What Happened: Zakir Naik sparked outrage in a viral video by suggesting that perpetrators of rape and murder can be forgiven by Allah if they truly repent, while controversially implying that women share responsibility for their victimization based on their clothing.
What you need to know: A recently surfaced video featuring controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik has ignited widespread outrage due to his remarks on rape and murder, suggesting that perpetrators could be forgiven by Allah if they genuinely repent. The undated video, which has gone viral on social media, shows Naik discussing the conditions for forgiveness after committing serious crimes while also making troubling assertions about women’s responsibility in cases of sexual violence.
What more: Naik states that even severe acts like rape and murder can be forgiven by Allah if certain criteria are met: acknowledging wrongdoing, immediately stopping the behavior, ensuring it doesn’t happen again, and sincerely seeking forgiveness. He explained, “If hypothetically you rape a girl and murder her… and you truly repent… Allah will most probably forgive you.” He emphasized that meeting the required conditions could lead to forgiveness for these grave sins.
Also: However, his comments became even more controversial when he addressed accountability in sexual violence cases. Naik suggested that women bear some responsibility for their victimization, arguing that if a woman dresses provocatively, she shares the blame for attracting unwanted attention. He noted that while the rapist is responsible, women should adhere to Islamic guidelines for modesty to avoid such incidents. He claimed that if a girl does not dress modestly and is raped, she is partly to blame, adding that if she wears normal clothes and is assaulted, it becomes a test for her.