Sunday, December 23, 2012

Zakir Naik Exposed: The Sign of Jonah

Jesus' death by crucifixion is one of the most certain facts of history, as even non-Christian historians attest. Bart Ehrman, for instance, maintains: "One of the most certain facts of history is that Jesus was crucified on orders of the Roman prefect of Judea, Pontius Pilate.” Atheist New Testament scholar Gerd Lüdemann declares that “Jesus’ death as a consequence of crucifixion is indisputable.” John Dominic Crossan, of the notoriously liberal Jesus Seminar, says that there is not the “slightest doubt about the fact of Jesus’ crucifixion under Pontius Pilate.” According to Crossan, “That he was crucified is as sure as anything historical can ever be.”

The indisputable evidence for Jesus' death by crucifixion puts Muslims in an awkward position, for the Qur'an maintains that Jesus never died and wasn't even crucified (4:157-158). How are Muslims going to defend their position when the evidence so clearly proves that Islam is false? This is where people like Zakir Naik come in. Naik has built his career on spouting complete nonsense to an ignorant audience. Naik is so thoroughly deceptive, he draws his primary response to Jesus' crucifixion from the Bible itself, claiming that Jesus warned his followers that he would survive crucifixion in the following passage:

Matthew 12:38-40–Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

But how could Jesus have meant that he would survive crucifixion when he told his followers, repeatedly, that he would die by crucifixion (see Matthew 16:21-23; 17:9, 22-23; 20:17-19; 21:33-40; etc.)? In this video, Sam and I discuss some of the glaring problems with Naik's claims.


For more on Zakir Naik, click here.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Naik's highly deceptive nature demonstrates the truth of the following verse:

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" Jeremiah 17:9

Tom said...

Brothers David Or Sam,
I had once seen in one of your articles, the verse from the koran that says...something like:
"dont criticize the Bible lest it be the truth and as such that will be Blasphemy".

Could you provide the verse?

Kufar Forever said...

Zakir naik is one smart muslim, infact much smarter than his allah, he is rectifying allahs errors!

Selecta Mark said...


Hi David and Sam, this is my third attempt at this comment. Great refutation of Zakir Naik's crucifixion. Regarding the sign of Jonah. I use to believe growing up as a kid that Jonah was alive in the belly of the Whale. However, Sam rightly points out a strong argument for Jonah being dead because the scriptures refer to Sheol the place of the dead where he cries out to God. It is important to note that the New Testament also records communication beyond the grave such as Luke's account of the Rich Man and Lazurus. In addition 1Peter 3:19 speaks of Jesus preaching beyond the grave to the spirits in prison. Therefore, the sign of Jonah not only refers to the time factor 3 days and 3 nights but also the literal death of Jonah for the same time frame and resurfacing from the Whale alive!

Aletheya said...

@ Tom,
You are talking about this?

Quran 3:3-4, He hath revealed unto thee (Muhammad) the Scripture with truth, CONFIRMING that which was (revealed) BEFORE IT (Qur'an), EVEN AS HE REVEALED THE TORAH AND THE GOSPEL 4. Aforetime, for a guidance to mankind; and hath revealed the Criterion (of right and wrong). Lo! THOSE WHO DISBELIEVE the revelations of Allah, theirs will be a HEAVY DOOM. Allah is Mighty, Able to Requite (the wrong).

Osama Abdallah said...

David Wood and Sam Shamoun,

If any of you, today, would agree to debate Dr. Zakir Naik on the topic that Dr. William Campbell debated, then Dr. Naik would still wipe the floor with any or both of you anyday and anytime.

Bible and Science? LOL. Yeah.

BOOTA SINGH said...

41- believing on the books before Quran
Be courteous when you argue with People of the Book except with those among them who do evil. Say: “We believe in that which is revealed to us and which was revealed to you. Our God and your God is one”. (Sura 29:46)
“If you Muhammad are in doubt regarding that which we have revealed to thee, ask THOSE who READ the BOOK from BEFORE YOU” (Sura 10:94).
“O ye who believe! Believe in Allah and his Messenger, and the SCRIPTURE WHICH HE SENT TO HIS MESSENGER, AND the SCRIPTURE WHICH HE SENT TO THOSE BEFORE (HIM). Any who denieth Allah, His angels, His BOOKS, His messengers, and the day of judgement, hath gone fare astray” (Sura 4:136)
THE UNIVERSALITY OF THE TORAH AND THE INJIL: The Qur’an states that the Injil and the Torah are guidance for all mankind, “clear testimonies for mankind, and guidance and a mercy.”(Q, 28:43; cf.3:3-4; 6:92)
THE HOLY INJIL AS A STANDARD: Christians are told to judge according to the Injil, “let the people of the Gospel judge by that which Allah hath revealed therein. Whoso judgeth not by that which Allah hath revealed such as evil livers.”(Q, 5:47)
The Qur’an would surely not command Christians to judge by the injil if there had been any reason for Muhammad to believe that the Injil was not authentic in every way. Yet, many Muslims today assert that the Holy Gospel has been grossly distorted. Either the Muslims who cast doubt on the veracity of the Bible are wrong or Muhammad was wrong!
GOD’S WORD NEVER CHANGES: The Qur’an claims that no one can alter the word of God. It says, “It is the law of Allah which hath taken course a foretime. Thou wilt not find for the law of Allah aught of power to change” (Q, 48:23) In another place the Qur’an says, “There is no changing the word of Allah – that is the Supreme Triumph.” (Q, 10:64, 6:34)
THE QUR’AN AS A GUARDIAN: The Qur’an not only claims to confirm the previous Scriptures but also claims the responsibility of being, “the watch over it” (Q, القرآن الكريم5 AL MA’IDAD:48) means, “the Qur’an is the protector of all the sacred books to preserve them from any kind of change.”{Qazi Nasiruddin Abusaeed Abdullad bin Umar al-Baidhawi (1300 A.D). wrote a well-known commentary on the Qur’an originally called “Anwar-al-Tunzeel” but now known as “Tafsir-e-Baidhawi”.}

Tom said...

Dear Friends, Nothin'ButTheTruth, BOOTA SINGH

Thank you for the verses guys, very helpful...

Koala Bear said...

@Osama - Naik would never take on David Wood or James White for that matter. He is an idiot and a coward. They would wipe the floor with him and would then look like a moron to all muslims. Contact Naik and tell him to debate them, I dare you!

Unknown said...

Jesus was dead on fri night saturday day n night then ressurrected on sunday morning that 2 days n 2 nights so where is the three days n nights gone

Unknown said...

Mohammed- My best friend is a Messianic Jew. The measure of time on the Jewish calendar counts the days by name: Friday-Saturday-Sunday equals 3 days/nights.