Finally Dr. Zakir Naik and IRF is getting some attention from the mainstream media and the Government of India. His speeches, funding and foreign links are being investigated. These actions were long overdue. It gives me great satisfaction to finally see some action. This blog was started with the primary objective of rebutting the arguments raised by Dr Zakir Naik. Some of the articles on my drafts folder were written in 2013. However, due to personal problems I haven't been able to publish them in time.
While it gives me pleasure to see that something is finally being done to address I am highly skeptical that the actions will actually yield much result. The key to address the problem is to understand its nature. We need to understand Dr. Naik and what is it that makes him dangerous.
The question which must be in everyone's mind is "Is Dr Naik a hate preacher?". The answer to the question unfortunately is NO. He is not a hate preacher. While some of his sermons do border on hate speech, on the surface they seem far less vitriolic than the ones made by his Hindu counterparts. So, any severe action will only make him a martyr in the eyes of his followers. What makes him dangerous is that the vitriol in his speech is highly diluted. Which makes it hard to detect for his followers and as a result they are exposed to large amount of it over the course of a long period.
The speeches made by Dr. Naik cannot be classified as highly inflammatory. While it is possible to stumble upon something objectionable once in a while but he can easily escape the charges by mumbling an apology (as he did with his comments on Lord Ganesha) or by pointing out that far more offensive speech are being made by others and playing the victim. Which will only give the impression that he is being persecuted by the Hindu right wing for preaching the truth.
The strategy of Dr Naik is not to incite his followers to blow themselves up at a crowded place. It is to mislead his followers to believe that Islam is well supported by scientific facts and rational arguments and to create an unquestionable belief in the truth of Islam (or his version of it.). When such followers encounter someone from another faith or no faith. He is bound to attempt to bring the person into the folds of Islam. This would either end in a new convert or lead to counter arguments from the other person. Being unaccustomed to reasoning and debates (because all of Zakir Naiks video shows him shutting people of other faiths up with his 'arguments') The follower would only conclude that Non-Muslims deny the truth of the Quran despite overwhelming evidence. This could only be because Non-Muslims are mislead by Shaitan and in turn are misleading young Muslims. He will learn to despise Non-Muslim and his path would now be laid clear before him: He must fight for the cause of Allah!
The only way to successfully address the problem is through proper debate. Non-Muslims need to be armed with proper arguments against Dr Naik. His speeches and articles need to be countered rationally and calmly. It must be made clear that Dr Naik is misleading his fans into believing that there is irrefutable evidence that the Quran is a message from God. It would not be enough to put bans on him.
I would attempt to publish the articles that I have written and attempt to expose Dr Naik for the fraud that he is and to arm the Non-Muslims to counter the claims made by his followers. The articles do lack finishing touches but i hope they will contribute in the fight to stop Zakir Naik.
While it gives me pleasure to see that something is finally being done to address I am highly skeptical that the actions will actually yield much result. The key to address the problem is to understand its nature. We need to understand Dr. Naik and what is it that makes him dangerous.
The question which must be in everyone's mind is "Is Dr Naik a hate preacher?". The answer to the question unfortunately is NO. He is not a hate preacher. While some of his sermons do border on hate speech, on the surface they seem far less vitriolic than the ones made by his Hindu counterparts. So, any severe action will only make him a martyr in the eyes of his followers. What makes him dangerous is that the vitriol in his speech is highly diluted. Which makes it hard to detect for his followers and as a result they are exposed to large amount of it over the course of a long period.
The speeches made by Dr. Naik cannot be classified as highly inflammatory. While it is possible to stumble upon something objectionable once in a while but he can easily escape the charges by mumbling an apology (as he did with his comments on Lord Ganesha) or by pointing out that far more offensive speech are being made by others and playing the victim. Which will only give the impression that he is being persecuted by the Hindu right wing for preaching the truth.
The strategy of Dr Naik is not to incite his followers to blow themselves up at a crowded place. It is to mislead his followers to believe that Islam is well supported by scientific facts and rational arguments and to create an unquestionable belief in the truth of Islam (or his version of it.). When such followers encounter someone from another faith or no faith. He is bound to attempt to bring the person into the folds of Islam. This would either end in a new convert or lead to counter arguments from the other person. Being unaccustomed to reasoning and debates (because all of Zakir Naiks video shows him shutting people of other faiths up with his 'arguments') The follower would only conclude that Non-Muslims deny the truth of the Quran despite overwhelming evidence. This could only be because Non-Muslims are mislead by Shaitan and in turn are misleading young Muslims. He will learn to despise Non-Muslim and his path would now be laid clear before him: He must fight for the cause of Allah!
The only way to successfully address the problem is through proper debate. Non-Muslims need to be armed with proper arguments against Dr Naik. His speeches and articles need to be countered rationally and calmly. It must be made clear that Dr Naik is misleading his fans into believing that there is irrefutable evidence that the Quran is a message from God. It would not be enough to put bans on him.
I would attempt to publish the articles that I have written and attempt to expose Dr Naik for the fraud that he is and to arm the Non-Muslims to counter the claims made by his followers. The articles do lack finishing touches but i hope they will contribute in the fight to stop Zakir Naik.
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