I Would Not Like To Come Back If The BJP Is In Power

I believe there is only one religion.

- Namrata Biji Ahuja

Q/ Do you believe that Islam is superior to Hinduism?

A/ I believe there is only one religion. If you go back to the scriptures, you will come to know that the teachings of all major religions are identical. So rather than saying which one is better, I would like people to know that which are the true teachings. That is why in my lectures I always give reference from the scriptures and then I say all the major religions say that you should worship one God, you should be truthful, you should not rob, you should not cheat. That is my basic purpose of comparative religion.

Q/ Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the Congress had called Zakir Naik an “apostle of peace” whereas you inspired the Sri Lankan bomb attacks.

A/ Whatever has been happening in the past two and a half years (since the government’s crackdown on him) are political games. I am not very close to politicians. Neither was I close to the Congress party. Yes, because of my popularity, I do meet ministers and some [important] people in India and abroad. That I was allowed to speak on counterterrorism in Hyderabad and address IPS officers should not be directed against Congress. He should blame the police in various parts of the world. I’ve spoken in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UK and many other countries. Modi should say all these countries are favouring terrorism. [If he says] that the Congress has said that I am a messenger of peace, in the same way he should blame King Salman of Saudi Arabia also. King Salman gave me the highest award in the Islamic world, the King Faisal International Prize. He should also blame the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who gave me the award of Personality of the Year. They gave me an award of one million dirham, which is equal to about 2 crore. So if Modi is really honest he should say all these people are involved in promoting terrorism.