New Delhi: The central government has extended the ban on controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik’s organisation, Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) by five years. On Friday, November 13, the Union Home Ministry issued a notification under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act i.e. UAPA, declaring the organisation illegal again. The government says that the activities of IRF remain a threat to the country’s security, communal harmony and secular order. The ban already imposed on the organisation was scheduled to end on November 14. With the new order, this ban will now continue for the next five years.
What reason did the government give for increasing the ban?
The Home Ministry notification said the IRF and its founding president Zakir Abdul Karim Naik have been encouraging their followers to spread enmity and hatred between different religious communities. According to the government, the activities of the organisation can affect the unity and security of the country.
The ministry has also expressed apprehension that if the organisation is not banned, its absconding workers may regroup. There is a danger of increasing communal tension and giving rise to separatist and extremist activities.
What did the ministry say on Zakir Naik’s speeches?
In the notification issued by the Home Ministry, Zakir Naik’s speeches and statements have been described as objectionable and destructive. The ministry says that Naik has been spreading his views to millions of people around the world through international satellite TV networks, the Internet and social media. The government has alleged that his statements increase disharmony between religious communities and may inspire youth towards radicalism. On this basis, the Ministry has considered it necessary to continue the ban on the organisation.
When and why did Zakir Naik leave India?
Zakir Naik left India in the year 2016. This incident came to light after the terrorist attack on a cafe in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Some terrorists involved in the attack were said to have been influenced by his speeches. After this, in November 2016, the central government imposed a five-year ban on IRF for the first time.
In the year 2021, the government extended this ban for the next five years. That decision was also upheld by the UAPA Tribunal. Now, through a new notification issued on 13 November 2026, the ban has been extended again for five years.
Where is Zakir Naik staying at present?
Zakir Naik is currently living in Malaysia. He had received permission for permanent residence there during the tenure of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. The Indian government has demanded his extradition several times. There are cases against him related to money laundering and promoting extremism. In October 2024, Zakir Naik met Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif in Islamabad. After this, he made another visit to Pakistan in February 2025. The ban on his organisation in India will now remain effective till 2031.
