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Dhaka militant misunderstood Zakir Naik: M’sian supporters

KUALA LUMPUR — Dr Zakir Naik should not be blamed for the actions of the militants behind the Dhaka terror attack as the Muslim preacher’s remarks on terrorism were taken out of context, his Malaysian supporters said.

Dr Zakir Naik. Photo: Malay Mail Online

Dr Zakir Naik. Photo: Malay Mail Online

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KUALA LUMPUR — Dr Zakir Naik should not be blamed for the actions of the militants behind the Dhaka terror attack as the Muslim preacher’s remarks on terrorism were taken out of context, his Malaysian supporters said.

Perak Mufti Harussani Zakaria said the Mumbai-based televangelist has previously denied expressing support for terrorism and accused Rohan Imtiaz — one of the militants who reportedly posted on Facebook a quote he attributed to Dr Zakir saying that “every Muslim should be a terrorist” — of misunderstanding the preacher.

“He didn’t understand, he was just making an excuse,” Mr Harussani told Malay Mail Online when contacted this week.

“People have to be a bit more rational. Non-Muslims are also anti-Islam, acting as if Dr Zakir’s words encourage Muslims to commit murder.

“These people (the Dhaka militants) have been brainwashed by a truly evil group that supposedly wants to form an Islamic government. How can they form an Islamic government if they kill Muslims?” the cleric pointed out.

The Islamic State (IS) has reportedly claimed responsibility for the terror attack in Dhaka that left 22 people dead, but the Bangladeshi government reportedly said the jihadists belonged to Jamaeytul Mujahdeen Bangladesh, a Bangladeshi militant outfit.

PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man also defended Dr Zakir and expressed confidence that the Indian Muslim preacher, who received the “Tokoh Maal Hijrah” award from the Malaysian government in 2013, did not support terrorism.

“Maybe his remarks were not taken in their full context,” Mr Tuan Ibrahim told Malay Mail Online.

“Look at the context of his speech. I’m sure he’s opposed to terrorists. When we speak, people sometimes misunderstand us. However, I do want to advise Zakir Naik that it may not be appropriate, and as a general piece of advice, to be careful so as not to allow people to spin our speeches,” the Islamist opposition party leader added.

Dr Zakir purportedly expressed support for al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden in a speech in 2006, saying that that “every Muslim should be a terrorist” and that he was with Osama if the mastermind of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center that killed almost 3,000 people was “terrorising America, the biggest terrorist”. Dr Zakir has denied Al-Qaeda’s role in the 9/11 attacks and claimed they were orchestrated by the US government.

The Islamic Research Foundation president, who has 14 million followers on Facebook and 200 million viewers of his Peace TV channel, however told Indian news broadcaster News 18 Wednesday that the video of him purportedly backing Osama was fake and claimed he never asked people to support the al-Qaeda founder.

Multiracial Reverted Muslims founder Firdaus Wong Wai Hung pointed out that millions of Muslims and non-Muslims who watched Dr Zakir’s talks took the preacher’s quote on terrorism metaphorically, rather than literally.

“Millions listened or watched DZN talk, but we don’t see millions of Muslims and non-Muslims become terrorists, but rather, more and more people are engaging in healthy dialogue about religion to understand one another better after listening to DZN talks,” Mr Wong told Malay Mail Online.

According to Mr Wong, Dr Zakir has also said in one of his talks that IS should not be called “Islamic State” because there was nothing Islamic about the terrorist group.

“But instead we should call them anti-Islamic State because what they do is against the teaching of Islam,” Mr Wong quoted Dr Zakir as saying.

Authorities in India and Bangladesh are reportedly investigating Dr Zakir after news reports emerged that Rohan and Nibras Islam, another of the five Dhaka gunmen, were inspired by the Salafist preacher.

Mr Harussani, Mr Tuan Ibrahim and Wong gave comments to Malay Mail Online before the Indian and Bangladeshi investigations on Dr Zakir were reported in the media.

Malaysia’s Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar told Malay Mail Online last night that he will review Dr Zakir’s sermons and speeches made in India and Bangladesh before deciding whether or not police action is required. MALAY MAIL ONLINE

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