Dr Zakir Naik's father Dr Abdul Karim Naik passes away in Mumbai

Mumbai, Oct 30: Dr Abdul Karim M Naik, father of Islamic Research Foundation founder Dr Zakir Naik, passed away after a massive cardiac arrest in the early hours of Sunday here. He was 87.

“He suffered a cardiac arrest at 3.30 a.m. at his home in Mazgaon and could not recover from that. He had been keeping unwell from sometime. He was laid to rest at a graveyard in the same area,” an associate of Dr. Zakir Naik said.

Born in Ratnagiri in coastal Maharashtra, Abdul Naik, a doctor, served as the president of the Bombay Psychiatric Society, a private organisation of mental health professionals, in 1994-95. 

He had branched out from his family business of exporting seafood from his native village in Raigad district and set up his clinic at Char Nall in Dongri.

Following in his footsteps, his sons Zakir Naik and Mohamed Naik also had started their career in the field of medicine after obtaining MBBS degrees from BYL Nair college.

Despite being a successful doctor, he had a keen interest in various fields like literature and journalism. He had also been active in the field of education. After completing MBBS, he had obtained a Ph.D, diploma in Arabic literature and diploma in journalism.

Life and contributions

Abdul Karim lost his father at an early age and had to face many hardships. After finishing his basic education at a local primary school he completed his secondary education from Patwardhan High School, Ratnagiri and passed his matriculation front her in 1946.

He joined St. Xavier's College, Mumbai for further studies. However due to communal riots he was force to leave Mumbai and went back to Ratnagiri to join Gogate college there. After completing Inter Science at Gogate, he joined Grant Medical College and did his MBBS in 1956.

He was a social worker of repute and has served the community for more than three decades. His exemplary contribution to kokani Muslims (also known as Konkani Muslims) and Urdu language and literature is the formation of Naqsh-e-Kokan Publication Trust and starting a socio-cultural and literary monthly magazine “Naqsh-e-Kokan” in 1962.

This journal helped Kokani Muslims of all the four districts and that of Mumbai to come together and express their views on common problems pertaining to social and educational fields. It also encouraged the writers and poet of Kokan to publish their writings and earn recognition in the Urdu world.

Dr Abdul Karim's association with the following organisation shows his social and educational interest: (1) Chairman, Indian Council of Mental Health, (2) Managing Trustee, Rehmani Foundation, Mumbai, (3) Trustee, Islamic Research Foundation, Mumbai, (4) Vice President, All India Muslim Education Society, (5) Trustee, MEDNET, Hyderabad, (6) Vice President, United Economic Forum, Mumbai, (7) Trustee, Yusuf Meherally Trust, Mumbai.

He was a life member of many social, charitable and educational organisation like Indian Council for world Affairs, National Association for the Blind, Children Aid Society, Indian Cancer Society, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Indo-American Society, Indo-Japanese Assn., Indo-Australian Society, Indo-Swiss Society etc. He was attached to Prince Aly Khan Habib and Noor Hospitals, Mumbai.

Awards and Honours: (1) International Man of the Year 1998/99 for Medicine & Humanity, International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, U.K (2) Distinguished Leadership Award, American Biographical Institute (1998) (3) Award of Honour, Muslim Association for Advancement of Science (1996) (4) Vijay Shri Award, International Friendship Society, New Delhi (1996) (5) Award for Best paper on “Islam & Mental Health” Mumbai Psychiatric Society (1986) (6)Doctor of the Millennium' Association of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.

Dr Zakir to visit Mumbai

Dr Zakir Naik, who extended his stay abroad after running into controversy following allegations that some of those involved in the July terror attack in Dhaka drew inspiration from his speeches, is likely to visit the city soon to pay respects to his father, the associate has said.

Asked about Dr Zakir Naik skipping the funeral, his aide said, “He wasn't able to attend. It was too short a time. He will soon be here to pay respects to his father.”

Dr Zakir Naik's Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), too, is under the radar of security agencies and will be soon banned under the anti—terror law.

According to an official source in the Union Home Ministry, IRF will be declared anunlawful association' under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act after investigations by the Home Ministry found it to be allegedly having dubious links with Peace TV, an international Islamic channel accused of propagating terrorism.