The Charity Commission has initiated an assessment of concerns that a charity invited a speaker, who was banned from the UK, to talk at a conference in Birmingham.

Indian national Dr Zakir Naik was due to speak at the Freedom of Expression event hosted by the UK charity Islamic Dawah Centre International (IDCI) on 27 June but could not attend due to an exclusion order placed on him by Theresa May earlier in the month.

In placing the exclusion order May advised that : "Numerous comments made by Dr Naik are evidence to me of his unacceptable behavior," an example of which is a statement he allegedly made that "all muslims should be terrorists". But her decision has proved controversial with Naik being a popular and largely respected Islamic speaker and founder of the not-for-profit Islamic Research foundation, which also owns Peace TV.

While the IDCI event did not go ahead as planned it has been postponed rather than cancelled, awaiting the exclusion order being lifted, said IDCI chairman Mohammed Zameer.

The charity was set up in 2000 with its purpose to convey the “message of Islam to masses in Britain and overseas” and to “counter the ever increasing misunderstanding and misconceptions about Islam.”

The Charity Commission advised Civil Society that after being made aware of the conference it is currently assessing the situation:

"Concerns have been raised with the Charity Commission regarding the charity Islamic Dawah Centre International (registered charity no.1092139)," said a Charity Commission spokesperson. "We are currently assessing these concerns in order to establish what, if any, regulatory role the Commission may have."

However, according to IDCI's chair the Commission has not yet been in touch. Zameer said: "They are not in touch with us, no...Obviously  if the Charity Commission think there is reason they will be in touch."