What if a non-Muslim were to speak on the same topic as Zakir?

Cops order Zakir Naik’s forum in Malacca to be cancelled

Pemerhati: Religions are based on beliefs. It is easy to criticise these beliefs (as some are not based on scientific facts) and offend the believers.

In some countries, people even get killed by the fanatical believers of the religion if they criticise their belief. An example is a number of Bangladeshi bloggers were recently killed because they questioned some Islamic beliefs.

Thus in multi-religious societies like Malaysia, to preserve peace and harmony, it is best not to question or criticise religious beliefs even if there are strong reasons for doing so.

This is because many people have been brainwashed from young into believing completely in their respective religious beliefs and so they can easily get very angry and agitated if anyone questions their beliefs.

Only when you have a society which has an education system which trains it to think logically and scientifically, will it be possible to have open and peaceful discussion on religion.

Botak Chin: We Indians have no issue with Zakir Naik coming to Malaysia to give his talk. He can glorify Islam all he wants but what we are concerned with is the title. Just reverse the scenario, and I wonder what the reaction from the Muslim community would be like.

If Hindu Sangam were to organise a forum with the same title and invite a prominent Hindu guru to speak, how would the Muslim community react? Hell would break loose as this would confuse the Muslims.

How can there be any similarity between Islam and Hinduism? They worship idols. They worship thousands of gods.

Anonymous_4171: I honestly give credit to the inspector-general of police (IGP) on this as he was spot on.

I was mesmerised by Zakir’s ability to quote the Bible, Vedas and Bhagavad Gita and whatnot, I used to watch a lot of his speeches until the day when he was telling a totally Muslim crowd that they should not befriend a non-Muslim if that person has a stronger personality than them.

This precisely shows what his main intention is and his character.

Anonymous_1421806811: People should not take all of Zakir’s preaching word for word without doing further analysis.

I’ve seen some of his presentations and I am not impressed. He is like a preacher with one eye open to an audience with both eyes closed.

People like him can bring more harm than good to Islam and I am surprised Perlis mufti Asri Zainul Abidin thinks highly of him.

Since different preachers are giving different views on many subject matters, Zakri should initiate discussions with the other Muslim scholars to come to a common understanding on a great number of issues affecting Muslims.

Now I feel the scholars are working in silos and often contradicting one another. No Muslim unity can take place if the scholars themselves are not united in presenting a view of Islam free of contradictions to the people.

Don’t pour fuel into the fire, Perkasa warns MIC

Anticonmen: Fundamentalists are not scholars because they can never grasp or understand that everything emanated from the same source. Hence, every religion is simply a different manifestation of the same one and only one supreme soul.

Diversity is an inherent nature of the creator. It requires genuine intellectualism and a major paradigm shift to understand and accept this. There is no need to compare and contrast and think that your way is the only correct way.

Our minds are finite and the supreme soul is infinite. Can the finite comprehend the infinite? Can the cup contain the ocean? No.

So, if another religion or person has a different concept of the same one supreme soul, is there any point in belittling his concept?

Anon1: Then why, o Perkasa, is this preacher delivering a talk about similarities between Hinduism and Islam? Why can’t he stick with subjects which does not touch upon other religions?

Personally, I don’t give a darn about what a mortal has to say but there are others out there, your lot included, who can get so easily ruffled up with words spoken by a man. That’s because they are weak in their faith that they can get riled up so easily.

That’s why Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaeda flourish, they are led by the noses by a mortal who’s got under their skins.

Democrat: Yes, I have a question for Perkasa. Will you or the government allow a talk with the same title but delivered by a Hindu guru?

PTH: There is no point arguing endlessly. Check the track record of the speaker.

If the speaker, no matter from whichever religion, is known to have stoked religious hatred, then he or she should be banned from speaking and spreading his or her hate messages.

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