Zakir Naik facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Zakir Naik
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Naik in the Maldives, 2010
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Zakir Abdul Karim Naik
18 October 1965 Bombay, Maharashtra, India
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| Alma mater | University of Mumbai (MBBS) |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1991–present |
| Known for | Dawah |
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| Board member of | Islamic Research Foundation, Islamic International School and United Islamic Aid |
| Spouse(s) | Farhat Naik |
| Children | 3 |
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| YouTube information | |
| Years active | 2011–present |
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| Subscribers | 3.84 million |
| Total views | 268 million |
| Associated acts | Huda TV |
| Subscriber and view counts updated as of 20 April 2024. | |
Zakir Abdul Karim Naik (born 18 October 1965) is an Indian Islamic speaker. He talks about different religions and compares them. He started the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) and Peace TV. He is well-known in the Islamic world. He is often linked to the Salafi way of thinking in Islam.
Naik currently lives in Malaysia. His TV channel, Peace TV, is not allowed in some countries like India and the United Kingdom.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Zakir Naik was born on 18 October 1965. His parents were Abdul Karim Naik and Roshan Naik. He was born in Bombay, India.
He went to Kishinchand Chellaram College. He later studied medicine at the Topiwala National Medical College & BYL Nair Charitable Hospital. He also studied at the University of Mumbai. There, he earned a degree in medicine (MBBS).
Career and Projects
In 1991, Zakir Naik began his work in dawah, which means inviting people to Islam. He founded the Islamic International School in Mumbai. He also started United Islamic Aid. This group helps poor Muslim young people by giving them scholarships.
Naik's wife, Farhat Naik, leads the women's part of the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF).
In 2006, Naik shared that he was inspired by Ahmed Deedat. Deedat was another Islamic speaker whom Naik met in 1987. Some people even called Naik "Deedat plus."
On 21 January 2006, the Islamic Research Foundation launched Peace TV. This is a non-profit TV channel from the United Arab Emirates. It broadcasts programs for free. It is one of the biggest religious TV networks in the world.
In March 2021, Naik launched Al Hidaayah. This platform offers educational videos about Islam. It has thousands of hours of videos. These videos feature over 40 famous Islamic speakers. Some speakers include Ahmed Deedat, Yusuf Estes, and Bilal Philips. Naik said this platform is a "halal" version of Netflix.
Public Talks and Discussions
Zakir Naik gives his talks in English. He often wears a suit and tie. This is different from many other Islamic speakers.
By 2016, Naik had given over 4000 talks around the world. He is known for remembering the Quran and Hadith (sayings of Prophet Muhammad) in many languages. This has made him very popular among Muslims. Many of his talks are recorded. They are shared widely online and on DVDs. His talks are also shown on cable TV in Mumbai and on Peace TV.
He speaks on topics like "Islam and Modern Science" and "Islam and Christianity".
His first public discussion was in 1994. It was about a writer's views on Islam. In April 2000, Naik had a famous discussion with William Campbell. They talked about "The Qur'an and the Bible: In the Light of Science." In January 2006, Naik had a discussion with Ravi Shankar. They discussed the idea of God in Islam and Hinduism. In February 2011, Naik spoke to the Oxford Union through a video link.
University of Melbourne Visit
In 2004, Naik visited the University of Melbourne in Australia. He was invited by an Islamic group. He spoke about how Islam gives women true equality. A newspaper, The Age, said that Naik praised Islam. He also made fun of other faiths and Western ways.
Cardiff Conference
In August 2006, Naik's visit to Cardiff, Wales, caused some discussion. A local politician, David Davies, wanted his talk to be cancelled. He called Naik a "hate-monger." However, Muslims in Cardiff defended Naik's right to speak. The Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Wales, Saleem Kidwai, said Naik talks about similarities between religions. He also said Naik is a very fair person. The conference went ahead after the Cardiff council agreed he would not share extreme views.
Invitation to Gambia
In 2014, Naik visited Gambia. He was invited by President Yahya Jammeh. He attended a celebration for the country's 20th anniversary. He gave four talks between October 11 and 22. These talks took place at the University of the Gambia and other locations. Many people attended, including government officials and religious leaders. He spoke on topics like "Terrorism and Jihad: an Islamic perspective" and "the misconceptions about Islam." He also met with President Yahya Jammeh and other Islamic leaders.
Malaysia Lectures
Naik gave four talks in Malaysia in 2012. These talks were held in different cities like Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur. The former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mahathir Mohamad, attended some of these talks. Thousands of people came to listen. The organizers said the talks aimed to create peace among people of different religions.
He gave six more talks in April 2016. Some groups raised concerns about two of his talks. These talks were titled "Similarities between Hinduism and Islam" and "Is the Quran God's word?". Despite these concerns, the events took place as planned.
On August 9, 2019, Naik gave a speech about Islamophobia. This speech was at the Sultan Muhammad IV Stadium in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. Over 100,000 people attended.
His Beliefs
Naik says his main goal is to help educated Muslim young people. He wants them to feel proud of their religion. He believes Muslims should correct wrong ideas about Islam. He also wants to counter what he sees as unfair media coverage after the attacks on September 11, 2001.
Naik has said that many Americans became Muslim after 2001. He believes Islam is a religion of logic and reason. He also says the Quran has many verses about science. Some of his writings are in magazines like Islamic Voice.
Naik believes Islam is the "best" religion. He says this is because "The Quran says it." He also says no other religious book claims this. He has said that dancing and singing are not allowed in Islam.
Naik believes that people who are found guilty should be punished strictly. He has spoken about how the media can be very powerful. He calls it "the most dangerous weapon in the world." He suggests that Muslims should use the media to correct misunderstandings about Islam.
He says that the media often shows Muslims in a bad light. He claims they pick out bad examples from the Muslim community. Then, they show them as if they represent all Muslims. Naik also says the media sometimes mistranslates words from the Quran. He also criticizes how Muslims are shown in movies.
