in the brotherhood and sisterhood of all human beings, we have to give the guidance of Quran and Sunnah to as many people as we can and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is quoted to have said 

 

“La Ain yahdiAllahu bika rajulan Wahidan khairul laka min ad-duniya wa ma feeha” 

 

If Allah can help you to guide a single soul from going to hellfire, this would be far better for you than this whole world and everything that’s in it.

 

And once again I would like to thank Allah for bring us together here and thank the organizer of this Conference and may Allah bless you all and help you all to pass His message to as many people as you can. Wassalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh!

 

Mohammad Naik: I would humbly request our speakers due to the limitations of time on the organizers if you could kindly put your remarks in less than a minute, it will be very kind of you. Our next speaker presenting his concluding remark, Shaikh Yusuf Idris from Sudan. 

 

Yusuf Idris: Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Ta’la Wa Barakatuh! The Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) said that 

 

“Man ya’mal la yashkurin Naas la yashkurullah”

 

That “if you are not thankful to people, you will never be thankful to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala)”

 

And in a gathering like this I would really be honored to thank Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) first and after that its my honor to also thank my father. I ask Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) to give him long life in his obedience, I ask Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) to bless him greatly. If it wasn’t for the way which he chose to raise us as Muslims, him and my dear mother, I wouldn’t have been standing here today and if it wasn’t for the fact that he and my mother insisted about 15 years ago that I learnt the English language, I wouldn’t have been able to communicate with you. I ask Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) to bless you all and I ask Allah (Azza wa Jal) to give special reward for the volunteers whom after attending a few conferences, I found that they really have special qualities. One of their qualities is that hey are always remembering the concept of reward from Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). So I ask Allah (Azza wa Jal) in turn to give them their wishes that Allah (Azza wa Jal) protects all of them that Allah (Azza wa Jal) saves them that Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) accept from all of them and accept from all of us. With that I leave you with the peace and the blessings of Allah. Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh!

 

 

Mohammad Naik: Shaikh Yahya Ibrahim from Australia.

 

Yahya Ibrahim: Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! I have one simple thing to say ‘Munjhe Hindustan se Mohabbat hai’ that’s all I can say. I ask Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) to increase His love for us so that we will love each other and to make us from those who love the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) and follow him in all that he has thought. Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh!

 

Mohammad Naik: Shaikh Abdul Bari Yahya from USA

 

Abdul Bari Yahya: Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh!

 

A’uzu billahi minash shaytan nir-rajeem

“Inna Fatahna laka fathan Mubeena”

 

Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) says in this Aayah, 

“Indeed We have given you a clear victory.”

 

What was this victory that Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) gave to the Muslims?

 

This victory was the victory of peace. There was a peace treaty at Hudaibiyah that was just over and it was after this that many people in the Arabian peninsula started coming in to Islam because it opened the way to others to hear the message and his Peace TV is a way to reach all of the houses of the people no matter where they are in the world and we hope, we ask Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) that Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) will make this a clear victory for us because the purpose is to reach others and if we can provide it in a peaceful manner then this is the best method because Islam prospers in peace not in war. Wa Jazakumullah Khair.

 

Shaikh Haitham al Haddad from UK.

 

Haitham al Haddad: Bismillah hirrahman nirraheem

Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Aalmeen

was salaatu was salaam ala Nabeeana Muhammad 

Wa ala alayhi wasahbi Ajmaeen 

 

Brothers and sisters when we make the Adhaan which we make 5 times a day, we say in the beginning “Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar”. What does that mean? It means Allah, the Creator, is the greatest. Allah is the Creator, Who is the Creator is the greatest. He is the greatest because of Himself; He is the Greatest in terms of His law. Brothers and sisters this should be our message in life that we work hard to make the law of Allah (Jalla wa A’la) as the greatest. Wherever we are if the law of Allah (Jalla wa A’la) is the greatest law then we will attain peace in this life and most importantly we will attain peace in the hereafter. So brothers and sisters let us take this as a mission and hence brothers and sisters I would like to ask you to repeat after me to say “Allahu Akbar” but before repeating that let us make sure that when we say it by our tongues, we say it by our hearts and by our actions and we make sure to work towards it. So brothers and sisters let us repeat this word “Allahu Akbar” but as I said make sure that you repeat it by your heart and by your actions.

 

Haitham al Haddad: Allahu Akbar

 

Audience: Allahu Akbar

 

Haitham al Haddad: Allahu Akbar

 

Audience: Allahu Akbar

 

Haitham al Haddad: This is not enough.. this is not enough… brothers and sisters in the back..

 

“Allahu Akbar”

 

Audience: Allahu Akbar

 

Haitham al Haddad: Let the whole world hear that we say Allah is the Greatest 

 

Mohammad Naik: Allah, He is the Greatest

 

Haitham al Haddad: Allahu Akbar

 

Audience: Allahu Akbar

 

Haitham al Haddad: Sisters in the back, Allahu Akbar

 

Audience: Allahu Akbar

 

Haitham al Haddad: Jazakumulluhu Khaira! 

Mohammad Naik: Next we have, Shaikh Areeb Islam from South Africa. 

 

Areeb Islam: Bismillah hirrahman nirraheem

Assalaamu Alaikum. When I arrived in India, I arrived as a South African, when I leave India I would leave as an Indian. There is so much that you have thought me, there is so much that I have learnt from you. I have thought you very little, you have thought me a lot... humility, humbleness, how to serve, all those who have helped me, have thought me how to serve others. So I have very little else to say rather than thank you and in South Africa we say Buya dunkey. Or Ya Bonga.. all the help and all that you have thought me. Assalaamu Alaikum!

 

Mohammad Naik: Shaikh Jimmy Jones from USA.

 

Jimmy Jones: Bismillah, Walhamdulillah 

was salaatu was salaam wa ala rasoolillah 

Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh!

After praising Allah and thanking organizers, Islamic Research Foundation, I would like to remind us from the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) that there is a sound Hadith,… the meaning of which is this 

Deen is Naseeha, this Deen is sound advice 

 

I’d like to leave you with three peaces of advice no. 1 for the Muslims: Never ever be ashamed of being Muslim. Look at this crowd. Never ever be ashamed of being Muslim. There are people out there who are trying to do their… don’t let them. 

 

To the non-Muslims who are here: Never ever be afraid to take a good look at your Deen and your sacred text. You might find out something important that you ought to know. 

 

And finally TTFP.. the Muslims, the Christians and the Hindus together represent 4.5 billion people. If we pull together for peace we’ll have peace on earth. Well Alhamdulillah, Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh!

 

Mohammad Naik: Dr. Ahmad Ibn Saifuddin from Saudi Arabia. 

 

Dr. Ahmad Ibn Saifuddin:  Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! Alhamdulillah 

Alllazee bi Nayamatee tatimoo salehhaat

We have to the completion of this great conference by the Grace of Allah. We are thankful for Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) for this blessing, we are thankful to those organizers, to the volunteers, to the great speakers who came and gave their knowledge and shared it with the audience but most importantly to everyone of you who made this a success by the Grace of Allah. Let me say that we need to take a new step in our lives from this conference to the future. There is a saying of wisdom and has a true meaning that 

 

“If your tomorrow is the same as today, you are a loser. If your tomorrow is worse than today then you are in failure. If your tomorrow is better than today then you are a winner.” 

 

We need all to be winners in the future. If every one of us would lead someone…some soul to save it from hellfire into Islam, we all be winners by the grace of Allah. Let’s take this message, I greet you, I thank everyone. Indeed, India gave us its best in this conference. Thank you so much, may Allah bless you, may Allah give you reward for this generosity, hospitality and humbleness that you have shown to all of us. Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh!

 

Mohammad Naik: Brother James Yee from USA of Guantanamo Bay fame.

 

James Yee: Bismillah hirrahman nirraheem. Alhamdu Lillaahi Rabbil Aalameen. Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) said 

 

“InnAllaha Yuhibbu iza amala ahadakum amalan an yutkiluhu”

 

Our Prophet (peace be upon him said) that “Allah loves that one from amongst you does something that he or she does it with excellence”. I thank Dr. Zakir Naik, his entire co-ordinating committee and especially the hospitality committee and volunteers for living true to these words our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) for with their efforts and this conference, they have performed with absolute excellence. I ask Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) that He grants them, all of the speakers, all of the guests and all of you, a place in Jannah. Aameen, Aameen, Aameen. Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Aalameen. From James Yusuf Yee, United States of America, Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh!

 

Mohammad Naik: Brother Iqbal Sacranie from UK. 

 

Iqbal Sacranie: Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! My respected elders and brothers and sisters there are no words that can do justice in expressing our appreciation to our Creator, God All Mighty and to Dr. Zakir Naik and the Islamic Research Foundation for having this wonderful event which All Mighty, Allah, has blessed us with it and I am sure, all of us present has gained knowledge, understanding about the Deen in a big way, my respected elders... this conference that we have seen today, I’ve had the opportunity to attend many such events but facing such a crowd one normally sees thousands and thousands of policemen to try and support and control the crowd… what amazes is, this such huge crowd present here but by the Grace of Allah, it has been conducted in such orderly manner without such presence of policemen or others. And it is now for each one of us to take the message from here to wherever we are coming across wherever we are going to with a clear message that is as Muslim we must remain optimist because it is the will of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) that is going to prevail at all times. We are going to face immense challenges, challenges from the east and the west but if we remain true to our faith, to the teaching of Islam, to the teaching of Quran, the teaching of the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam), InshaAllahu wa Ta’la we shall be successful and move forward. May Allah protect us and guide all of us. Jazakumullah Khair. Assalaamu Alaikum.

 

Mohammad Naik: Brother Fariq Naik from India.

 

Fariq Naik: Honorable guests, speakers on the dais, brothers and sisters, Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! This conference, it has indeed renewed our faith, lit a new light, a new way that will reduce falsehood to ashes and will help truth to prevail. We the teenagers are the greatest benefactors in this event; let us make the most of it. Its my request to my brothers and sisters especially my non-Muslim brothers and sisters to give one chance, to give one glance at the Glorious Quran.. please read and understand the message of the Glorious Quran. 

 

Let us stand up and passionately strive to achieve our goals... let us not forget that our aim is peace, our goal is peace, our objective is peace, our way is peace, our dream is peace, our mission is peace, our vision is peace, we love peace and InshaAllah, we will attain peace. 

 

I would like to thank Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) for making this conference possible and I would like to thank all the volunteers who have put their efforts in this conference without them it would not have been possible. Brothers and sisters I love you for the sake of Allah. Jazak Allah. Wassalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh!

 

Mohammad Naik: I would request our other speakers to kindly make their comments in two sentences. Dr. Shuaib Sayyed from India.

 

Dr. Shuaib Sayyed: Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh! Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) says in Surahtul Yunus

 

“Qul ya ayyuha anNas”

“Say “O Mankind! “

 

“Qad jaakumu alhaqqu min rabbikum”

“Truth has now reached upto you”

 

“Famani ihtada”

“If anyone of you accepts the guidance” 

 

“Fa-innama yahtadee linafsihi”

“This acceptance is for your good, for your own souls” 

 

“Waman dalla”

“But if you stray away, if you reject” 

 

“Fa-innama yadillu alayha”

“If you reject, this rejection is for your own loss” 

 

Wa Aakhiru Da’waana Anil Hamdu Lillaahi Rabbil Aalameen! 

 

Mohammad Naik: Brother Nisar Nadiadwala from India. 

 

Nisar Nadiadwala: Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi! The peace conference will end today but surely the efforts and the responsibility of carrying on peace, the message of peace to the world does not end today, it continues and the speakers as well as all my brothers and sisters who are watching this program, all, we are all a participants in that and Allah wil question us as to what we did from today. So may Allah help us in taking his message to the world. Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi!

 

Mohammad Naik: Brother Ather Khan from India.

 

Ather Khan: Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi! May peace, mercy and blessings of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), of All Mighty God be on all of you. First of all I would like to thank Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), without the grace of whom, this conference would not have been possible and then I pray to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) that may he give us the strength and courage to strive in his way and cause as we ought to strive in His way and cause. And as you know the reach of Peace TV is now 100 million so may Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) make the Muslim Ummah to be able to beard witness on the Day of Judgment, on the Day of Judgment to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) over the nations as the messenger would be a witness our ourselves, over the Muslim Ummah. Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi!

 

Mohammad Naik: Before we have Dr. Zakir coming up and Shaikh Salaah Al Budair we have one Nasheed Artist, Abdullah Rolle presenting a short verses of Nasheed for the theme of the conference. 

 

Abdullah Rolle: Assalaamu Alaikum brothers and sisters! Peace – The Solution for Humanity 

 

“Peace – The Solution for Humanity…

Peace is what we need for you and me… 

Peace – The Solution for Humanity…

Eternally… all peace… 

Peace is what we need… all peace… all peace… 

Open your eyes, your heart, your mind… 

Seek the truth and you will find the day is clear from night… 

As darkness is from light, the world without all hatred or crime… 

A world where we live side by side… 

Divided we fall, let’s stand and unite

Peace is the solution for all humankind 

Peace – the Solution for Humanity 

Peace is what we need for you and me 

Peace – The Solution for Humanity

Eternally all peace” 

 

Mohammad Naik: And finally Dr. Zakir Naik to present his concluding remarks and I invite after that Shaikh Salaah Al Budair to present his Dua.

 

Dr. Zakir: Alhamdulillah was salaatu was salaam ala rasoolillah wa ala aalihi wa ashaabihi ajma’een. Amaa Ba’ad

I welcome all of you with the Islamic Greetings Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi! May peace, mercy and blessings of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) be on all of you. 

 

At the conclusion of this 10-Day Islamic International Conference, Peace – The Solution for Humanity, I would firstly like to thank Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), its only and only because of Him and His Help and His Grace that this conference was possible. ‘Haaza min Fazli Rabbi’, this is only due to the Grace of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), Our Creator and I would like to thank Him for choosing this insignificant person for being instrumental in organizing this conference. 

 

Secondly I would like to thank the scholars, the orators, the stalwarts of Islam more than 30 who have come from different parts of the world from more than 52 different countries.. thousands of miles.. left their busy schedule.. came at the call of this insignificant servant of Allah, I would like to thank them and ask Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) to reward them without whom, it would not have been possible to conduct this international conference. I thank them from the bottom of my heart. 

 

I also thank the Imaams and the Qurra and the Nasheed artists and the honored guests who have come from different parts of the world to grace this occasion. I would like to thank more than 2500 volunteers more than 1 ½ thousand have come from outside Bombay and more than 1000 are from Bombay. I would like to thank them. These were the people who strived and struggled, most of them for more than 12 days from 13 hours to 20 hours… minimum each volunteer spent was 13 hours… some spent 20, 21 hours a day; I would like to thank them without whom this function. I would not have been possible. I would like to thank this vast audience... hundreds of thousands and may be an estimated million over the ten days for coming and gracing this occasion and I would like to thank those non-Muslims approximately more than 25% is our estimate for coming and listening to the message of Peace, the message of Islam and especially to those people who Allah gave Hidaayaah and have accepted the religion of Peace. 

 

I would like to even thank the technical staff… more than thousand who have been working for approximately a month to put this conference together and the staff of Islamic Research Foundation and the associated organizations. 

 

Time will not permit me to name all of them but if I have to name one person from the staff after Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), if his support wasn’t there it would have been difficult to organize this conference, is the event manager, Mr. Maqbool Barwelkar. MashaAllah, though he is a manager but he worked like, MashaAllah, an Abdullah, a slave of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). And if the second person if I have to name is the director of Harmony Media who has put all this technical staff together i.e. Mr. Izhar Faridi. I would like to thank both of them. 

 

Time will not permit me to thank each and every of the staff members. I also thank my family members, my parents, my wife, my brother, my children without whose support it wouldn’t have been possible.

 

Before I end my speech, I would like to tell you one thing.. a good news and may be a bad news. The good news is that, InshaAllah, we intend doing a similar conference ‘Peace – The Solution for Humanity’ outside India. Next year, we intend doing at another venue, the 2 short-listed are London and Toronto may be one or may be both whichever Allah wills and, InshaAllah, every year we intend going to other countries of the world.

 

The sad news is we don’t know if we go outside will we conduct a conference in Bombay or not. We leave it to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) to take the decision and I would like to give the message that Islam i.e. peace acquired by submitting your will to All Mighty God is the only solution for the whole of humanity and worship the Creator, not His creations. 

‘No God, No peace. Know God, Know Peace.’

 

N-O, no God, N-O, No peace. K-N-O, know God, K-N-O know Peace. 

 

Wa Aakhiru Da’waana Anil Hamdu Lillaahi Rabbil Aalameen! 

 

Mohammad Naik: JazakAllah Khair Dr. Zakir for your kind words. On behalf of the Islamic Research Foundation as the organizers we would like to thank the Government of India, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Home Ministry which has been kind enough to support all our speakers coming in from various countries to India and given them official permission for this talk. We would like to thank the government of Maharashtra for the various permissions given for us to conduct this conference and especially the police of Mumbai who have been very co-operative and supportive in organizing such a huge thing.. it is not possible to arrange… give them a big applause. Police has been very-very co-operative. We conclude this program InshaAllah with Shaikh Salaah Al Budair, Imam and Khatib, Masjid Al Nabwi, Madina presenting the concluding Dua for this conference. May I request Shaikh Jamaan Al Zaharani and Sheikh Faisal Bin Hassan Taraad, the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia in India to kindly lead him up to the mike. Shaikh Salaah Al Budair.

 

Shaikh Salaah Al Budair: Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu!

 

“Alhamdulillahi rabbil aalameen
Ar rahmaanir raheem
Maaliki yaw mid-deen
Eeyaaka na'budu wa Eeyaaka nas-ta’een
Ihdhinas siraatal mustaqeem
Siraatal lazeena ann amta alayhim
Ghayril maghdoobi alayhim
Walad-daaal-leen” 

(Quran Recitation) 

 

(Dua)

 

Mohammad Naik: The assistance of Shaikh Salaah Al Budair, Imam of Masjid An Nabwi I have been informed that he would like to make a small token presentation to Dr. Zakir Naik for his efforts. In fact I would appreciate if all our audience give the ovasion to both our Imams from Masjid Al Nabwi and Masjid Al Aqsa as well as all the distinguish speakers who have taken trouble to come from all the various countries of the world. 

 

Allahu Akbar!! 

 

Allahu Akbar!!

 

ALLAHU AKBAR!!!!! 

 

Jazakumullah Khairan! InshaAllah we see you in the future programs of the Islamic Research Foundation and other programs and presentation of Islam and bringing about a better understanding of Islam and peace in the world. 

 

Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi! Wa Barakatuhu!