Don't go by what Arnab says, labelling Zakir Naik a 'terror mastermind' is ridiculous

In a country, which is getting communally polarised, zealots can find numerous reasons to hang religious scholars with opposing beliefs. But the latest plea to execute prominent Islamic preacher and Peace TV founder Zakir Naik is ridiculous.

Naik is being labelled a "terror mastermind", only because some of the terrorists, who recently stormed a café in neighbouring Bangladesh, are believed to have been inspired by his speeches.

Even though "news anchor-cum-hangman", Arnab Goswami, on his show, "The Newshour" (read noose-hour), has almost awarded capital punishment to the scholar for his "crazy hateful sermons", there’s still some scope left to speak sense.

If individual acts of followers are to be linked to inspirational speakers, most of the historic figures are to be condemned as warmongers.

Also read: 5 ways Zakir Naik sold his curious brand of Islamic supremacy

Adolf Hitler is believed to have been inspired by Charles Darwin. Theists believe that Hitler was an atheist, inspired by Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. This one sweeping statement almost attributes deaths of tens of millions of people to atheism and science.

The Swastika, on the other hand, is an ancient religious symbol considered to be sacred and auspicious in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. But Hitler stigmatised this holy symbol to represent the slaughter of millions of people.

So should Darwin and the Swastika be held responsible for the Holocaust?

Unlike Christianity and Islam, Buddhism enjoys a largely serene reputation. It is considered a meditative religion full of love and compassion. But Ashin Wirathu is a controversial Burmese monk, nicknamed the "Buddhist bin Laden".

In 2013, Time put him on their front cover with the headline: "The Face of Buddhist Terror".

Wirathu is accused of inciting sectarian violence with his claims of the "Muslim threat to Burma". He terms them as "mad dogs". As a result, hundreds of Muslims have been reportedly killed, and thousands more have been driven from their homes.

Though Wirathu is inspired by Buddhism, can we blame the icon of peace, Lord Buddha, for his follower’s crimes?

Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin, Nathuram Godse, was said to be inspired by the ideology of noted author Veer Savarkar. Can we blame for Savarkar for Gandhi’s murder?

When terrorists stormed the Holey Artisan Café in Dhaka on July 1, they were chanting "Allahu Akbar". Can we blame allah for the terror strikes?

Also read: Why Zakir Naik, the doctored preacher, is misinterpreting Islam

For years, Islam has been accused of terrorism, till a suicide bomber blew himself up near Prophet Muhammad’s mosque in Medina on July 4, proving that terrorism has no religion.

In a world where wars are waged for peace, Naik’s "crime" is that he wants peace to take precedence over war.

In his long career, Naik has delivered more than 2,000 speeches across the world; as a scholar of comparative religions, he has never been heard of encouraging or promoting terrorism.

Considered among one of the most influential Muslims, this Saudi-backed Salafi scholar was ranked among the "100 Most Powerful Indians" in a list published by The Indian Express in 2010.

But then, leave apart the onslaught from other religions, there are issues within the Muslim community, divided into numerous sects, each trying to prove the other wrong.

While a sect in Uttar Pradesh, jealous of Naik’s popularity wants him jailed, other factions have several issues with him - be it his Western attire or his language. Some even have reservations over the title of his TV channel, "Peace", which they believe sounds more English than Islamic.

There’s equally a lobby of henchmen within the Muslim community working for vested interests.

Also read - Dhaka attack: Facing the challenge of Zakir Naik

Though national media has recently taken a dig at the scholar, five years ago in Muslim-dominated Kashmir, two brothers working as columnists for a leading local English daily had launched a hate campaign against Naik seeking his "ouster from India".

Two years ago, it was exposed that the duo was batting for West-backed scholar Javed Ghamidi, when they wrote a series to glorify Naik’s competitor.

The ongoing media trial is only strengthening the support for Naik with followers protesting on streets and social media alike.

Interestingly, though one of the terrorists in the Dhaka carnage, according to reports, was also a fan of actor Shraddha Kapoor, zealots are yet to link her Aashique-2 romance with some terror plot.

But then there’s hope for Naik and his missionary zeal. Hope better sense prevails.