Ahmed Hussein Deedat, dedicated half of his life to Islamic propogation, and famous for his religious dialouges with Christian missionaries. Ahmed was born on July 1st, 1918 in
Surat,
India. After suffering a stroke in 1996, leaving him paralyzed and bed-ridden for 9 years, Ahmed died on August 8th, 2005, in
Durban,
South Africa. He was 87.
Ahmed's family immigrated to
South Africa in 1927, he was a sharp student and excelled in school. Poor financial conditions interrupted his schooling and at age 16 he worked and continued to work in
retailing.
After Ahmed read Izhar Al Haq (
The Truth Revealed), a book consisting of a debate between
Christian Missionaries in the former
British India, the book spurred Ahmed in the direction of
dawa (
Islamic Missionary).
For the following 40 years, Ahmed conducted
Bible classes, lectures, and debates all over the world. The first Islamic seminary in South Africa was established by Ahmed to train Islamic Missionaries at
Assalaam Educational Institute in
Braemar.
Ahmed published 20 books and circulated millions of copies of free literature and pamphlets all over the world which were subsequently translated into many languages. Moreover, Ahmed delivered lectures crossing all continents, and successfully debated with key figures among Christian
evangelists.
Ahmed's understanding of comparative religion landed him in a debate with the late Pope
John Paul II. Ahmed's boldness in defending what he believed was the truth created a refusal of entry into
France and
Nigeria on the basis that he would cause
civil unrest.
Deedat once received a personal phone call from former president
Nelson Mandela, congratulating Ahmed Deedat for his celebrity status in the
Muslim world. The prestigious
King Faisal Award was given to Ahmed in 1986 for his services to Islamic propagation.