Qatar has invited Zakir Naik to give a religious sermon during the FIFA World Cup

Qatar has invited controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, accused of money laundering and inciting hatred in India, to deliver a religious sermon during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, reports AlArabia News.

“Preacher Sheikh Zakir Naik will give several religious sermons during the World Cup in Qatar and throughout the tournament,” Faisal Alhajri, host of Qatari sports channel Alqas, said in a Twitter post.

In late 2016, Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation was banned in India, accusing it of “seeking to incite enmity and hatred between various religious sects and groups”.

Zakir Naik has lived in Malaysia since 2017 after fleeing the country after the Indian government accused him of money laundering. Although Naik has permanent residency in Malaysia, Malaysia barred him from attending classes in 2020 citing “national security”.

He was reportedly charged by Malaysia and questioned by local police for making inflammatory speeches attempting to violate the peace by making references to the Hindu and Chinese communities living in the Muslim-majority country.