Dr. Zakir Naik's 13 lectures tour of Bahrain between November 25 to December 1, 1998, was organised by 'Discover Islam', Bahrain. Dr. Zakir Naik also gave 10 T.V. talks and interviews.

Dr. Zakir Naik visited Jeddah, Dammam, Jubail, Madinah, Jizan, Makkah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia between December 2, 1998 and January 2, 1999 and delivered 20 public lectures as well as addressed the press.

The IRF organised an Islamic exhibition from December 11 to 13, 1999 at an All India Islamic conference held in Mumbra (near Mumbai). "Using Electronic Media for Da'wah work" was the theme of this exhibition. It was visited by tens of thousands of people who attended the conference.


The Ladies' Wing of IRF organised a month long series of programmes on the theme "Sisters: Let's Welcome Ramadaan" from November 23 to December 14, 1998. The programmes included Lectures, Quirat and Quiz Competitions, Skits, Discussions, Question and Answer sessions, etc. These were well attended and appreciated.

14 selected 'Da'ees' underwent the 2nd phase of the Da'wah Training Programme for Mumbai-ites, conducted at the IRF by Dr. Zakir Naik between February 6 to 18, 1999. They had completed the 1st phase of the Da'wah Training programme conducted by Dr. Zakir Naik during September 29 to October 11, 1998. Alhamdulillah, this 2nd phase was well received and appreciated by the participants who in turn have enthusiastically drawn up their personal intensive action plans for Da'wah activities.

More than one million people, Alhamdulillah, attended Dr. Zakir Naik's keynote Chief Guest address on the topic 'Changing Century, Unchanging Voice of the Qur'an' at the SKSSF 10th State Annual Conference at Kuttipuram in Kerala, India, on the evening of February 21, 1999. He also gave another public talk at the conference.

Dr. Ibrahim Surty, Senior lecturer in Islamic Studies at the Centre for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations at the University of Birmingham, England, was invited by the IRF to Mumbai from March 30 to April 16, 1999.

During his stay Dr. Surty conducted a unique course on "Learning Qur'anic Arabic" which has been recorded in a serial format of 77 episodes of 30 minutes each on Betacam broadcast quality video tapes. Inshallah the IRF plans to telecast this course on Satellite T.V. channels to promote the understanding of Qur'anic Arabic for the English knowing audiences. Inshallah, this course will also be made available for the public on 13 video cassettes of 3 hours each. It is the first project of its kind to enable the English knowing people understand the language of the Glorious Qur'an.

Dr. Ibrahim Surty also delivered two public talks in Mumbai on "The Beauty and Grace of Qur'anic Arabic", and "The impact of Hisbah (a Judicial Institution of Shari'ah) on the development of Health Sciences during the medieval period". The IRF also recorded a series of talks and interviews of Dr. Surty for Satellite and Cable T.V. broadcasts.

Pastor Ruknuddin Henry Pio, an Arab Christian Missionary, had a Public Debate with Dr. Zakir Naik on the topic, "Was ChristReally Crucified?" at the Russian Cultural Centre Auditorium, Mumbai, on April 24, 1999. Mashallah, Dr. Zakir's 14 points sound Islamic arguments / proofs went practically uncontested by the Pastor.

Besides Dr. Zakir Naik, the IRF has good Islamic orators like Dr. Shuaib Sayyad and Brother Ashraf Mohammedy who are invited for public talks by various organisations. Dr. Shuaib Sayyad delivered public talks in Urdu on the topics "Is the Bible God's Word?" and "Qur'ân and Modern Science" at Aurangabad, India, on May 7, 1999..

On May 23, 1999, the IRF organised a public lecture by Brother Ashraf Mohammedy on 'Misconceptions about Islam' at the Y. B. Chavan Auditorium in Mumbai. Besides his talk, even his replies to the several questions were appreciated by the audience

Dr.Zakir Naik had a debate with Mr. Rashmibhai Zaveri, President of the Indian Vegetarian Congress, on the topic "Is Non-Vegetarian Food Permitted or Prohibited for a Human Being?" on May 9, 1999 at Patkar Hall, Mumbai.The auditorium was filled with both Muslim and Non-Muslim invitees. After the talk and rebuttal sessions, both speakers answered questions from the audience. Alhamdulillah, the overall outcome of the debate was clearly in favour of Dr. Zakir's Islamic as well as logical and scientific viewpoints presented. The debate was held at the behest of Indian Vegetarian Congress and Rushabh Foundation, after they urged Muslims all over India not to sacrifice animals on the day of Eid-ul-Adha and invited Dr. Zakir for a public dialogue.

Dr. Zakir Naik delivered several public talks in Hongkong and Bangkok from June 23 to 28, 1999.

Dr. Shuaib Sayyad and Brother Ashraf Mohammedy conducted another Da'wah training programme for 21 partcipants from Mumbai from May 24 to June 11, 1999 at the IRF.

The "IRF International Da'wah Training Programme" conducted by Dr. Zakir Naik, was organised by the Islamic Research Foundation at its auditorium from July 6, 1999 to August 8, 1999. Most of the participants selected for the training were already in the field of Da'wah for several years and many had passed from Islamic Universities.

The main objective of this Da'wah Training Programme was to train the Da'ees the 'Techniques of Oratory and Presentation Skills' as well as the 'Methodologies of Da'wah' and dealing with Islam and Comparative Religion. 19 participants from 15 different countries, including U.S.A., Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Kuwait, Bahrain, U.A.E., Yemen, Eritrea, Botswana and Mauritius, were selected from the many enthusiastic applicants from 28 different countries.

This training programme, alongwith lodging and boarding, was absolutely free of cost for the participants. The participants were provided the needful training materials, files, various copies of the English translations of the Qur'an, different versions of the Bible, Islamic Video and Audio cassettes, etc.

The participants were very enthusiastic, hardworking and motivated throughout the duration of the training. These international 'Da'ees' specific, time-bound action plans for Da'wah activities, based on their learning during this training, are noteworthy.

At Bidar near Hyderabad, India, Dr. Zakir Naik gave 3 well attended public talks on August 13 and 14, 1999.

At Chennai (Madras), India, too, Dr. Zakir Naik gave 3 public talks and 2 lectures on August 15 and 16, 1999.

Dr. Zakir Naik visited U.A.E. for a lecture tour between September 22 and October 6, 1999. Alhamdulillah, the lecture tour was a successful one. Dr. Zakir gave 5 public talks, a lecture and a T.V. interview.

Brother Muhammad Dahal, President of the Qur'an House, Mauritius, spoke on "Da'wah experiences in Mauritius", at the IRF auditorium on October 14, 1999.

Dr. Zakir Naik gave 4 public talks and 3 lectures at Mangalore and Bhatkal, India, between October 15 and 18, 1999.

Dr. Zakir Naik visited Aurangabad, India, for a lecture tour on October 24 and 25, 1999. He gave 2 public talks and addressed a press conference.

The IRF recorded T.V. talks and interviews of renowned Islamic scholars Qazi Mujahidul Islam Qasmi and Maulana Mohammad Sirajul Hasan in the last week of October 1999.
The Ladies' Wing of the IRF organised programmes on the themes of 'Marriage in Islam' and the 'Qur'an Month' (focusing on Islaah and Da'wah) in November 1999.

The Children's Wing programmes were regularly handled by the Ladies' Wing on Saturday evenings. Islamic Personality Contest, Eid Party and Elocution and Quirat competitions were also organised for the children in 1999.

The IRF organised and recorded for broadcast many T.V. interviews and talks of reverts throughout the year.