Zakir Naik’s converts were paid to accept Islam

An investigation report by a news channel Naik has revealed that Islamic preacher converted people into Islam by luring them with monetary incentives.

In the same investigation one of his former aides also alleged that Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) even converted people forcibly if they refused to accept money. An academician and philanthropist from Pune said that most of the conversions by Naik were staged.

Shaikh Irfan, a former staffer of IRF, who was questioned said that Naik lured people to convert into Islam. “He used to provide some monetary help to them, but if it did not have the desired effect then force was used,” said Mr Irfan.

Recently, the Maharashtra ATS, along with the Kerala police, arrested his aides Rizwan Khan and Arshi Qureshi from whom they seized 800 documents that named people who had been converted into Islam.

Academician and philanthropist from Pune, E. Inamdar who was interviewed during the investigation said that he was against such open conversions. “I told him it could hurt others. By giving just half an hour’s speech, you can’t play with public’s emotions and convert them.”

The IRF has however refuted the allegations and said that the opinions could be of some disgruntled employees and they were not involved in forced conversions. The allegations are based on heresay, it said.