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Deedat was
considered by many as more a scholar of the Bible than the
Qur'an.
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CAIRO,
August 8, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – Famed Muslim preacher and debater
Sheikh Ahmed Deedat died Monday, August 8, at 87, leaving behind a
legacy of propagating Islam and defending it against missionaries.
Founder
of the Islamic Propagation Center International (IPCI) in Durban,
South Africa, Deedat distributed more than twenty million copies of
his books and audio tapes free of charge for the purpose of da`wah.
In
South Africa where he lived, hundreds of people have entered Islam
Including a large number of missionaries.
He
delivered lectures all over the world and successfully engaged
Christian Evangelists in public debates.
One
of his most famous debates was “Was Christ Crucified?” when he
impressively debated Bishop Josh McDowell in Durban in 1981.
Famous
books by Deedat included "The Choice - Between Islam and
Christianity; "Is the Bible God’s Word?"; "Al
Qur’an the Miracle of Miracles" ; "What
the Bible says about Muhammad (PBUH)?"; and "Crucifixion or
Cruci-Fiction?"
Deedat,
who was born in 1918 in the Indian district of Surat, has been
bedridden since 1996 when he suffered a serious stroke.
Excellent
Debater
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In 1986, Sheikh Deedat was awarded the King Faisal International Prize for Service of Islam.
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Sheikh
Deedat did not have much formal schooling, but he was self-taught
through experience and had a penchant for reading, debating,
discussion, and a profound sense of commitment to a mission and goal,
according to his Web site.
He
was driven and goal oriented. He was focused and never let up until
the job was done. He was sharp, perceptive, forthright, fiery, and
daring in his challenge of those whom he debated particularly against
those who equal his missionary zeal and sense of audacity, the Web
site added.
"Formal
schooling did not destroy his creative prowess, his tenacity,
ambition, drive, and sheer daring to swim upstream."
Sheikh
Deedat was considered by many as more a scholar of the Bible than the Qur'an and was more
familiar and adroit with its teachings.
He
had an insight and perspective of the Bible which made many Christians
he came into contact with rethink and re-examine their faith,
particularly those aspects of the Bible and the Qur'an that deal with
the divine mission and life of Prophet Jesus, the Web site says.
In
1986, the King Faisal Foundation awarded the King Faisal International
Prize for Service of Islam to Deedat. He shared the prize with
prominent French Muslim intellectual and philosopher Roger Garaudy.
When
he suffered a stroke, he lost his speech, his most potent gift that he
used so effectively in his debates to propagate Islam.
He
delivered his last lecture in Sydney, Australia, in 1996 just before
his chronic illness. The lecture was considered to be one
of his most passionate talks.
