Muslim icon dies

Category: Featured, Life & Society, Nature & Science Views: 8486
8486

Monday, 8 August 2005: Sheikh Ahmed Deedat, founder of the Islamic Propagation Center International has passed away.

Sheikh Deedat had been struggling with illness since he suffered a severe stroke in 1996 that left him paralyzed for more than nine years. Throughout this period, he gracefully persevered under the most difficult personal conditions and continued to inspire, educate, challenge and inform people about the universal message of Islam. 

Brief Biography of Sheikh Deedat

Sheikh Ahmed Hoosen Deedat was Born on the 01 July 1918 in the Surat district of India in 1918. His father emigrated to South Africa in 1927 with him. Ahmed Deedat was a very bright student and excelled in school. Lack of finance interrupted his schooling and at an early age of 16 he took on the first of many jobs in retailing and short assistant.

After reading a book called Izharul Haq - The Truth revealed, a book about a debate with Christian Missionaries in the then British India, Sheikh Deedat was spurred on in the direction of creating Islamic awareness. 

Over the next four decades, he immersed himself into a host of activities. Conducting Bible classes, lectures and debates the world over. He established the first Islamic Seminary in Southern Africa to train propagators at Assalaam educational Institute. He is the founder of the largest Islamic Dawah Organization in the world, the Islamic Propagation Center International and became its president. 

He has published more than 20 books and distributed millions of copies of free literature and pamphlets the world over. Many of Sheikh Deedat's publications have been translated into several different languages: Russian, Urdu, Arabic, Bengali, French, Amharic, Chinese, Japanese, Mayalam, Indonesian, Zulu, Afrikaans, Dutch, Norwegian and others.

He delivered thousands of lectures all over the world, crossing all the continents and successfully engaging some of the biggest names in Christian evangelists in public debates. Sheikh Deedat's debates and lectures are available all over the world in the various languages.

His career in the field of Comparative Religion took him across all five continents and dialogue with the heads of the Protestant world in America and the late Pope John Paul.

Sheikh Deedat also received a personal phone call at the IPCI from former South African President Nelson Mandela who was in Saudi Arabia at the time, congratulating Deedat for his contribution to Islamic education.

He was awarded the prestigious King Faisal Award in 1986 for his sterling services to Islam in the field of Propagation.

May Almighty Allah bless his soul, accept his efforts for the cause of dawah and grant gracious patience to his loved ones during this trying time.

His funeral will leave his house 49 Trevenen Road, Lotusville Verulam at 5 pm. Proceeding to the Wick Street Musjid and after Magrib Salah / Prayer , he will be laid to rest in the Verulam Muslim Cemetery.

Ahmed Deedat Website


  Category: Featured, Life & Society, Nature & Science
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Older Comments:
MIR GHOUSE FROM BRUNEI DARUSSALAM said:
It is with the deepest sorrow I heard the demise of Hazrath Ahmed Deedat. One whom I had personally met on his visit to this country I carry the memorable advises and suggestions he offered us. I pray to Almighty to bless him HIS favourite place in Jannat ul Firdaus. Aameen.
2005-09-24

AYESHA FROM PAKISTAN said:
I was so grieved when i heard abt my dearest sheikh's death and tears instantly filled my eyes,I pray for him,I loved his lectures n speeches ,he did a great job though he passed only 6th grade,but worked more then Ph.D's.May ALLAH grant him a big place in Jannah,ameen.Our hats off to Sheikh!!
2005-09-19

ASMAU SAID FROM NIGERIA said:
Thi is a great loss to the muslim community,may his soul rest in peace.[AMEEN].And muslims should try to copy from him through hard work and developing intrest in understanding and passing the teachings of islam.
2005-08-16

ABDULKABIR FROM NIGERIA said:
Salamu alaykum,
I have asked many if this great daee was still alive, and only few were partially sure. May his soul rest in perfect peace and his efforts accepted by almighty Allah. He is a scholar of repute whose work will surely never die...
2005-08-12

OSMAN SHARIF HUSSEIN FROM UNITED STATES said:
MAY ALLAH BLESS HIS SOUL,HE WAS A CHAMPION OF ISLAMIC FAITH...
2005-08-12

TUAN RIZA RASSOOL FROM USA said:
I have never heard the Sheik 11 years ago until a Muslim brother gave a set of Sheik Deedat's books to read during a brief visit to Botswana. It inspired me and made me aware the beauty of Islam. He is truly inspirational and still do. In fact, I started re-reading his books just a few days ago.

May Allah (SWT) have mercy on his soul and admit him to Paradise!
2005-08-11

AILIA FROM IRAN said:
abdul azziz ,usa,33195
salaam alaikum,u wrote"THERE IS NO ICON in ISLAM.
Saying Muslim ICON is like saying Muslim Terrorist.It's an OXYMORON!Come on brothers and sisters ... let's start paying attention!"

my comment,icon means- A visual representation of an object or scene or person produced on a surface

Deedat sir,was the one,who unveiled the christianity,and brought into dialogue christians who were elated in self glory.he shooked the roots of bible.thus brought in many reverts.today its time for us 2 follow his acts in terms of dialogue.as prophet also used to dialogue,he also did,and his works(books) toady r very beneficial.

there is much to emulate from his works,be it shia sunni unity etc.
2005-08-11

AILIA FROM IRAN said:
Assalaamualaikum wa rahmatuallahi wa barakatahu,
inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajion.may Allah frogive him and bless him,and keep him in the company of the righteous.

He was the one who ripped the veil of westeners ignorance for there own religion.
2005-08-11

ZINEDINE FROM MOROCCO said:
Salaamu alaikum,

My brother in Islaam, Ahmad Asghar we will insha Allah overcome our historical ignorance that is sustained for centuries by religious and secular establishments about what it means to be Sunni and when we do so with an open mind without hate and prejudice towards each other and towards our ancestors; we will build a bridge between us. When we give our good ancestors the benefit of the doubt and cast away out the overtly bad ones then at that point the Sunni will understand that he or she is Shii and the Shii will also know he or she is Sunni.

For my brother in humanity Dale Bloomquist I just want to say to you that the late Shaikh Ahmad Deedat understood the Bible more that anyone of us can imagine. He knew that it was written in a Greco-Roman and Mysticism context that lay in the concept that there is an everlasting struggle between God and Man always fighting for control over knowledge and power and that the only way for salvation is to give up all that is material. He also knew almost all the modifications that the Holy Bible had gone thru to adjust to Greco-Roman and Hebrew worldview.

Wa salaamu alaikum wa rahmatu Allah
2005-08-10

MOHAMED ABDI FROM CANADA said:
Ina Lillahi Wa inaa iileehi raajiun.
May ALaahbless him.
2005-08-10

AHMED ASGHER FROM BAHRAIN said:
more than twenty years ago deedat, bless his soul, gave a few lectures in bahrain. i went to one and loved this man who spoke with so much love and truth. i wanted to ask him:"i can see you try so hard to bring muslims and christians together but what have you done to bring muslims together, (meaning shite/sunni)." somehow i refrained from putting such a question to him because i saw so much love in him. yet today, i read this speach by deedat. here http://islam-usa.com/e114.htm
May his soul rest in peace with Allah for deedat indeed served islam and he was a lover of Allah. bless him and bless all of us for having been acquainted with him who brought us a little bit closer to Allah.
2005-08-10

ALI FROM USA said:
Inna lillahi wa Inna Ilaihi Rajeeoon. May Allah blessed the soul of Ahmed Deedat and grant him jannatul firdaus. His superb work that he did for islam will remain alive Inshallah until the day of Judgement.
2005-08-09

ABDUL RAZAQ FROM IRELAND said:
my condolence to his family and all muslims for his demise. it is great loss for the nation
2005-08-09

DALE BLOMQUIST FROM USA said:
I express condolences to the family of Mr. Dedat. I feel badly that he was so critical of the Biblical record. He seem to not understand the history, cultural and context of the Bibical record. He seemed to miss the foundational message of the Bible. He suffered in such a terrible condition for ten years. I have heard that he was of the Ahmadiyyan sect of Islam. Is that true?
2005-08-09

ABDUL AZZIZ FROM USA said:
Salaam-

THERE IS NO ICON in ISLAM.
Saying Muslim ICON is like saying Muslim Terrorist.

It's an OXYMORON!

Come on brothers and sisters ... let's start paying attention!
2005-08-09

AHMAD SIRAJUDIN FROM MALAYSIA said:
May Allah bless the soul of Brother Ahmad Deedat
2005-08-09

SYED ENAMUL HUSAIN FROM BANGLADESH said:
Like every faithful servant, Brother Ahmed Deedat has returned to his creator. I first came to know him in 1980 through one of his lecture videos. Since then I had been a great fan of his & took great interest in his simple & straightforward approach in teaching Islam. May Allah (swt) grant him heaven.
2005-08-09

FALIKU FROM USA said:
Allahu Akbar! Inna Lillahi Wa inna Illahi Raji-oon. May the Peace and Bountiful Blessings of Almighty Allah (SWT) be upon this great son of Islam. Indeed Islam has lost one of its great luminaries. Insha'llah he touched many lives and shed so much light on Islam. All Muslims should aspire to live a life like Sheikh Ahmed Deedat. My consolation to his family and loved ones. Thanks.
2005-08-09

ADAM IBRAHIM MUHAMMAD FROM NIGERIA said:

May Allah bless the soul of Ahmed Deedat and may He gives the family and the entire muslim community the fortitude to bear this big lost.

I also pray that the work Deedat did in the propagation of Islam to especially our christian brethren continue to blossom until eternity.

This is indeed a tragic lost. Inna Lillahi Wa inna ilaihi rajiun.
2005-08-09

SHAHAZ FROM MALAYSIA said:
Another sad day for muslim world but insyaALLAH, HE shall replace with more of Brother Deedat quality in coming years to us. To Brother Deedat; May HE grants u the jannatul firdous; ameen.
2005-08-09

ASRATH ALI FROM AUSTRALIA said:
Assalam alaikum, Iam saddened by the loss of one of our great scolars of comparative religion. May allah grant him a lofty paradise without any reckoning.
2005-08-09

NURU MUHAMMAD FROM NIGERIA said:
The death of Sheikh Deedat is a great loss to the Ummah. Words cannot explain our pains.

O Allah! Forgive him his sins, have mercy on him, pardon him and expand his Entry. O Allah! prepare for him a house in Your high Paradise (Firdaus)and do not put us on trial after him.
2005-08-09

KHADIJAH SANNI FROM IRELAND said:
May Allah (S.W.T) forgive him his sins and grant him Al-jannah firdaous.
2005-08-09

USMAN ALI HANNAN FROM BANGLADESH, NOW IN CANADA said:
My full respect to the beloved brother Ahmed Deedat. As part of that respect, I want to express my objection to the title of this tributary essay. A Muslim Icon? I do not think Sheikh Deedat would be very happy to hear that as this term is often associated with pagan culture. He was an encouraging person, inspiring person, a pioneer in Islamic research, a great debater, a highly respected scholar, a most nice person by any standards. Cannot Islamicity choose from any of the above as an title adjective? He earned the love of many, including me. So, I think putting him as an icon does not fit Islamicity standards. We need to mind our use of language...I think that's one of the teaching of Mr. Deedat, a truly remarkable man. I love him for the sake of Allah. "And verily we are returning to Allah".
2005-08-09

KHAN, ABDUL MAJID FROM SINGAPORE said:
The late Sheikh Ahmad Deedat taught us to stand up against those who perpetuate the distorted scriptures. May Allah SWT accept his good deeds and forgive his shortcomings. Amin.
2005-08-09

MOHAMED SIRAJUDIN FROM MALAYSIA. said:
A powerfully bright star has disappeared from the Islamic horizon. The Muslim world mourns the passing of one of the greatest Muslim minds of all time. We are all forever indebted to the unique legacy of the inimitable Sheikh Ahmed Deedat, the modern warrior of Islam who had taken up the Sword of Truth to battle the forces of deception and malicious propaganda. A courageous defender and promoter of Islam, his words and deeds will continue to inspire countless generations to come, insha'allah.

There was a time when I was afraid to touch the Bible or even discuss about Islam with Christians. All praise is due to Allah, the All Merciful who brought the works of Sheikh Deedat to my attention. Since then, there is no turning back. I have made da'wah as one of the main priorities in my life, alhamdulillah.

His numerous recorded debates with the giants of Christendom like the disgraced Jimmy Swaggart, the Arab Zionist Anis Shorrosh, the Swedish Pastor Stanley Sjoberg and the American missionary Robert Douglas serve as valuable lessons in the common deceptions employed by evangelists in undermining the integrity of Islam. His written works are both impressive and always refreshing even though one has read them countless times.

Allah had blessed Sheikh Deedat with powerful oratory skills. Undoubtedly, he was both an outstanding public preacher and an excellent author. We pray that Allah will place him in Paradise among the company of Prophets (pbut), their Companions and Saints. Ameen, Ya Rabbal Aalameen. Al Fatihah...
2005-08-09

ALESSANDRO PAPINI FROM ITALY said:
Mr.Deedat is an expert for taking off the
greco-roman mask, the great deception in the name of Christ - christianity . Through Mr.Deedat's message or legacy , people realize that christianity( the cult of shirk and lies ) was never the religion of Christ , which (about christianity) Prophet Christ had never even heard in his lifetime!!! Mr.deedat has died but his message will remain alive and listening to his message , people like me will leave the cult of greeks and romans for the true religion of all Prophets - Islam .
2005-08-09

SAHAR FROM USA said:
I watched many of Ahmed Deedat's debates with various religious leaders. I admired his intelligence and honesty and his straightforward manner. May Allah help us become strong Muslims like he was as well as good propagators of the deen inshallah.May Allah forgive him his shortcomings and grant hinm paradise Inshallah. My condolences go out to the Deedat family.
Wasalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuh.
Sahar
2005-08-08

ZINEDINE FROM MOROCCO said:
A scholar without a school and a genuis with a formal education, Shaikh Ahmed Deedat's death is a great tragedy and a big loss for Muslim community. All alone this hero was a nation in one man. If clonning was permissable in Islam, Deedat would 've been the man to clone!!!

May Allah bless his soul wa Inna Lillahi wa inna Ilaihi rajioon!
2005-08-08

MR.GHETTO FROM BILAD AL-KUFFAR (EAST OAKLAND) said:
Deedat help brake the shackles of greco/roman
"christianity" form my mind and made my transition/REVERSION back to AL-ISLAM an easy one.

May ALLAH (subhanhu wa ta ala) give him a high station in JINNAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2005-08-08

GHAZANFAR FROM SPAIN said:
To Allah We belong, and to Him is our return
2005-08-08