CONTROVERSIAL preacher Zakir Naik was charged in absentia with “deliberately insulting the religious beliefs of Hindus, Christians and Islamic sects”, the Times of India reports today.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) charge sheet also stated that “Zakir was not considered an Islamic scholar, although he had memorised the Quran and Hadith. His knowledge of Islam was very poor”.

The charge sheet read that Zakir, an Indian national, delivered more than 1,500 public lectures or talks in India and abroad since 1994 where he had allegedly said “only Islam is the true religion”.

Zakir has been on the run from the Indian authorities after his passport was revoked in July. He is believed to be travelling between Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.

Saudi Arabia granted him citizenship while he was given permanent resident status in Malaysia five years ago.

“Zakir had deliberately and maliciously insulted beliefs of Hindus, Christians and certain Muslim sects that did not subscribe to Wahhabism, with the intention to outrage religious feelings,” the NIA said.

“He also says that among the religious books of all religions, only Quran is in original form, all other religious texts have been corrupted. 

“He publicly claims that all the other messengers, including Moses, Jesus as well as Sri Krishna, preached Islam. 

“He criticises religious practices observed by other religions as well as non-Wahhabi Islamic sects, such as Shias, Sufis and Barelvis, and terms them un-Islamic,” it added, according to reports.

It was also reported that Zakir allegedly violated the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for heading an “unlawful association”.

India banned Zakir’s organisation – Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) – in 2006 under UAPA. 

Private company Harmony Media Pvt Ltd was also named as co-accused for having conspired with Zakir to promote enmity and hatred between different religious groups and insulting certain sects of Islam and other religions, the report said.

“IRF and Harmony Media were instrumental in the circulation of incriminating speeches in the form of CDs, DVDs, TV programmes,” the NIA said.

It said “on a number of occasions, Zakir’s public speeches led to communal tension… creating serious law and order situations”. 

In the charge sheet, witnesses also told NIA that they were previously influenced by Zakir’s oratory at IRF’s “peace conferences” in 2007 and 2008.

NIA has also charged two others, including an IRF employee, with recruiting people for Islamic State.

Zakir’s Indian passport was revoked in July after he repeatedly failed to present himself before the NIA for investigations into his alleged involvement in terror-funding cases.

But the preacher, however, is well-regarded in Malaysia by Malay rights group Perkasa which earlier this year honoured Zakir with its star award, Anugerah Bintang Pahlawan Pribumi Perkasa Negara, for his contributions towards the struggle of Islam.

In March, however, 19 Malaysians initiated legal proceedings against Putrajaya and four others to get a court order to declare preacher Zakir a threat to public order, morals, the economy, social harmony and national security.

Putrajaya is attempting to strike out the suit against Zakir. – October 27, 2017.