Indian Muslims should wake up to protect their mosques from BJP govt, says Dr Zakir Naik

Renowned Islamic scholar Dr Zakir Naik has called on Indian Muslims to unite and resist the desecration and demolition of mosques by the Narendra Modi-led government.

In a recent interview with Pakistani prankster Nadir Ali, Dr Zakir Naik shared that he has been a victim of vindictive actions by the BJP government, which labeled him as the "number one terrorist."

He explained that as many non-Muslims attended his lectures and embraced Islam, “the Hindutva ideology saw this as a threat to their extremist narrative.”

"Even those who didn’t convert to Islam understood that our religion is peaceful," the famed orator added.

Dr Zakir Naik criticised the BJP for passing legislation that is damaging to the Muslim identity and aimed at stripping them of their heritage and rights in India.

“There are only three entities that own the largest amount of land in India. The Indian defence sector tops the list, followed by the railways, and the third is the Muslim Waqf Board, which holds 940,000 acres of land, more than the size of a small country,” he stated.

The preacher highlighted that the Indian government recently introduced a Waqf Amendment Bill to “appoint a non-Muslim head over the Waqf Board and strengthen state control over it.”

Dr Naik pointed out that due to the inclusion of the Muslim Personal Law Board in the Indian Constitution, community properties are private and protected by the state.

“But, the Modi government wants to seize them," he asserted.

"Some greedy Muslims have already sold their properties or rented them at low rates to the government," the Muslim preacher added.

He also claimed, “Mukesh Ambani’s (Indian business tycoon) $2 billion home was built on land that belonged to the Muslim Waqf Board, but a Muslim illegally sold it to him.”

Following the introduction of the Waqf Amendment Bill by the BJP, Dr Zakir Naik said, he shared a message on social media, stating, “Indian Muslims should wake up because they are responsible for protecting the land dedicated in the name of their God.”

He warned that if the bill is passed, “thousands of mosques, madrassahs, Muslim graveyards, and other properties could be seized by the Indian government.”

Dr Naik urged Muslims to raise objections against the bill, stating that if “even 2.5 percent of India's 210 million strong Muslim population files objections, it could halt the legislation.”

He expressed his desire to return to India, “but only under a government that is fair and just, without Narendra Modi in power.”