An Indian Muslim televangelist who was banned from Britain for “unacceptable behavior” will not be allowed into Canada to speak at an upcoming conference in Toronto. Dr. Zakir Naik, who has said “every Muslim should be a terrorist” and that Jews are “our staunchest enemy,” was to headline next month’s Journey of Faith Conference — which is billed as one of North America’s largest Islamic conferences and is expected to attract upward of 10,000 people.
The 44-year-old medical doctor recommends capital punishment for homosexuals and the death penalty for those who abandon Islam as their faith. He has said that a man is within his right to beat his wife “lightly,” although in a July 2009 YouTube video he cautioned against hitting her on the face or leaving a mark. The “Keep Zakir Naik Out of Canada” Facebook group, which was launched over the weekend, also points out his view that Western women make themselves “more susceptible to rape” by wearing revealing clothing.
According to the Journey of Faith event website, the “hope” of the July 2-4 2010 conference at the downtown Metro Toronto Convention Centre is for Muslims to “renew their forgotten relationship” with the Koran.
