ISLAMABAD: Renowned Islamic scholar and preacher Dr Zakir Naik will visit Pakistan for 15 days the next month and deliver public lectures in major cities.
In a post on his official Facebook page, released on Sept 20, Dr Naik said he would speak in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, with his tour starting on October 5 in Karachi and concluding in Islamabad on October 20. His son, Dr Fariq Naik, also an Islamic scholar, will join him on the tour, delivering lectures in all the three cities. In a separate post, Dr Naik shared that the Karachi event would take place at Bagh-e-Quaid, located opposite the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Dr Naik’s lecture in Karachi on October 5 will address “the purpose of our life,” while Dr Fariq Naik is scheduled to speak the following day on “Kya Quran ko Samajh kar Parhna Zaroori Hai” (Is it necessary to understand the Quran while reading?). In a recent interview with a Pakistani YouTuber, Dr Naik candidly discussed significant events in his life. The interview quickly gained widespread attention, amassing millions of views within hours. When asked why he chose Malaysia over Pakistan after leaving India, Dr Naik responded, “It would have been easier for me to go to Pakistan. I have visited Pakistan before and have a significant number of supporters there.” He elaborated, citing an Islamic principle: “Sharia teaches us to accept a lesser harm to avoid a greater one. If I had moved to Pakistan, India would have labelled me as an ISI agent and used false propaganda to shut down my institution, which would have hindered my efforts to spread the teachings of Islam.”