By Farush Khan
Dr Zakir Abdul Karim Naik can easily pass off as a teacher or a small-time businessman.however, he is actually a dynamic Islamic daei (preacher),scholar and internationally-renowned orator on islam and comparative religion. in fact, the 84-year-old scholar Ahmed Deedat once told him: .you have accomplished in four years what has taken me 40 years to achive.
a medical doctor by training, indian-born Dr Zakir was a young student when he was literally pushed By his university mates onto the stage in his hometown of Mumbai to speak on comparative religion after the scheduled speaker did not turn up. I did not want to at first because it was at the last minute and also because I stutter. He told a group of friends between his lectures in Kuala Lumpur last Monday. Nervous and reluctant, he went up to speak. it was a pleasant surprise to his friends and even himself to find that not only did he not stammer but he also delivered his talk convincingly. never in my wildest dream did i think that i would be able to deliver public lectures.
he has since been going all over the world speaking on the religion to millions, especially the English-speaking audience. though only 36, Dr Zakir has delivered more than 600 public talks in many parts of world in the last six years. he has been to the United States, Canada,Britain, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and several other countries.
For his latest series of lectures in Malaysia, he spoke on " Misconceptions about Islam". there was a good turnout in all his four lectures in Kuala Lumpur and Shah Alam. his most famous debate was held in Chicago, the US on April 1 last year with American medical doctor and missionary Dr William Campbell on the topic " the Bible and the Quran in the light of Science."
-Adapted from News Straits Times, January 12, 2002
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