From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Ahmed Deedat Deedat photo.jpg Born Ahmed Hoosen Deedat 1 July 1918 Surat, Bombay Presidency, British India Died 8 August 2005 (aged 87) Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa Resting place Verulam cemetery Ethnicity Indian Occupation Missionary, orator, public speaker, writer Years active 1942–1996 Known for Comparative religion Religion Islam Denomination Sunni Spouse(s) Hawa Deedat Awards King Faisal International Prize (1986) Website ahmed-deedat.net Ahmed Hoosen Deedat (Arabic: احمد حسين ديدات July 1918 – 8 August 2005) was a South African writer and public speaker of Indian descent.[1] He was best known as a Muslim missionary who held numerous inter-religious public debates with evangelical Christians, as well as video lectures, most of which centred on Islam, Christianity and the Bible. He also established the IPCI, an international Islamic missionary organisation, and wrote several booklets on Islam and Christianity which were widely distributed by the organisation. He was awarded the prestigious King Faisal International Prize in 1986 for his 50 years of missionary work. He used English to get his message across to Muslims and non-Muslims in the western world.[2] Contents [hide] 1 Biography 1.1 Early Years 1918–1942 1.2 Early missionary work 1942–1956 1.3 IPCI and as-Salaam 1956–1986 1.4 International efforts 1985–1995 1.5 Illness and death 1996–2005 2 Debates 2.1 Debates with Anis Shorrosh 2.2 Debate with Jimmy Swaggart 2.3 Other notable debates 2.4 Deedat and the Pope 3 Writings and speeches 4 Criticism 5 See also 6 References Biography[edit] Early Years 1918–1942[edit] Deedat was born in town of Tadkeshwar, Surat, Bombay Presidency, British India in 1918.[3] His father had emigrated to South Africa shortly after his birth. At the age of 9, Deedat left India to join his father in what is now known as Kwazulu-Natal. His mother died only a few months after his departure. Arriving in South Africa, Deedat applied himself with diligence to his studies, overcoming the language barrier and excelling in school, even getting promoted until he completed standard 6. However, due to financial circumstances, he had to quit school and start working by the time he was the age of 16.[4] In 1936, while working as a furniture salesman, he met a group of missionaries at a Christian seminary on the Natal South Coast who, during their efforts to convert people of Muslim faith, often accused the Islamic Prophet Muhammad of having used the sword to bring people to Islam. Such accusations offended Deedat and created his interest in comparative religion.[5] Deedat took a more active interest in religious debate after he came across the book Izhar ul-Huqq (Truth Revealed), written by Rahmatullah Kairanawi, while he was rummaging for reading material in his employers basement.[6] This book chronicled the efforts of Christian missionaries in India a century earlier. The book had a profound effect on Deedat, who bought a Bible and held debates and discussions with trainee missionaries, whose questions he had previously been unable to answer.[5] He started attending Islamic study classes held by a local Muslim convert named Mr. Fairfax. Seeing the popularity of the classes, Mr. Fairfax offered to teach an extra session on the Bible and how to preach to Christians about Islam.[5] Shortly thereafter, Fairfax had to pull out and Deedat, by this point quite knowledgeable about the Bible, took over teaching the class, which he did for three years. Early missionary work 1942–1956[edit] Deedats first lecture, entitled Muhammad: Messenger of Peace, was delivered in 1942 to an audience of fifteen people at a Durban cinema named Avalon Cinema.[7] Over time Deedats popularity as a public speaker grew in Durban, to the point that he was invited to speak in other cities in South Africa. A decade later he was filling city halls in cities such as Johannesburg and Cape Town. A major vehicle of Deedats early missionary activity was the Guided Tours of the Jumma Mosque in Durban. The vast ornamental Jumma Mosque was a landmark site in the tourist-friendly city of Durban. A program of luncheons, speeches and free hand-outs was created to give an increasingly large number of international tourists what was often their first look at Islam. Deedat himself was one of the guides, hosting tourists and giving introductions to Islam and its relationship with Christianity.[8] IPCI and as-Salaam 1956–1986[edit] Among Deedats close friends were Goolam Hoosein Vanker and Taahir Rasool, whom many refer to as the unsung heroes of Deedats career.[4] In 1957, these three men founded the Islamic Propagation Centre International (IPCI) with the aim of printing a variety of books on Islam and offering classes to new Muslims converts.[9] In 1958, Deedat established an Islamic seminary called As-Salaam Educational Institute on a donated 75-acre (300,000 m2) piece of land located in Braemar in the south of Natal province.[10] The experiment was not a success, however, because of the IPCs lack of manpower and paucity of funds, and was taken over by the Muslim Youth Movement in 1973. Deedat then returned to Durban and expanded the IPCs activities.[5] International efforts 1985–1995[edit] By the early 1980s Ahmed Deedats work was beginning to be known outside his native South Africa. His international profile grew in 1986, when he received the King Faisal Award for his services to Islam in the field of Dawah (Islamic missionary activity).[5] As a result, at age of 66, Deedat began a decade of international speaking tours around the world. His tours included: Saudi Arabia and Egypt (on several occasions) United Kingdom (on several occasions between 1985 and 1988, as well as Switzerland in 1987) Pakistan, where Deedat met Zia al-Haq UAE and Maldives Islands (Nov–Dec 1987), where Deedat was honoured by President Gayhoom[5] The US (late 1986 featuring debates with Swaggart, Robert Douglas and several lectures including two in Arizona) Sweden and Denmark (late 1991, featuring three debates) US and Canada (1994, tour featuring debates in Canada and lectures in Chicago) Australia (his last tour in early 1996, just before his stroke) On the other hand, in South Africa problems arose after the publication of From Hinduism to Islam (1987), a critique of Hindu beliefs and practices.[5] Among others, Deedat criticised South African Hindus for praying to their various deities and being easily moved to convert to Christianity.[11] Hindus and Christians had respected his oratory skills and arguments until then. But now, they rejected Deedat and united with other South African Muslim organisations in denouncing his attacks on other religions.[11] Two years later, Jews joined the criticism after Deedat published Arab and Israel – Conflict or Conciliation?[5] Illness and death 1996–2005[edit] On 3 May 1996, Ahmed Deedat suffered a stroke which left him paralysed from the neck down because of a cerebral vascular accident affecting the brain stem, leaving him unable to speak or swallow.[12] He was flown to King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh, where he was reported to be fully alert. He learned to communicate through a series of eye-movements via a chart whereby he would form words and sentences by acknowledging letters read to him.[12] He spent the last nine years of his life in a bed in his home in South Africa, looked after by his wife, Hawa Deedat, encouraging people to engage in Dawah (proselytizing Islam).[12] He received hundreds of letters of support from around the world, and local and international visitors continued to visit him and thank him for his work.[5] On 8 August 2005, Ahmed Deedat died at his home on Trevennen Road in Verulam in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. He is buried at the Verulam cemetery.[13] Hawa Deedat died on Monday 28 August 2006 at the age of 85, one year after her husband, at Deedats home.[14] Debates[edit] Deedats first well-known debate took place in August 1981, when he debated well-known Christian preacher Josh McDowell in Durban, South Africa.[15] Many of his debates have later been broadcast online on YouTube, among other sites. Debates with Anis Shorrosh[edit] Deedats disagreements with Palestinian-American Christian missionary Anis Shorrosh first came to public attention when Shorrosh appeared among the audience during the questions and answers sessions[16] on two separate occasions during Deedats summer 1985 tour of the UK (where he debated Floyd E. Clark in what is now considered another one of his early international works).[5] Deedat and Shorrosh later held two highly contentious debates. The first, entitled Is Jesus God?[5] took place in December 1985 at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The second debate was organised with much fanfare and held in Birmingham, UK on 7 August 1988, entitled The Quran or the Bible: Which is Gods Word.[5] This debate lasted four hours, including the questions and answers session. Debate with Jimmy Swaggart[edit] Deedats best-known moment[citation needed] came when he debated with televangelist Jimmy Swaggart at a time when Swaggart was one of the leading faces of Evangelical Christianity. Entitled Is The Bible the Word of God?,[5] the debate occurred in Swaggarts hometown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in November 1986 at Louisiana State University, where it was attended by about 8,000 people. Other notable debates[edit] In October and November 1991 Deedat toured Scandinavia, where he held three debates and several speeches. Two of these debates were held on successive nights against Pastor Stanley Sjöberg in Stockholm, Sweden. The first of these was entitled Is the Bible the True Word of God?[5][17] and the second debate was Is Jesus God?. Deedat then travelled to Denmark, where he held a debate with Pastor Eric Bock in Copenhagen, entitled Is Jesus God?[citation needed] Deedat and the Pope[edit] After Pope John Paul II had called for better relations and peaceful intellectual dialogue with the Muslims,[18] Deedat challenged him in 1984 to a public debate in the Vatican Square, but the Pope did not accept.[5] When the Popes staff stopped answering, Deedat distributed a pamphlet in January 1985 headlined His Holiness Plays Hide and Seek With Muslims.[19] Writings and speeches[edit] Cover of Ahmed Deedats book The Choice Deedat published and mass-produced over one dozen palm-sized booklets focusing on the following major themes.[20] Most of Deedats numerous lectures, as well as most of his debates in fact, focus on and around these same themes. Often the same theme has several video lectures to its credit, having been delivered at different times and different places. Is the Bible Gods Word?[21] What The Bible Says About Muhammad Crucifixion or Cruci-Fiction?[22] several smaller spin-off titles on specific aspects of Crucifixion Muhammad: The Natural Successor to Christ Christ in Islam[23] Muhammad The Greatest Al-Quran the Miracle of Miracles[24] Capitalizing on his popularity in the Middle East following his receipt of the King Faisal Award, Deedat secured a grant to print a collated volume of four of his popular booklets. 10,000 copies of this book titled The Choice: Islam and Christianity were initially printed on April 1993;[25] this book was very popular in the 1990s, available for free at many missionary outlets across North America. Subsequently, several printing houses offered to print more, and within two years another 250,000 copies had been printed in several print runs across the Middle East. Later, a second paperback volume entitled The Choice: Volume Two containing six more of Deedats booklets was published. Deedat also widely promoted a South African printing of The Holy Quran Translation by Abdullah Yusuf Ali with commentary and a detailed index. This was widely sold at subsidised cost to the general public, and is often mentioned in Deedats speeches. Deedat also produced a booklet entitled Al-Quran: the Ultimate Miracle featuring the theory of the Number 19 that was popularised by Arizona-based Egyptian computer analyst Dr. Rashad Khalifa. However, this booklet was withdrawn after Dr. Khalifa disclosed some controversial beliefs, including his rejection of the entire Hadith literature of Islam.[26] Criticism[edit] Deedats debates and writings have been labelled a form of apologetics[2] by Lloyd V. J. Ridgeon, professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Glasgow. Muslim scholar Farid Esack has criticised Deedat, comparing him to such fundamentalists as Rabbi Meir Kahane and Jerry Falwell, and writing:[27] Deedats multitude of anti-Christian, anti-Jewish and anti-Hindu videotapes have told us all that there is to be told about the other, and we are comfortable with that. There are times, of course, when questions surface about the importance of correct dogma, about the importance of labels to a God whom we believe sees beyond labels and looks at the hearts of people. Instead of pursuing these questions, we hasten back and seek refuge in the known. We order another of those Deedat tapes.[27] The Stephen Roth institute for the study of contemporary antisemitism and racism calls Deedat anti-Jewish but does not elaborate.[28] In France sale and distribution of his books has been forbidden since 1994 as they are said to be violently anti-western, antisemitic and inciting to racial hate. [29] Following his 1981 debate with Deedat, Josh McDowell released a book which included criticism of a number of Deedats arguments from a Christian perspective.[30] Deedat responded to McDowells book in chapters 17 and 19 of Crucifixion or Cruci-fiction.[31] In his last tour to Australia, the publicity resulting from the presence of Deedat caused Franca Arena, member of the Legislative Council of the government of New South Wales to comment in her speech concerning racism: “ Of course, other victims of racism are often Australians who are visibly different, especially women who wear Muslim attire. While I condemn such attacks, I also condemn attacks against Christians by Muslims who come to Australia to sow the seed of religious hatred. In this regard I refer to Islamic evangelist Sheik Ahmed Deedat, a South African who, on Good Friday, spoke about Easter, indulged in bible-bashing and incited racial hatred. I am all for freedom of speech, but our leaders should show some understanding and, above all, respect for the views and beliefs of others. Australia can do without people like Sheik Deedat. I do not know why he came to Australia or why he adopted such a confrontationist approach on Good Friday at a big public meeting at Sydney Town Hall when he disparaged the Christian faith. I certainly do not support such an approach.[32] ” See also[edit] Dawah Islamic view of Jesus death Swoon hypothesis Zakir Naik References[edit] Jump up ^ Ahmed Deedat – How It All Began, by Fatima Asmal, Islamic Voice, September 2005 ^ Jump up to: a b David Westerlund, Ahmed Deedats Theology of Religion: Apologetics through Polemics. Journal of Religion in Africa, 33(3). 2003 Jump up ^ Ahmed Deedat Islamic Research Foundation. Retrieved on 29 July 2009. ^ Jump up to: a b The life of Shaikh Ahmed Deedat at the Wayback Machine (archived February 25, 2007) By Asim Khan, 21 January 2006, on Aljazeera.net ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Obituary (Archive): Ahmed Hoosen Deedat (1918–2005): by Goolam Vahed, Department of History, University of KwaZulu Natal Jump up ^ Ahmed Deedat exposes lies of Shia scholar on YouTube Interview. Retrieved on 18 March 2012. Jump up ^ Demystifying Islam and Debating Christianity, Imran Garda, 2006 Jump up ^ Durban See & Do Guide: Jumma Musjid Mosque Jump up ^ Islamic Propagation Centre International Jump up ^ Islamic icon leaves behind a legacy, IOL.co.za, 9 August 2005 ^ Jump up to: a b South African Muslims reject anti-Hindu DVD at the Wayback Machine (archived March 12, 2007), India E-news, Sunday, March 12, 2006 ^ Jump up to: a b c Medical Report on Sheikh Ahmed Deedat Jump up ^ Muslims Mourn Sheikh Ahmed Deedat Jump up ^ Wife of Sheikh Ahmed Deedat passes on... by Shahid Akmal, The Muslim News, 7 September 2006 Jump up ^ Was Christ Crucified? – transcript of debate between Ahmed Deedat and Josh McDowell, IsNet.org Jump up ^ Was Christ Crucified? – video of Deedats debate with Dr. Floyd E. Clark; Anis Shorrosh seen during Q&A Session. Jump up ^ Extracts from the debate between Deedat & Sjoberg at the Wayback Machine (archived June 22, 2001) Jump up ^ Pope made important overtures to non-Christian religions; By Jerry Filteau, Catholic News Service, 2005 Jump up ^ His Holiness Plays Hide and Seek With Muslims at the Wayback Machine (archived June 19, 2001); Ahmed Deedat Jump up ^ Islam And Christianity – A Comparative Analysis Jump up ^ Is the Bible Gods Word?, by Ahmed Deedat Jump up ^ Crucifixion or Cruci-fiction, by Ahmed Deedat Jump up ^ Christ in Islam, by Ahmed Deedat Jump up ^ Al-Quran the Miracle of Miracles, by Ahmed Deedat Jump up ^ The Choice: Islam and Christianity, by Ahmed Deedat Jump up ^ [1][dead link] ^ Jump up to: a b To whom shall we give access to our water holes?, by Farid Esack Jump up ^ Tel-Aviv University Jump up ^ Details for individual publications at Légifrance: [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] Jump up ^ The Islam Debate, Josh McDowell and John Gilchrist, Heres Life Publishers, 1983 Jump up ^ Crucifixion or Cruci-fiction, by Ahmed Deedat Jump up ^ Racism. Parliament of New South Wales. 30 May 1996. Retrieved 2013-11-26.
Posted on: Wed, 25 Jun 2014 20:10:56 +0000
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