In advance of the FIFA World Cup 2022, Qatar asked controversial televangelist Dr. Zakir Naik to give lectures in which he would preach Islam.
Zakir Naik is currently facing numerous charges in India of money laundering and using hate speech. India outlawed Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation after charging that he had helped the organization’s adherents “create or attempt to develop feelings of hostility, hatred, or ill-will between different religious communities and organizations” by encouraging and supporting them. Authorities in India have accused him of engaging in coercive conversions, among other things. A charge sheet was brought against him for converting non-Muslims to Islam based on the evidence.
Since 2017, Zakir Naik has been living in exile in Malaysia as a runaway fugitive after the Indian government filed money laundering accusations against him. Naik has a permanent residence permit in Malaysia, but due to “national security” concerns, he cannot deliver talks there until 2020. He had been accused of making inciting remarks and interrogated by local authorities about his intention to disturb the peace by making comments about the Hindu and Chinese groups that resided in the Muslim-majority country.
An extravagant opening ceremony for the much-awaited FIFA World Cup 2022 took place on Sunday at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, which is located north of Doha, the capital of Qatar. After a grueling 12-year build-up marred by off-field controversy, the month-long football extravaganza finally gets underway today with a match between host nation Qatar and Ecuador. The first World Cup held in the Arab world began in a stadium designed to resemble a Bedouin tent, with foreign dignitaries, VIPs, and famous people in attendance. It is one among several brand-new stadiums constructed for the event, which has cost Qatar an estimated $200 billion, making it the most costly World Cup ever.
The opening ceremony included South Korean K-pop star BTS’s Jungkook as the featured performer and featured themes of “humanity, respect, and inclusiveness.” The commencement of the World Cup is intended to end the controversy that has dogged preparations ever since Qatar was selected as the host nation in a shocking FIFA vote in 2010. The pre-tournament headlines have been dominated by Qatar’s handling of migrant workers and the Gulf state’s human rights record.
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