Controversial Muslim preacher Zakir Naik must spend seven years in a Hindu school before he can be qualified to talk about teachings of the religion, asserted a group of Indian NGOs opposing his series of lectures in Malaysia.

Malaysian Indian Progressive Association (Mipas) president Rajaretinam Armuggan said today this is because for a Hindu priest to talk about the religion, he would be required to learn and practise Hinduism for seven years.

“If he (Zakir) is speaking the truth (about Hinduism) it is okay but he is not speaking the truth. He does not have qualifications from a Hindu school, he never studied the religion.

“To become an expert in the Hindu religion and rituals, you need to study for seven years. So how can Zakir consider himself an expert in the religion?” Rajaretinam told reporters during a press conference at Wisma MHS in Petaling Jaya.

Mipas, together with several other Indian NGOs and the MIC, has lodged several police reports against Zakir’s lectures over his allegedly anti-Hindu remarks made in the past.

Rajaretinam also stressed that he would first convert to Islam and learn from Muslim scholars if he wanted to speak on matters concerning the religion.

No reason to glorify Zakir

At the same time, Rajaretinam also said, there is no reason to glorify Zakir as he paled in comparison with former PAS spiritual adviser, the late Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.

“I can compare the two Muslim figures. One is Nik Aziz and one is Zakir. Zakir is unqualified as he is only an ordinary preacher. Why do we want to exalt him?

“When he is glorified, he could become obsessed (to give wrong information on Hinduism), that is the danger and we don’t want it to happen,” Rajaretinam said in urging the government to think carefully before allowing controversial figures like Zakir to deliver lectures.

The Mumbai-born Zakir is slated to deliver a lecture titled “Is The Quran God’s Word” at Stadium Hoki Bukit Jalil on Saturday.

He is also scheduled to speak in Malacca on Sunday at the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia campus, on the topic “Islam, problems and solution to humanity”.

The original title for the lecture, on similarities between Hinduism and Islam, was rejected by authorities on grounds of possible public unrest.