I feel badly today for those Islamic apologists I know who truly believe that Islam is true. I am not talking about the men like Nadir Ahmed, but the serious minded men I have met who really believe Islam is the religion of Allah. I would name some right now, but I do not want to get them in trouble. I feel badly for them today because I can see so clearly that the Super Star of Islamic apologists, the “Doctor of Dawah,” Zakir Naik, is not one of them. Instead, Naik, whose simplistic arguments, borrowed almost verbatim from the late Ahmed Deedat, are fired off at high speed, has been shown to be fundamentally ignorant of many of the subjects upon which he opines with regularity. Please note the refutation of his recent appearance on The Deen Show here. The man is nowhere near the best Islam has to offer if you measure such things in reference to the truth and consistency. However, he is one of the most popular speakers in Islam, mainly because the average Muslim simply wants to hear reasons not to believe in Christianity, whether those reasons are truthful or not. This is a sad commentary.

We have contacted Dr. Naik’s representatives, seeking to arrange a scholarly debate with him. He has debated a number of Christians with far less experience in debating Islam than I. They responded by asking for evidence that I could gather 10,000 people. I replied by providing evidence of my publications, debates, and again pointed to the issue that should be front and center to any truth-loving individual: the fact that I have demonstrated fundamental errors on Naik’s part. I received my reply today, and for all those Muslims that would love to see Zakir Naik defend himself against the documentation of errors we have provided, I’m afraid you will be disappointed. I provide the entirety of the e-mail:

4th February 2010

Dear Brother James White,

Greetings of Peace (Salaam) to you!

Thank you for your email dated 8th January 2010.

Some of our staff members have seen your criticism and refutation which you may consider being scholarly but it is not worth replying to. There are hundreds of such refutations of Dr. Zakir Naik’s lectures, many of whose authors would like to debate with him. All the refutations he has seen are waste of time and not worth replying.

Our question was, the person who wants to debate with Dr. Zakir Naik should have a large following irrespective whether he has written several books or not.

We do agree it is difficult to attract 10,000 audiences in U.S.A. We would like to inform you that Dr. Zakir Naik besides attracting fifty thousand to three hundred thousand audience in India has also attracted ten thousand to thirty thousand audience in Middle East, United Kingdom and North America.

There are thousand of scholars in the world. Dr. Zakir Naik would not like to waste time debating the hundreds of requests he receives from people who want to become famous.

InshaAllah we will recommend your name to debate Dr. Zakir Naik once you attract ten thousand people either in U.S.A. or anywhere else in the world. Alternately you can give your so called scholarly research to any Christian scholar who attracts 10 thousand people for his talk and we personally know scores of such Christians who attract more than ten thousand people.

If any one of these people considers your scholarly work worth being utilised he can request Dr. Zakir Naik to debate with him.

May the Almighty Creator guide all of us towards the way of Truth, Peace and Salvation. Aameen.

Yours brotherly and sincerely,

MAQBOOL BARWELKAR

Public Relation Manager

Well there you go! Nothing at all in those videos worth even replying to! I just want to make myself famous! The level of arrogance is shocking, indeed. I can fully understand vetting possible opponents. I do it myself. But when someone provides documentation of the errors of your leader that is clear, compelling, and scholarly, who likewise has proven himself in debate with leading scholars from a wide range of religions and worldviews, you do not just stick your head in the sand and pretend they do not exist. This is not a reasoned response, this is intellectual cowardice. I provide here my response:

Greetings Mr. Barwelkar:

Would you be so kind, sir, as to identify just one or two of the “scores” of Christians who attract more than ten thousand people to their lectures who at the same time engage in debate with Muslims, read the biblical languages, and have documented numerous basic and fundamental errors on Zakir Naik’s part? I would like to know who these people are.

Next, would you be so kind as to explain why demonstrating Dr. Naik’s errors in representing Christian doctrine are not even worth responding to? Why documenting his errors in handling the Greek and Hebrew of the Bible are not even work responding to? Surely, if what I have provided is so easily refuted, you could find the time to do so, yes?

Let’s be honest, Mr. Barwelkar. Dr. Naik has debated many folks who had significantly less experience in debate, knowledge of Islam, Greek, Hebrew, textual criticism, systematic theology, etc. Just like Ahmed Deedat, he has chosen to pick and choose his opponents, avoiding the strongest challengers to his position, and for what reason? Surely not for a love of the truth, sir.

My challenge stands. When Dr. Naik wishes to demonstrate a serious ability to engage in accurate scholarship in his dawah to Christians, please let me know. Until then, we have proven that he does not speak the truth about what we believe, or about what the Bible says. We have proven this to the satisfaction of any honest mind. I will continue to document his errors, to the chagrin of truth-loving Muslims. It is my hope and prayer that his unwillingness to engage his most experienced and prepared opponents will become widely known, so that the truth of who Jesus truly is will become known to all.

May you come to know Him who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, Jesus Christ, the crucified, risen Son of God.

James White

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