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Ahmed Deedat
November 21, 2006
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Ahmed Deedat
Born in the Surat district of India in 1918, Ahmed Hoosen Deedat had no
recollection of his father untill 1926. His father a tailor by profession had
emigrated to South Africa shortly after the birth of Ahmed Deedat.
With no formal education and fighting off the extreme pangs of poverty, he went
to South Africa in 1927 to be with his father. His farewell to his mother in
India in 1927 was the last time he saw her alive for she passed away a few
months later.
In a foreign land, a boy of nine with no formal schooling and command of the
English language began preparing for the role he was to play decades later
without realizing it.
Applying himself with diligence to his studies, the little boy not only was able
to overcome the language barrier but excelled in school. His avid passion for
reading helped him gain promotions until he completed standard 6. Lack of
finance interrupted his schooling and at the early age of about 16 he took on
the first of many jobs in retailing.
The most significant of these was in 1936 where he worked at a Muslim owned
store near a Christian seminary on the Natal South Coast. The incessant insults
of the trainee missionaries hurled against Islam during their brief visits to
the store infused a stubborn flame of desire within the young man to counteract
their false propaganda.
As fate would have it, Ahmad Deedat discovered by pure chance a book entitled
Izharal-Haq, meaning the Truth revealed. This book recorded the techniques and
enormous success of the efforts of Muslims in India in turning the tables
against Christian missionary harassment during the British subjugation and rule
of India. In particular the idea of holding debates had a profound effect on
Ahmed Deedat.
Armed with this new found zeal, Ahmed Deedat purchased his first Bible and began
holding debates and discussions with the trainee missionaries. When they beat a
hasty retreat in the face of his incisive counter arguments, he personally
called on their teachers and even priests in the surrounding areas.
These successes spurred Ahmed Deedat in the dirrection of Da’wah. Not even his
marriage, birth of Children and a 3 year sohourn to Pakistan after its
independence dampened his enthusiasm or dulled his desire to defend Islam from
the deceitful distortions of the Christian missionaries.
With missionary zeal to project the Truth and beauty of Islam, Ahmed Deedat
immersed hiself into a host of activities over the next three decades. He
conducted classes on Bible studies and gave numerous lectures. He established
the As-Salaam, an institute to train propagators of Islam. He, together with his
family, almost single-handedly erected the buildings including the masjid which
is still a landmark today.
He was a founder member of the Islamic Propagation Centre International (IPCI)
and became its President, a position he still holds today. He has published over
20 books and distributed milions of copies free of charge. He has delivered
thousand of lectures all over the world and successfully engaged Christian
Evangelists in public debates. Several thousand people have come into the fold
of Islam as a result of these efforts.
In a fitting tribute to this monumental achievement, he was awarded the King
Faisal International award in 1986, a prestigious recognition of enormous value
in the world of Islam.
No number of awards and honours can truly capture the man’s essence and zeal for
Islam. This anthology of books is no exception. It demonstrates Sheikh Deedat’s
analytical compilations drawn from personal encounters and experiences against
Christian distortions.
In 1996 Shaikh Ahmed Deedat suffered from a serious stroke and remained
paralysed and bedridden for 9 years. On 8th August, 2005 he passed away. May
Allah (swt) bless his soul with Jannatul Firdous for his path-breaking and
excellent efforts for Daw’ah of Islam worldwide as well as reigniting the spirit
of self-esteem and renaissance amongst millions of Muslims the world over.
Books by Shaikh Ahmed Deedat: The Choice - Between Islam and Christianity -
Volume I The Choice - Between Islam and Christianity - Volume II Is the Bible
God’s Word? Al Qur’an the Miracle of Miracles What is His Name? Christ in Islam
What was the sign of Jonah? What the Bible says about Muhammed (pbuh)?
Resurrection or Resuscitation? Arabs and Israel – Conflict or Conciliation?
Crucifixion or Cruci-Fiction?
49, Trevenneri Road, Verulam 4340, Republic of South Africa. Tel (Res.): 331790
Postal Address : 49, Trevenneri Road, Verulam 4340, Republic of South Africa.
Tel (Res.): 331790
Source:
http://karalite.blogspot.com/2006/11/ahmed-deedat-born-in-surat-district-of.html
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