KUALA LUMPUR – Prominent preacher Firdaus Wong has revealed that the Malaysian individual allegedly responsible for the recent viral image depicting a person stepping on the Quran is a muallaf (convert) who had previously contacted him on Instagram, persistently seeking guidance to embrace Islam.
Wong made the claim in a series of Facebook posts today, addressing the shocking image that has been circulating on social media.
According to Wong, the individual, identified as Vikneswaran, who also goes by the name Muhammad Zain had behaved politely and expressed a strong desire to convert. Wong said he was shocked by the stark discrepancy between the individual’s earlier online conduct and the actions shown in the viral image.
“The previous statement about Muhammad Zain, also known as Vikneswaran, stepping on the Holy Quran was not meant to sanctify him. There is no such thing as absolving anyone who has done wrong. My principle as a Muslim is that the guilty must be punished, regardless of whether they are Muslim or non-Muslim,” Wong clarified.
He emphasised that this stance aligns with the words of Allah Subhana Wa Ta’ala in Surah An-Nisa 4:135, which calls for upholding justice regardless of the offender’s background.
Wong further explained that he delayed commenting on the image for nearly a week in order to verify the individual’s identity, which matched the person who had previously contacted him. He added that he also needed time to balance his activism with his professional and business commitments. — March 2, 2026