Young Islamic Orator in the making
Young Master Gufran Pathan, who is only nine years of age, delivered Islamic lectures and TV talks on July 16 and 17, 2000 at the Islamic Research Foundation. Master Gufran is a student of the international Indian School in Riyadh. He has been inspired to give Islamic talks by viewing video cassettes of Dr. Zakir Naik and can confidently deliver these talks verbatim, with quotations and references. His efforts were highly appreciated and encouraged by the audiences. His ambition is to become a medical doctor and later on, Inshallah, become a full time Da'ee of Islam like Dr. Zakir Naik. He had visited Mumbai at the invitation of the IRF to deliver Islamic talks.

Dubai International Holy Qu'ran Award Public Talks
Dr. Zakir Naik was invited by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Makhtoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Minister of Defence of the United Arab Emirates, for giving talks on the 1st and 8th of Ramadaan at programmes organised by the Dubai International Holy Qu'ran Award before their Annual International Quirat Competition.
Two talks of Dr. Zakir Naik were organised at the Al Boom Tourist Village which accomodated about 4000 people. These talks were telecast live to different parts of the world on the Dubai T.V. Channel. During this lecture tour of the United Arab Emirates from December 7 to 21, 1999, Dr. Zakir Naik also delivered a public lecture at Hotel Intercontinental, Dubai


Qu'ranic Arabic Classes
The IRF has organised a free couse of one year's duration on "Understanding of Qu'ranic Arabic." The classes for this course are held thrice a week at the IRF Auditorium and are conducted by a very experienced and reputed professor of Arabic.

Ladies Programmes
The IRF Ladies Wing staged a play titled, "Nikaah- an important decision" on August 24 and 25, 2000.

Outreach of IRF as a "GLOBAL ISLAMIC CENTRE"
Though the IRF is located in Mumbai, India, there are several ways in which the IRF reaches out to many corners of the world and responds successfully to the challenges and oppurtunities of doing Da'wah and Islaah worldwide. So much so that a mutual bond of belonging and sharing has developed between the IRF and the interested Muslims and Non-Muslims the world over, as the IRF interacts with them regarding Islam and related issues. The IRF receives from all over the world, through e-mails as well as postal mail, several queries on Islam and Comparative Religion from Muslims as well as non Muslims. The Research staff at the IRF endeavour to reply promptly to these queries.

Da'wah Training Programmes at the IRF

In the past two years, the IRF has has successfully organized and conducted Da'wah training programmes. The entire course content and course material can be downloaded absolutely free from the website of the IRF (http://www.irf.net). Everyday several Muslims of all ages register themselves for this free on-line Da'wah training programme. In this way, using the latest interconnectivity facilities in the electronic media, IRF has truly emerged as an International Islamic Resource and Da'wah Center.

Lecture Tours of Dr. Shuaib Sayyad
Dr. Shuaib Sayyad, a medical doctor by profession and an IRF public speaker on Islam, was invited on January 26 and 27, 2000 to speak on the topics 'Qur'an and Modern Svience' and 'Similarities between Islam and Christianity' in Surat, India, and on the topic 'Concept of God in Major Religion's, in Jalgaon, India. These talks were well attended and widely appreciated. On April 28, 2000 Dr. Shauaib Sayyad participated in an inter-faith dialogue in Mumbai on the topic 'Essence of Religion and Harmony'. The dialogue was held with various speakers of different faiths. This was organized by the Citizen's Council for a Better Tommorrow.

International lecture tours of Dr. Zakir Naik
During the last twelve months, Dr. Zakir Naik had been invited by various organizations outside India, for lecture tours. Some of the countries where he delivered public talks are Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the U.A.E., the U.S.A, Guyana (South America), South Africa, Botswana, Mauritius and Singapore.
During his tours to various countries, he delivered eighty four public lectures, and gave four press interviews and seven Radio/T.V. talks and interviews. He also had personal meetings and interactions with many dignitaries, including Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum (Crown Prince of Dubai and Defence Minister of the U.A.E.) and Samuel A. Hinds (Prime Minister of Guyana, South America).

Dr. Shuaib Sayyad of IRF too accompanied Dr. Zakir Naik to deliver public talks on South Africa and Botswana at the invitation of the Islamic Da'wah Movement, Durban, during May 11 to 25, 2000.


Dr. Zakir Naik gave twenty-five public lectures and five Radio/TV talks and interviews in Durban, Capetown, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Petersburg, Pietermaritzburg, Chatsworth, Phoenix, and other cities and towns. Dr. Shuaib Sayyad too gave five lectures and Radio Interviews.



The highlight of the South African lecture tour was a visit to Sheikh Ahmed Deedat, the world famous orator on Islam and Comparative Religion.



He has been paralysed since 4 years after suffering a stroke. After Sheikh Deedat watched the latest lectures and debates of Dr. Zakir Naik, he conveyed to him with the help of a communication chart: "My Son, what you have done in 4 years, had taken me 40 years to accomplished, Alhamdulillah". These words of overwhelming appreciation by Sheikh Deedat for Dr. Zakir Naik have been preserved on a plaque, with the thumb impression of Sheikh Deedat on it. This plaque was awarded to Dr. Zakir Naik for his achievements in the field of Da'wah and the study of Comparative Religions by Sheikh Ahmed Deetdat.
During May 26 to 30, 2000 Dr. Zakir Naik and Dr. Shuaib Sayyad visited Mauritius at the invitation of the Islamic Circle, Port Louis. Dr. Zakir Naik delivered seven talks and Dr. Shuaib Sayyad gave one talk.




Lectures Tours of Dr. Zakir Naik in India.
Dr. Zakir visited several cities in India in the last twelve months for lecture tours. Some of the cities in India where he delivered public talks are Hyderabad, Guwhati, Sibsagar, Hojai and Delhi.

Brother Ashraf Mohammedy, trustee of IRF, is an upcoming Islamic orator of the IRF. He visited Aligarh in India with Dr. Zakir Naik for a lecture tour from August 4 to 6, 2000. Dr. Zakir Naik delivered five public talks and three lectures and Brother Ashraf Mohammedy addressed one. These programmes were organized by the Aligarh Muslim University.
Alhumdullilah, the IRF has achieved its objectives of developing other Islamic Da’ees and speakers, besides Dr. Zakir Naik. Inshallah, in the near future one would see many upcoming international Da’ees of Islam due to persistent and pioneering efforts of the IRF for apt and dynamic da’wah work.
Guest Speakers at IRF
In the last twelve months, several guest speakers from India, U.S.A. and U.K. gave lectures and T.V. talks at the IRF. Prominent amongst these were Maulana Abdul Karim Parekh whose twenty T.V. talks were recorded by the IRF between My 13 to 16, 2000 and Maulana Siraj-ul-Hasan whose three T.V. talks were recorded by the IRF on May 20, 2000.

Other regular activities and facilities of the Islamic Research Foundation
The Children’s Wing programmes are regularly handled by the Ladies’ Wing on Saturday evenings. Islamic Personality Contest, Eid Party, Elocution and Quirat competitions were also organized for the children.
The IRF Children’s Wing caters to the specialized needs of inculcating Islamic values and practices in Muslim children, at their level of grasping.
The IRF organized and recorded for telecast many T.V. interviews and talks of reverts throughout the year.
IRF telecasts Islamic programmes daily on the Cable T.V. networks of Mumbai for 2 to 3 hours, wheeby these programmes reach over a million homes. IRF telecasts also reach hundreds of thousands of homes in other cities of India like Pune, Aurangabad, etc. The IRF provides, on request, free literature on Islam and Comparative Religion. The English translation of the Glorious Qu'ran too, is sent free to non-muslims and various organisations and institutions all over India.
The IRF'S reach among Muslims and non-Muslims is growing at a rapid pace. The IRF has several visitors everyday, comprising of Muslims and non-Muslims. Attending the weekly programmes on Islam and Compararive Religion at the IRF auditorium on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays has become a regular feature in the lives of many in Mumbai. The IRF also provides Scholarships and Medical Aid to needy Muslims.