This is a very silly policy on the part of the UK and others, as it is we who are enlightening Muslims to the true teachings of Islam to warn them away from extremism and terrorism in the name of Islam. When they ban us, they leave a vacuum which the extremists will fill using what has happened to us as proof of the UK’s evil intent towards the Muslim community.

However, it is all good in the end for Allah will complete His guidance despite their hatred of it. As one of my students said, “Dr Zakir Naik and Peace TV will be the most googled items in the UK these days” – good publicity.

It is clear that the goal is to counter or stop the spread of Islamic awareness in general in the West. Their hopes for assimilation of Muslims are being dashed with the current Islamic awakening. Muslims will remain distinct, and not absorbed like all the other cultures which came and were conquered by the western globalized culture. It is an extension of the Clash of Civilizations concept which I developed in my book by that name.

It is part of the strategy that they prevent clarity from moderate external speakers and justify it with the internal extremists whom they allow to function. The clampdown all over Europe using the niqaab as the rallying point is all part of the bigger plan. But Islam cannot be defeated, it will prevail, as it is THE TRUE RELIGION OF GOD.

At Radio Atoll

Just came back from a 5 day lecture tour of the Maldives along with Abdur Raheem Green. It was very successful, and we both recorded programs for local Islamic radio station, Radio Atoll, VTV station, and gave numerous lectures outside of the official program. I also met with a group of IOU students from Maldives, which was a treat.

After successfully running a collection of 20 free short courses since 2007 in which more than 20,000 students are currently registered from more than 160 different countries, Dr Bilal has taken the bold step of offering a BA along similar lines.

This path-breaking initiative utilizes the worldwide presence of the internet and advanced open source online learning technology to bring tuition-free university level Islamic education within reach of virtually anyone on the planet who has access to a computer and the internet.

The program has recorded video lectures and weekly live tutorial classes in a virtual classroom setting on the net and its syllabus is based on the BA in Usool ud-Deen (Religious Foundations) curriculum of Madeenah University, Saudi Arabia, Omdurman Islamic University, Sudan, and other similar institutions. Six subjects are available each semester. Each semester is 5 months, having a mid-term exam after two and a half months and the final at the end of the fifth month. Students are free to access their classes whenever it is convenient for them, however assignments and exams (mid-term and finals) have to be taken at fixed times.

There are no fees for the courses. However, there is a fixed symbolic registration fee and examination fee each semester which is calculated on a sliding scale (from $10 to $50) depending on the student’s country of residence. Enrollment for this semester will continue until the end of April at www.islamiconlineuniversity.com and for further clarification or help, the registrar may be contacted at Mobile :+974 681 99 50 and email: registrar@islamiconlineuniversity.com