Internationally renowned Islamic scholar and preacher, Dr. Zakir Naik, expressed his love for Pakistan, stating that he is planning to visit the country, but ongoing protests have prevented him from doing so.
Dr. Zakir Naik shared these thoughts during a conversation on a podcast with popular Pakistani YouTuber Nadir Ali. The podcast was conducted at Dr. Naik’s institute in Malaysia. During the session, they engaged in interesting discussions on a variety of topics including Pakistan, India, religion, sports, as well as Dr. Naik’s childhood, education, and his work in Islamic preaching.
When asked about his interests in sports, Dr. Naik revealed that he enjoys football but considers cricket a waste of time. He also shared that during his school years, he had a stammer, which led to him being treated differently. He recalled a personal triumph from his college days when he won a race after being challenged by a classmate who had underestimated him.
In response to a question about leaving India, Dr. Zakir Naik expressed his regret, saying, “India is my homeland, and leaving it was painful. I still miss India today because leaving the country meant losing a major platform for spreading the message of Islam.”
Regarding his plans to visit Pakistan, Dr. Naik shared that he has great love for the country and had visited once before in 1991, but at that time, he was not giving lectures. He explained that although he had a desire to visit Pakistan while he was still in India, he avoided doing so as it could have jeopardized his work in India. He feared that if he traveled to Pakistan, the Indian government might accuse him of having links with ISI, leading to the closure of his organizations and halting his preaching activities.
Dr. Naik added that after leaving India in 2016, his stance on visiting Pakistan changed, and in 2020, he had made plans to visit. However, the trip was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He further mentioned that he is still planning to visit Pakistan, but the frequent protests in the country have made it difficult to set a final date. He expressed hope to visit Pakistan this year.
He also revealed that among all diplomats, he has met with Pakistani ambassadors the most, as they often seek him out in various countries around the world.
Dr. Naik remarked that although returning to India is not difficult, it would be impossible for him to leave once he’s back. “They consider me the number one terrorist because of my work in Islamic preaching, so they would directly throw me in jail,” he said.
During the conversation, Dr. Zakir Naik made an interesting revelation. He disclosed that a few months before India revoked Kashmir’s autonomy in 2019, the Indian government sent a representative to meet him.
The representative informed him that he was sent directly by Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah, and they wanted Dr. Naik to return to India. “You’re doing great work,” the representative said. “The government will give you full protocol.”
Dr. Naik shared that he questioned the representative about the real reason behind the invitation, stating, “Apart from my family, no one knows me better than your agencies. I’ve never done anything against the Indian Constitution, and I am always ready to serve my country.”
According to Dr. Naik, the representative insisted that the Modi government wanted him to return and contribute to the nation. In response, Dr. Naik agreed but set two conditions: “I will not do anything against Islam, and I will not take money from the government.”
During the five-hour meeting, Dr. Naik repeatedly asked for clarification on the government’s true agenda, but the representative gave no clear answer.
Later, Dr. Naik was informed that the government planned to revoke Kashmir’s autonomy and wanted his support. He immediately refused, saying, “That would be a betrayal to my Muslim brothers in Kashmir, and I can’t even think of such a thing. Freedom is the right of the Kashmiri people.”
