Renowned preacher Dr. Zakir Naik, currently visiting Pakistan, recently responded sharply to a Pashtun girl during his public address in Karachi which went viral on social media.
Dr. Naik addressed a large audience at Bagh Jinnah in Karachi on Saturday evening, where thousands, including men and women, gathered to hear him speak. During the question-and-answer session, a young woman, identified as Palwasha Shaharzad from Lakki Marwat, asked a question that stirred a strong reaction from Dr. Naik.
She explained that her hometown is highly conservative, with strict religious practices; men adhere closely to religious teachings, while women are generally restricted from leaving their homes. Given this context, she asked why behaviors like adultery, pedophilia, and usury remain prevalent despite the society’s religious focus.
This displeased Dr. Naik who retorted that it was self-contradictory to ask about Islamic societies and their association with immoralities. He maintained that Palwasha must retract her statement, clamoring that her question contained a fallacy regarding the understanding of Islamic societies.
Dr. Naik suggested that her views might have been influenced by external propaganda, as he believes that a truly Islamic society would not harbor such practices.
There was a mixed response after the exchange was posted on the social media. Some people took issue with the fact that Dr. Naik was disregarding the question but claimed that it was a pertinent issue where the society was being questioned. Others supported the position, saying that it was unfair to equate deviant behavior with a religious community.
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Renowned journalist Faizullah Khan sided with Palwasha, suggesting Dr. Naik’s team should brief him on local social contexts before public interactions.
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Meanwhile, senior analyst Sabukh Syed commented on Facebook, noting that Dr. Naik’s narrative approach and language barrier may have contributed to the misunderstanding.
Palwasha later responded to the clip on her own Facebook, clarifying that her question had no contradictions and affirming that Dr. Naik’s response provided clarity on distinguishing individuals’ actions from the essence of Islam.
