Dr Zakir Naik, is one of the most popular Muslim preachers from India and a prominent figure across the world in the field of Islamic scholarship as well as interfaith dialog.
He has ability to communicate complex religious concepts in simple terms. However, his legacy extends far beyond his speaking ability.
Dr Zakir naik born 18 October 1965 in India who focuses on comparative religion.
In 2016, while Naik was overseas in Malaysia, the police accused him with money laundering; Naik did not return to India and instead became a permanent resident of Malaysia.
As of right now, Naik is a wanted fugitive in India.
Moreover, he is the president and creator of Peace TV as well as the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF).
In the Islamic world, he is well-known. Although he does not identify as a member of any one school of thought, he is most strongly linked to the Salafi school of thought.
Naik’s Peace TV is prohibited in India, Bangladesh, Canada, Sri Lanka, and the UK because of regulations against hate speech.
Here, we discuss how Dr Zakir Naik’s work continues to shape modern Islam.
How Dr Zakir Naik Started His Career
| Year | Detail |
| 1991 | Dr. Zakir Naik started working in the field of dawah (Islamic propagation). |
| 1991 | Founded the Islamic International School in Mumbai and the United Islamic help, which provides scholarships to poor and destitute Muslim youth. |
| 2006 | Stated that he was inspired by Islamic preacher Ahmed Deedat, whom he met in 1987. Deedat referred to Naik as “Deedat plus”. |
| 21 January 2006 | Founded Peace TV, a non-profit Emirati satellite television network, one of the world’s largest religious satellite TV networks. |
| March 2021 | Launched Al Hidaayah, an educational platform that provides Islamic content, featuring more than 40 renowned Islamic speakers. He called it a “halal” version of Netflix. |
| Farhat Naik | Dr. Zakir Naik’s wife, Farhat Naik, is the president of the women’s section of the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF). |
Educational Background
| Qualification | MBBS |
| Certifications | MBBS Internship Certificate |
| School Name | Saint Peter’s high school, Mumbai – (finished in 1982) |
| College Name | K.C college (Kishan chand chellaram college) – studied A levels (till 1984) |
| University | Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College at Belgaum in Karnataka – (completed first medical year in 1987) Topiwala National Medical College – (completed rest medical years in 1990) |
| Islamic Education | Received Islamic knowledge as much as possible (without a degree) |
| Islamic Teachers | Dr V abdur Rahim (head of madina university) -Arabic teacher Shaikh zia ur rahman azmi – Hadith teacher Shiekh ibn Baz – Islamic Jurisprudence Sheikh Nasiruddin Albani – Hadith scholar Sheikh Abdullah ibn Jibreen – Islamic Jurisprudence Shiekh Abul Hasan Ali Hasani Nadwi – Islamic Literature Shiekh Abdul Karim Parekh – Islamic scholar |
| Achievements | Globally, He gave the biggest public talk on religion; which was attended by 1M people in india. He delivered 2000 public talks in the last 26 years in more than 40 countries. He ranked in 500 most influential people for 10 consecutive years (2011 – 2020) and ranked 79th in 2021. He ranked 82 in The 100 most Influential People In India in 2009. |
Main Contributions of Dr Zakir Naik
Dr. Zakir Naik has achieved a great deal of progress in the area of Islamic family law, especially with regard to the rights of women.
From his point of view, Islamic Family Law grants women equitable and proportionate rights, such as the freedom to select or accept a spouse.
How many languages can Dr. Zakir Naik speak?
Dr Zahir Naik knows five languages. He was born in Malathi so that is his native tongue. He also speaks English, Hindi, Ursu and Arabic.
Dr Zakir Naik Impact on Malaysia
Similar to India, Zakir Naik’s opinions have caused division in Malaysia, where some individuals agree with the speaker and others disagree. Depending on the social group they belong to, people’s motivations for liking or disliking him can differ greatly.
The majority of Malaysians are Malay Muslims, and they make up the largest group of supporters of Zakir Naik. There are several reasons to like him. First and foremost, Naik had a strong network of followers since his predecessor, Ahmed Deedat, was well-known and respected in Malaysia.
Furthermore, Naik received a great deal of praise for his forceful debunking of the accusations of terrorism made against Islam as well as his debunking of Orientalist perceptions of Muslims.
Finally, the fact that individuals openly became Muslims as a result of his public comments surprised a lot of Malay Muslims.
How Many Non-Muslims Converted into Muslims through Dr Zakir Naik
Dr. Zakir Naik has claimed that thousands of non-Muslims have converted to Islam through his lectures and debates.
It’s not about how many accepted Islam alone, it’s about millions of Muslims who learned their religion in its true sipirit.
Zakir Naik often holds public Q&A sessions at the end of his lectures, during which many individuals publicly declare their conversion to Islam.
However, the exact number is difficult to verify, Naik has stated that, over the years, many people from various religious backgrounds have embraced Islam after listening to his lectures on comparative religion and Islamic teachings.
Peace TV and Al Hidaayah
Dr Zakir Naik spread his Islamic thoughts and teachings globally through Peace TV and AL Hidaayah.
These platforms broadcast Islamic content to millions of viewers around the world as well as offers lectures from famous Islamic scholars.
However, people from different countries can easily access Islamic knowledge and get answers of all their queries.
List of Dr Zakir Naik’s Books
Zakir Naik wrote 12 books on Islam and comparative religions. As well as co-author of 13 books.
Dr Zakir Naik Books are:
When Dr Zakir Naik Visits Pakistan
This is the first time Naik has been to Pakistan in thirty years; his last visit was in 1992, when he met with Dr. Israr Ahmed, a religious scholar, in Lahore before leaving for India.
Dr. Naik is expected to speak at public events throughout his visit to Pakistan, beginning on October 5 in Karachi.
He will give talks on October 12 in Lahore and October 19 in Islamabad.
In addition to public events, he is expected to meet senior government officials and participate in various public engagements, as his visit is scheduled to continue until Oct 28, 2024.
Wrap Up
Dr Zakir Naik work on Islamic teachings has left a lasting impression on modern Islam.
His focus on comparative religion to empowered Muslims to defend their beliefs.
