The state of Maharashtra, India, has ordered a probe against the Mumbai-based Islamic preacher and scholar, Dr Zakir Naik, after reports emerged in Bangladeshi media that one of the Dhaka café attackers had been inspired by Naik’s speeches to carry out the attack. A report in a Bangladeshi newspaper, The Daily Star, claimed that Rohan Imtiaz, one of the five terrorists, ran a propaganda campaign on Facebook last year, urging all Muslims to be “terrorists,” quoting Naik’s speech on the Peace TV. The Bangladesh government has asked India to look into Naik’s speeches. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a legal probe against Naik, also instructing the police to investigate Naik’s source of funding, properties and operators telecasting his speeches across the Indian state. Security personnel have been deployed outside Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation office. Naik in a video statement has denied reports of inspiring any attackers, saying that he never condoned terrorism or killing of innocent people, inviting the government to go through all of his speeches. He further added that he might have “inspired” those people, but that he does not know them personally, thus absolving him of any personal reasonability of the horrific Dhaka terror attack. The news channels in India have called for a ban on Naik for allegedly inspiring extremists. Naik’s conservative Salafist ideology and anti-rationalist approach make him an unpopular personality in the liberal sections of a constitutionally secular India. Naik received Saudi Arabia’s most prestigious prize for service to Islam, the King Faisal International Prize. He was reportedly barred from entering Britain in 2010, on account of numerous unacceptable comments. In the same year, he was also banned from speaking at an event in Canada. Dr Naik’s most controversial speech revolves around his defence of Osama bin Laden, where Naik is heard speaking in favour of the dreaded al-Qaeda leader for fighting the so-called American terrorism, calling everyone to be a terrorist to fight American aggression. This was the same speech that was shared by Rohan Imtiaz on his Facebook page as reported by The Daily Star. However, Dr Naik on several occasions has also denounced the militant Islamic State, to which the Dhaka terrorists swore allegiance. He has also denied having ever given a statement in favour of bin Laden, saying that the video in circulation is a doctored one. To ban or not to ban Dr Naik is the question hotly debated in Indian social and mainstream media. In the precarious environment of terrorism taking lives across the globe, it is imperative to bring forth narratives that focus on the tenets of Islam that highlight tolerance, brotherhood, compassion, and kindness for all regardless of their faith or creed. While a ban is not conducive to produce the desired deterrent, curbing freedom of expression that is the fundamental right of all human beings, there is a line that should not be crossed. That line is the incitement of violence. Notwithstanding Naik’s right to preach as per his beliefs, there is no excuse for any text — written or verbal — that can be construed as the glorification of violence against people of any faith or nationality. While it is important for Indian authorities and media to respect religious sensibilities of Muslims, it is equally important for people like Dr Zakir Naik to respect the religious sensibilities of Hindus, Christians, and others. And glorification of “jihad” against innocent people is the red line that must not be crossed for anything. There is nothing in Islam that teaches, encourages, condones and rewards such an act. *