Zakir Naik courts fresh controversy, says "rape-murder accused can be forgiven if..."

Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik has courted a fresh controversy for his remarks on rape and murder, saying that perpetrators could be forgiven by Allah if they truly repent. The undated 2-minute video clip shows Zakir Naik discussing the conditions for forgiveness after committing heinous crimes. The video, which is making rounds on social media, also shows Naik speaking about troubling interpretation of women's responsibility in cases of sexual violence.

Zakir Naik stated that even if a person has committed severe crimes like rape and murder, they can receive Allah's forgiveness under certain conditions. Even if an individual commits acts as severe as rape and murder, Allah can forgive them if they meet specific criteria: acknowledging their wrongdoing, immediately ceasing such behavior, ensuring it does not happen again, and sincerely seeking forgiveness, he can be heard saying in the video.



"If hypothetically you rape a girl and murder her and if the court of law in this world cannot prove and then you truly repent... will Allah forgive you and you say Allah will most probably forgive you... and you're right. If you've committed rape and murder and if you truly repent and ask for forgiveness... there are some criteria required for forgiveness. 1. You admit what you've done is wrong, 2. See to it that you stop it immediately, 3. See to it that you don't do it again, 4. You ask forgiveness from Allah," Naik said in the viral video.

"If all these criteria are fulfilled Allah will forgive you, even if you've committed rape, which is a sin, and if you have committed murder. It's a major sin, but if you truly repent, Allah will forgive you," he added.

However, the comments of Zakir Naik took a controversial turn when he suggested that women share some responsibility for their victimization, arguing that if a woman dresses provocatively, she bears some blame for attracting unwanted attention. He emphasized that while the rapist is responsible for their actions, women should adhere to Islamic guidelines regarding modesty to prevent such incidents.

"Coming to the second question that is this not injustice to the girl who was raped and murdered? I would say no because both the person who raped is undergoing a test in this world and the person who was raped is also undergoing a test. Allah has given guidelines to the woman that they should dress modestly, cover the body, only the face can be seen. If after giving all these guidance and hypothetically if that girl doesn't dress up modestly, she's dressed up immorally, which people get excited and the rape is done... who is to be blamed? The girl is to blame. That doesn't mean the boy has the right to rape. But besides the boy who committed the rape and murder, it is the girl who also has to follow the guidelines of the Quran. If she wore obscene clothes because of which the rape took place then she is responsible. But if she wore normal clothes and yet the rape takes place, then it is a test for the girl. If she was not following the guidelines to wear proper clothes, then she is to be blamed to attract the men to rape," Naik said in the video.

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How netizens reacted

As soon as the video clip gained traction on social media, netizens started slamming Zakir Naik with many condemning his remarks as highly misogynistic and an effort to shift responsibility from the perpetrators of sexual violence to the victims.

Many netizens said that his comments promote victim-blaming, which weakens the gravity of sexual violence and ignores the trauma that victims endure.

"Suggesting that a victim's clothing could justify or mitigate the crime of rape is like saying a bank deserved to be robbed because it had money. Rape is an act of violence and power, not a wardrobe malfunction. This perspective not only lacks empathy but also shifts responsibility from the perpetrator to the victim, which is morally reprehensible," a user wrote.

"Will he be okay if it’s his daughter sister or wife," wrote another. "This man is a horrible," another one wrote.

"Just listening to this man speaking makes me feel sick to my core. Ye wrong number hai!!," another user commented.

"The more you hear this man, the more you feel disgusted," a user commented.

ALSO READ: Video shows Zakir Naik refuses to present awards to orphan girls in Pak, says they aren't 'daughters'

Who is Zakir Naik?

Zakir Naik, originally from Mumbai, is currently a fugitive from India. He faces charges here related to terror funding, money laundering, and hate speech. The Centre has banned his organisation, the Islamic Research Foundation, and has also revoked his passport.

Since 2017, Naik has been residing in Malaysia, where he continues to deliver lectures and sermons. Naik was granted permanent residency in Malaysia by the previous administration led by Mahathir Mohamad. Critics argue that his teachings promote an intolerant interpretation of Islam, often misrepresenting religious texts and contributing to the radicalization of young Muslims.