SheikhAhmed Deedat held a firm belief in open and sincere interreligious dialogue [Rajesh Jantilal/AFP/Getty Images] Sheikh Deedat was a charismatic, self-taught Muslim scholar from South Africa, most famous for engaging Christian evangelists in public debate. In 1986, he debated Jimmy Swaggart and even challenged the late Pope John Paul II to a debate in the
Flag of South Africa. Photo by Tjeerd Wiersma- Wikimedia. South Africa is known not only for Nelson Mandela, but also for Muslim scholar Shaikh Ahmed Deedat, who is known for his passionate and humorous inter-religious public debates. He debated Jimmy Swaggart in 1986 and challenged the late Pope John Paul II to a debate in the Vatican Square. His son, Yousuf Deedat, refers to him as a âstage lion.â 1. Ahmed Deedat was one of the influential South African Muslim figures Sheikh Ahmed Deedat, a man who completely redefined Islam for the West and founded a dangerous enemy to the Christian missionary ideology, is profiled below. 2. He made the world rethink about Islam and Christianity Flag of South Africa. Photo by Tjeerd Wiersma- Wikimedia. âHe motivated and inspired millions of people from various religions and backgrounds all over the world.â According to former IPCI director and personal friend Fuad Hendricks, Deedat aimed to alleviate âmyths and lies about Islam and Christianityâ through books such as Crucifixion or Cruci-Fiction? and What the Bible says about Muhammed. âShaikh Deedat caused people to question their religious beliefs and seek answers.â âHe even forced Muslims to reconsider their religious beliefs,â Hendricks said. âHe became an expert on the Bible.â âHis mission was to restate that Jesus peace be upon him needed to be acknowledged and applauded as a prophet of Allah in the same way that Adam, Moses, and Muhammad peace be upon them were,â Hendricks continued. 3. Deedatâs early childhood Deedat was born in the Indian province of Surat in 1918. Soon after, his father, a tailor, immigrated to South Africa. Deedat joined him in the city of Durban, on South Africaâs east coast, in 1927. Deedat studied hard in school, but poverty pushed him to leave and begin working when he was 16. Deedat first became interested in religious studies while working as a furniture salesman and encountering missionaries sent to convert non-Christians. Many deem Deedat to be a Bible scholar rather than a Quran scholar. 4. Ahmedâs heroic gestures to the world Among Deedatâs close friends were Goolam Hoosein Vanker and Taahir Rasool, whom many regard as Deedatâs âunsung heroes.â They founded a study circle to examine the teachings of the Quran, and Deedat and Vanker established the IPCI in Durban in 1956. Deedat gave his first public lecture in 1942, at the Avalon Cinema in Durban. Muhammad Messenger of Peace was his topic. Deedat spent the next four decades studying and memorizing the Bible and Quran, giving lectures and participating in public debates all over the world. He wrote over 20 books, which are now available in a variety of languages. 5. Nelson Mandela awarded him for his good work Deedat was commended by Mandela and received the Saudi Arabian King Faisal Award in 1986 for outstanding services to Islam. âShaikh Deedat is a motivation to us and managed to help Muslims reinstate their integrity, particularly after defeating the likes of Christian evangelist preacher Jimmy Swaggart,â Ebrahim Jadwat, a close family friend and secretary-general of the IPCI, told Another of Deedatâs famous debates was with Bishop Josh McDowell on Was Christ Crucified? in Durban in 1981. âHe beat the missionaries by questioning them rationally,â Jadwat says. 6. Ahmedâs suffered a stroke Flag of South Africa. Photo by Tjeerd Wiersma- Wikimedia. Deedatâs stroke rendered him unable to speak, swallow, or express himself. âBut his mind was as sharp as it had always been,â says Yusuf Deedat, his son. âHe could see, hear, laugh, and cry, and he could blink. And, more notably, he was able to reason.â Deedatâs wife cared for him at their home during this time. âAll through his life, she was my fatherâs backbone, a pillar of strength and support.â âHawa Deedat inspired my father and believed in his mission more than the shaikh,â Yusuf explained. Deedat was able to address politics and debate with members of the Christian clergy who visited him amidst his condition. Using an alphabet grid, Deedat signaled yesâ with a blink and noâ with a widening of the eyes, guiding his son to spell out words letter by letter. The grid had rows numbered one through five. Row one contained letters A through E, row two contained letters F through J, and so on. Deedat told shortly before his death, âSince my illness, I have learned to laugh and cry easily.â 7. Early missionary activity 1942-1956 Deedatâs first lecture, âMuhammad Messenger of Peace,â was given to a fifteen-person audience at the Avalon Cinema in Durban in 1942. The Guided Toursâ of the Jumma Mosque in Durban were a major vehicle of Deedatâs early missionary activity. The massive ornamental Jumma Mosque was a landmark in Durban, a tourist-friendly city. A program of luncheons, speeches, and free handouts was devised to provide an increasing number of international tourists with their first glimpse of Islam. Deedat was one of the guides, hosting tourists and explaining Islam and its relationship with Christianity. Deedat moved to Pakistan with his family in 1949 and spent three years in Karachi near Pakistan Chowk. As per a Pakistan Television interview, he was a strong supporter of the concept of an Islamic state. 8. What did Deedat do on his death bed? Deedat was studying right up until the moment he died. He influenced passages and maintained contact with people all over the world. âThe shaikhâs professional life in the latter part was incredibly focused,â Hendricks said. Deedat had two framed quotations by his bedside in his room. One was a Quranic verse from Chapter 21, The Prophets âAnd remember Job when He cried to his Lord, Truly distress has seized me, but Thou art the Most Merciful of those who are merciful.â The second said, âThere is no limit to what a man can accomplish if he doesnât care who gets the credit.â 9. Deedatâs style on religion âDeedatâs daâwa is of a specific kind,â says one scholar, Brian Larkin. He says little about the errors of Sufism or Shiâism, for example, and makes no specific requirement for the establishment of an Islamic state though he was supportive of these efforts in Nigeria. Instead, he devotes his entire agenda to undermining and refuting Christian evangelism, as well as arming Muslims against Christian attacks. Thereby, his fame stems from his extensive knowledge of the Bible rather than his mastery of Islamic sciences. According to one Nigerian, Deedat âopened the eyes of millions of Muslims to the fine art of inter-religious dialogue.â His command of the English language, debating skills, and knowledge of other scriptures âendeared him to millions of people who have seen his videos or read his tracts, millions of which are sent out free of charge all over the world⊠Deedatâs authority comes from his mastery of Christian texts rather than Muslim texts, as well as his proficiency in English rather than Arabic.â 10. Deedatâs death Flag of South Africa. Photo by Tjeerd Wiersma- Wikimedia. He received hundreds of letters of support from people all over the world, and local and international visitors continued to pay him visits and express their gratitude for his efforts. Ahmed Deedat died on August 8, 2005, at his home on Trevennen Road in Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal. He was laid to rest in the Verulam cemetery. Hawa Deedat died at their home on Monday, August 28, 2006, at the age of 85. Ismail ibn Musa Menk led his funeral prayer.Accordingto the police, the 65-year-old Yousuf Deedat-son of Sheikh Ahmed Deedat was shot in the head as he walked towards the Verulam family court on the outskirts of Durban with his wife. READ ALSO: WATCH DJ Cuppyâs Reaction After She Reportedly Tasted Sachet Water For The First Time.
Thu 16 Jan 2020 1102 AM The son of late Shaykh Ahmed Deedat, Yousuf Deedat, a community activist, has been transferred to a nearby hospital after he was shot in his head outside Verulam Family Court on Wednesday. ButâŠWhat is behind this attempted murder? The police, in South Africa, are still investigating the reasons behind the incident. According to initial investigations, Yousuf Deedat was walking towards the Verulam family court with his wife, while an unidentified armed shot him in the head. The reasons for the shooting are still unknown and the attacker drove away. The victim was rushed to the hospital for medical care. Meanwhile, Deedatâs family has released a statement dispelling rumors that he had been killed. On his part, Prem Balram, director of Reaction Unit SA, who was first to reach the scene, said that a security officer pursued the suspect who got into an awaiting white Mazda car on Groom Street and sped off. Balram added that the activist was due to appear in the Verulam Magistrate's Court for a matter. Social media users falsely circulated news that Deedat has been killed due to injuries. Yousufâs son Raees said that his father is in a critical condition in the hospital. âWhile his injuries are severe, we are hopeful for his recovery,â Raees said, adding, âThe coming 48 hours are vital for his recovery as he receives the best medical care available.â
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