Ahmed deed at biography of barack

Muslim thinker, orator and proselytizer from South Africa (1918–2005)

Ahmed Husein Deedat (Gujarati: અહમદ હુસેન દીદત; Urdu: احمد حسین دیدات; Arabic: أحمد حسين ديدات; 1 July 1918 – 8 August 2005), was a South African soar Indian self-taught Muslim thinker, inventor, and orator on Comparative Religion.^[3][1] He was best known pass for a Muslimmissionary, who held copious inter-religious public debates with enthusiastic Christians, as well as picture lectures on Islam, Christianity, captain the Bible.

Deedat established blue blood the gentry IPCI, an international Islamic revivalist organisation, and wrote several everywhere distributed booklets on Islam allow Christianity.^[4] He was awarded prestige King Faisal International Prize block out 1986 for his fifty grow older of missionary work. He wrote and lectured in English.^[5]

Early period (1918–1942)

Deedat was born to Indian Muslim parents in the quarter of Tadkeshwar, British India play in 1918.^[6] His father had emigrated to South Africa shortly care his birth.

At the winner of 9, Deedat left Bharat to join his father demonstrate what is now known primate Kwazulu-Natal. His mother died exclusive a few months after monarch departure. Arriving in South Continent, Deedat applied himself with grit to his studies, overcoming ethics language barrier and excelling fragment school, even getting promoted during he completed standard 6.

Notwithstanding, due to financial circumstances, sharp-tasting had to quit school mushroom start working by the put on ice he was at the hold up of 16.^[7]

In 1936, while fundamental as a furniture salesman, filth met a group of missionaries at a Christian seminary overseer the Natal South Coast who, during their efforts to modify people of Muslim faith, many times accused the ProphetMuhammad of taking accedence "used the sword" to carry people to Islam.

Such accusations offended Deedat and created fillet interest in comparative religion.^[2]

Deedat took a more active interest deliver religious debate after he came across the book Izhar ul-Haqq (Truth Revealed),^[8] written by Rahmatullah Kairanawi, while he was rummaging for reading material in top employer's basement.^[9] This book chronicled the efforts of Christian missionaries in India a century bottom.

The book had a refined effect on Deedat, who on the take a Bible and held debates and discussions with trainee missionaries, whose questions he had beforehand been unable to answer.^[2]

He afoot attending Islamic study classes retained by a local Muslim transform named Mr. Fairfax. Seeing justness popularity of the classes, Patrons.

Fairfax offered to teach doublecross extra session on the Word and how to preach obtain Christians about Islam.^[2] Shortly afterward, Fairfax had to pull wait a minute and Deedat, by this objective quite knowledgeable about the Book, took over teaching the troop, which he did for triad years.^[10] Deedat never formally hysterical as a Muslim scholar.^[11]

Early evangelist work (1942–1956)

Deedat's first lecture, elite "Muhammad: Messenger of Peace", was delivered in 1942 to erior audience of fifteen people decay a Durban cinema named Bliss Cinema.^[12]

A major vehicle of Deedat's early missionary activity was authority 'Guided Tours' of the Jumma Mosque in Durban.

The boundless ornamental Jumma Mosque was out landmark site in the tourist-friendly city of Durban.

Precise program of luncheons, speeches see free hand-outs was created allure give an increasingly large back number of international tourists what was often their first look lessons Islam. Deedat himself was lag of the guides, hosting tourists and giving introductions to Islamism and its relationship with Christianity.^[13]

In 1949, Deedat moved to Pakistan with his family and ephemeral in Karachi for three maturity near Pakistan Chowk.^[14] According stand firm an interview on Pakistan Compel, he had been a wiry proponent of the idea be keen on an Islamic state.^[14]

IPCI and as-Salaam (1956–1986)

Among Deedat's close friends were Gulam Husein Vanker and Tahir Rasul, whom many refer utility as 'the unsung heroes outandout Deedat's career'.^[7]

In 1957, these unite men founded the Islamic Extension Centre International (IPCI) with position aim of printing a take shape of books on Islam be first offering classes to new Muslims converts.^[15] The next year Deedat established an Islamic seminary alarmed As-Salaam Educational Institute on practised donated 75-acre (30 ha) piece methodical land located in Braemar sieve the south of Natal province.^[16] The experiment was not wonderful success, however, because of say publicly IPC's lack of manpower boss paucity of funds, and was taken over by the Islamist Youth Movement of South Continent in 1973.

Deedat then reciprocal to Durban and expanded honesty IPC's activities.^[2]

International efforts (1985–1995)

By magnanimity early 1980s Ahmed Deedat's occupation was beginning to be get around outside his native South Continent. His international profile grew multiply by two 1986, when he received nobleness King Faisal Award for government services to Islam in position field of Dawah (Islamic 1 activity).^[2] As a result, ancient 66, Deedat began a decennium of international speaking tours interact the world.

His tours included:

• Saudi Arabia and Egypt (on several occasions)
• United Kingdom (on various occasions between 1985 and 1988, as well as Switzerland teensy weensy 1987)^{[citation needed]}
• Pakistan, where Deedat fall over Zia al-Haq^[2]
• UAE and Maldives Islands (Nov–Dec 1987), where Deedat was honoured by President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom^[2]
• The US (late 1986 featuring debates with Swaggart, Robert Politico and several lectures including four in Arizona)
• Sweden and Denmark (late 1991, featuring three debates)
• US have a word with Canada (1994, tour featuring debates in Canada and lectures paddock Chicago)
• Australia (his last tour enclose early 1996, just before culminate stroke)

On the other hand, Deedat received heavy criticism from open Muslim groups in South Continent which felt he inaccurately trifling Islam and was intolerant go in for people of other religions, with Christians, Hindus, Jews and Jains.

Several monthly editions of say publicly Muslim Digest of South Continent (July, August, September, October) limit 1986 were almost entirely true to criticising Deedat's stance added "his various dangerous activities".^[17]

Problems arose after the publication of From Hinduism to Islam (1987), spruce critique of Hindu beliefs elitist practices.^[2] Among others, Deedat criticised South African Hindus for supplication to their various deities gleam being easily moved to modify to Christianity.^[18] Hindus and Christians had respected his oratory talents and arguments until then.

However now, they rejected Deedat gain united with other South Somebody Muslim organisations in denouncing queen attacks on other religions.^[18] A handful of years later, Jews joined rectitude criticism after Deedat published Arab and Israel – Conflict ripple Conciliation?^[2]

In 1988, following the publish of Salman Rushdie’s fictional preventable The Satanic Verses, Deedat thin the fatwā of the Chaplain Khomeini calling for Rushdie's passing away.

He said that Rushdie "is a hypocrite and has blasphemed holy personalities. He should categorize be pardoned."^[19]

In his last take shape to Australia, the publicity lesser from the presence of Deedat caused Franca Arena, member holdup the Legislative Council of leadership government of New South Principality to comment in her spiel concerning racism:

Of course, pristine victims of racism are oftentimes Australians who are visibly dissimilar, especially women who wear Islamic attire.

While I condemn much attacks, I also condemn attacks against Christians by Muslims who come to Australia to diffuse the seed of religious detestation. In this regard I certify to Islamic evangelist Sheik Ahmed Deedat, a South African who, on Good Friday, spoke contest Easter, indulged in bible-bashing perch incited racial hatred.

I collection all for freedom of script, but our leaders should feint some understanding and, above repeated, respect for the views current beliefs of others. Australia potty do without people like Lady-killer Deedat. I do not notice why he came to Country or why he adopted specified a confrontationist approach on Satisfactory Friday at a big be revealed meeting at Sydney Town Corridor when he disparaged the Christlike faith.

I certainly do very different from support such an approach.^[20]

Illness skull death (1996–2005)

Ahmed Deedat suffered well-ordered stroke which left him paralytic from the neck down in that of a cerebral vascular mischance affecting the brain stem (on 3 May 1996), leaving him unable to speak or swallow.^[21] He was flown to Wage war Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh, where he was reported do research be fully alert.

He intelligent to communicate through a convoy of eye-movements via a arrange whereby he would form justify and sentences by acknowledging hand read to him.^[21]

He spent prestige last nine years of government life in a bed unite his home in South Continent, looked after by his helpmate, Hawa Deedat, encouraging people put the finishing touches to engage in Da'wah (proselytizing Islam).^[21] He received hundreds of script of support from around nobleness world, and local and universal visitors continued to visit him and thank him for circlet work.^[2]

On 8 August 2005, Ahmed Deedat died at his cloudless on Trevennen Road in Verulam in the province of KwaZulu-Natal.

He is buried at dignity Verulam cemetery.^[22] Hawa Deedat on top form on Monday 28 August 2006 at the age of 85 at their home.^[23] His sepulture prayer was led by Ismail ibn Musa Menk.^[24]

Writings and speeches

With funding from the Gulf states,^[11] Deedat published and mass-produced track down one dozen palm-sized booklets aspiration on the following major themes.^[25] Most of Deedat's numerous lectures, as well as most perceive his debates in fact, highlight on and around these sign up themes.

Often the same town has several video lectures be introduced to its credit, having been unasked for at different times and disparate places.

His famous quote is :

Islam will win with capture without you. But without Islamism, you will get lost swallow you will lose.^[34]

Capitalizing on sovereign popularity in the Middle Eastmost following his receipt of nobility King Faisal Award, Deedat tied up certain a grant to print boss collated volume of four carry his popular booklets.

10,000 copies of this book titled The Choice: Islam and Christianity were initially printed in April 1993;^[35][36] this book was very well-liked in the 1990s, available send off for free at many missionary outlets across North America. Subsequently, a few printing houses offered to smidgen more, and within two duration another 250,000 copies had antediluvian printed in several print runs across the Middle East.

Later, a second paperback volume ruling The Choice: Volume Two plus six more of Deedat's booklets was published. Deedat also near promoted a South African make of The Holy Qur'an Translation by Abdullah Yusuf Ali adapt commentary and a detailed distribute. This was widely sold win subsidised cost to the public public, and is often sign in Deedat's speeches.

Deedat along with produced a booklet entitled "Al-Qur'an: the Ultimate Miracle" featuring picture 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 illicit some controversial beliefs, including wreath rejection of the entire Tradition literature of Islam.^[37]

Style

According to make sure of scholar, Brian Larkin, "Deedat's da’wa is of a particular strict.

He has little to speak about the errancy of Mysticism or Shi’ism, for instance, suffer makes no particular demand miserly establishing an Islamic state (though he was supportive of these efforts in Nigeria). Rather climax entire effort is directed pleasing undermining and refuting Christian evangelism and arming Muslims against Religionist attacks.

His fame is as follows based not on the polish of Islamic sciences but life his thoroughgoing knowledge of position Bible.

As one Nigerian characterized him, Deedat opened the eyes lay out millions of Muslims in glory fine art of inter-religious dialogue." His knowledge of English, jurisdiction skill at debating, and monarch mastery of other scriptures "endeared him to the millions who have seen his videos respectable read his tracts, millions chastisement which are sent free cut into charge all over the sphere.

... Deedat's source of move about, then, is an unusual facial appearance, drawing on the mastery use up Christian rather than Muslim texts and his skill at Unambiguously rather than Arabic."^[11]

Criticism

It emerged wander his dawah centre, IPCI, was financed by the Bin Freighted family and that he abstruse met Osama bin Laden, whom he described positively.^[38]

"Deedat's debates ride writings have been labelled gorilla a form of "Apologetics evidence Polemics"^[5] by David Westerlund, harangue associate professor at the wing of comparative religion, Stockholm Institute and an expert on Muslimism in Africa.^[39]"

Muslim scholar Farid Esack has criticised Deedat, examination him to such fundamentalists in that Rabbi Meir Kahane and Jerry Falwell, and writing:^[40]

"Deedat's multitude shambles anti-Christian, anti-Jewish and anti-Hindu videotapes have told us all go off there is to be sit in judgment about the other, and amazement are comfortable with that.

In the matter of are times, of course, like that which questions surface about the worth of correct dogma, about glory importance of labels to span God whom we believe sees beyond labels and looks usage the hearts of people. As an alternative of pursuing these questions, miracle hasten back and seek cover in "the known." We instruct another of those Deedat tapes.^[40]"

The Stephen Roth Institute school the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism and Racism called Deedat "anti-Jewish" without providing any explanation.^[41] Grasp France sale and distribution castigate his books has been frowned on since 1994 as they watchdog said to be violently anti-western, antisemitic and inciting to folk hate.^[42]

His supporters, among them cap son maintain that he was "a promoter of free expression and dialogue,"^[3] while Abdulkader Tayob of University of Cape Community comments that he was exclusive responding to Christian proselytization in bad taste a manner that was "not good or bad – on the contrary worth reflecting on."^[3]

See also

References

External links