Dr Zakir Naik ‒ A Brief INTRODUCTION
A medical doctor by professional training, Dr Zakir Naik is renowned as a dynamic international orator on Islaam and Comparative Religion. Dr Zakir clarifies Islaamic viewpoints and clears misconceptions about Islaam, using the Qur'aan, authentic Hadeeth and the religious scriptures of other faiths, as a basis, in conjunction with reason, logic and scientific
facts. He is popular for his powerful memory, well-structured presentation, accurate referencing, critical analysis and convincing answers to challenging questions posed by audiences after his public talks. In the last 29 years, Dr Zakir Naik has delivered over 3,000 public talks in the USA, Canada, UK, Italy, France, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Egypt, Yemen, South Africa, Botswana, Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia, Algeria, Morocco, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Guyana, Trinidad, Mauritius, Maldives and many other countries, in addition to numerous public talks in India. In April 2012, his public talk in Kishanganj, Bihar, in India was Alhamdulillaah attended by over one million people being one of the largest gatherings in the world for any religious lecture by a single orator. His talks in Indonesia in 2017 and in Malaysia in 2019, Alhamdulillaah attracted more than 100,000 people, each. Amongst the 1.2 billion plus population of India Alhamdulillaah Dr Zakir Naik was ranked 82nd in the ‘100 Most Influential People in India’ list published by Indian Express in the year 2009 and ranked 89th in 2010. He was ranked 3rd in the ‘Top 10 Spiritual Gurus of India’ in 2009 and topped this list in 2010. He is ranked amongst the top 70 in the book ‘The 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World’ published by Georgetown University in the last 14 editions from 2011 to 2024. In the same book in the list of ‘The Top 100 Cumulative Influence over 10 years’ Dr Zakir was ranked 79th. By Allaah’s help, he has successfully participated in several symposia and dialogues with prominent personalities of other faiths. His public dialogue with Dr William Campbell (of USA) on the topic “The Qur'aan and the Bible in the light of Science” held in Chicago, USA, in April, 2000 was a resounding success. His inter-faith Dialogue with prominent Hindu Guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on the topic “The Concept of God in Hinduism and Islaam in the light of Sacred Scriptures” held at Palace Grounds, Bangalore, on 21st Jan. 2006, was highly appreciated by people of both the faiths. Shaikh Ahmed Deedat, the world-famous orator on Islaam and Comparative Religion, called Dr Zakir “Deedat Plus” in 1994, and presented him a plaque in May 2000 with the engraving “Awarded to Dr Zakir Abdul Karim Naik for his achievement in the field of Da’wah and the study of Comparative Religion”. “Son what you have done in 4 years had taken me 40 years to accomplish, Alhamdolillah”. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman Ibn Abd Al Aziz Al Saud Alhamdulillaah presented the prestigious ‘King Faisal International Prize’ for ‘Service to Islam’ 2015 to Dr Zakir Naik on 1st March 2015. The prize consisted of a certificate indicating the laureate’s achievements, a commemorative 24-carat 200-gram gold medal and Saudi Riyals 750,000 (US $200,000). The entire prize money was donated to the Waqf for Peace TV Network by Dr Zakir Naik. Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President & Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Alhamdulillaah presented the prestigious Dubai International Holy Qur'an Award’s ‘Islamic Personality of the Year’ Award on 29th July 2013, for providing outstanding services to Islaam and Muslims at a global level in Media, Education and Philanthropy, to Dr Zakir Naik, along with a cash reward of UAE Dirhams 1 million (US $272,000) which he promptly donated to start a Waqf (endowment) fund for Peace TV Network. Dr Zakir at the age of 47, was the youngest recipient of the award. On 5th November 2013, Agong, Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah, the King and head of state of Malaysia, conferred on Dr Zakir Naik the highest award of Malaysia the ‘Tokoh Ma’al Hijrah Distinguished International Personality Award’ for the Year 2013 for his significant service and contribution to the development of Islaam. Also, Dr Zakir was presented a citation plaque signed by the Prime Minister of Malaysia Datuk Seri Mohd. Shaikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, presented Dr Zakir Naik the ‘Sharjah Award for Voluntary Work’ for the year 2013, on 16th January 2014. On 15th Oct. 2014 Dr Zakir Naik, Servant of Allaah, was Alhamdulillaah honoured with two prestigious accolades, the Insignia of the Commander of the National Order of the Republic of The Gambia (the highest national award in The Gambia) by the President of The Gambia Dr Yahya Abdul Aziz Jammeh as well as the Honorary ‘Doctor of Humane Letters’ (Honoris Causa), by the Governing Council of the University of The Gambia (UTG) in recognition of his outstanding contribution and dissemination of knowledge in promoting research and delivery of community services internationally. Dato Ahmad Yakob, Chief Minister of Kelantan state in Malaysia conferred the highest Islamic Award of the state “Da’ee of the Ummah” on Dr Zakir Naik on 9th August 2019 for his Islamic services for the Muslim Ummah. Dr Zakir Naik Alhamdulillaah has more than 23.9 million followers on his Facebook, which is not only the highest amongst the Muslim Religious English Speakers but also the highest amongst all religious English Speakers in the world. Alhamdulillaah his YouTube Channel has more than 3.8 million Subscribers and his Instagram has more than 2.1 million followers. Dr Zakir Naik appears regularly on many international TV channels in more than 175 countries of the world. More than a hundred of his talks, dialogues, debates and symposia are available on DVDs. He has authored many books on Islaam and Comparative Religion. The idealogue and driving force behind Peace TV Network is Dr Zakir Naik. He launched Peace TV English, in January 2006, which is the largest watched ‘Islaamic’ as well as ‘Religious’ Satellite TV channel in the world, with over 100 million viewership, of which 25% are non-Muslims. In its footsteps he launched Peace TV Urdu in June 2009, Peace TV Bangla in April 2011 and Peace TV Chinese in December 2015. The Peace TV Network Alhamdulillah has more than 200 million viewers. InshaAllaah, he plans to expand Peace TV Network to cover the ten major languages of the world. In January 2016 Peace TV Network Alhamdulillaah became the 1st TV Satellite channel in the world to record its programmes with 14 Cinematography 8K CineAlta Cameras. In July 2016, the overwhelming success of Dr Zakir Naik’s Da’wah activities and his acceptance amongst the non-Muslims all over the world, especially in India, were seen as a threat to the new anti-Muslim BJP Government of India headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who started laying allegations against him. This compelled Dr Zakir Naik to make Hijrah - Migration, from India to Malaysia. With the help and support of Allaah, Dr Zakir Naik’s activities as well as his popularity all
over the world especially in India increased by multiple folds. Allaah says in the Qur’an 3:54,
“And (the unbelievers) plotted and planned, and Allaah too planned, and the best of planners is Allaah.”
In April 2021 Dr Zakir Naik launched Al Hidaayah, the largest Islaamic Video on Demand and Islaamic Courses Platform, which has thousands of hours of Islaamic content from more than 40 authentic Islaamic Orators worldwide and hundreds of Islaamic courses. In June 2024 Peace TV Network Alhamdulillaah became the first Islaamic Edutainment Satellite TV Network to launch the new OTT (over the top) platform also known as OTT Television or Streaming Television which is available free on various platforms including Web, Mobiles Android and iOS, All Tablets, Android TV, Google TV, TCL, Sony, Hisence, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku TV, LG WebOS, Samsung Tizen TV and others.
