I would like to know in details about your views on Sheikh Ahmed Hussein Deedat (Ahmed Deedat – in short), who was in the path of Islamic Da’wah and based in South Africa , died in 2005.
Can we general muslims get benefits from his lectures/debates (hearing the audio version only, not Video CD) ?
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh
Allah Ta’ala takes work of deen from various people in different ways. Shaykh Ahmed Deedat (May Allah Ta’ala be pleased with him) was a true da’ee blessed with indebt knowledge of the Christian, Jewish and Hindu Scriptures. He is famously known for his witty debates with senior Christian Scholars, the likes of Jimmy Swaggart, Anis Sharosh, Stanley Sjoberg and others. These public debates had such an impact on observers that it was a means of hundreds if not thousands of people accepting Islam. In fact, it was none other then Shaykh Ahmed Deedat who was responsible for the downfall of Jimmy Swaggart. It was perhaps for this reason that the pope refused to take Shaykh on a public debate.
The Shaykh was also a means of converting many indigenous people here in South Africa and the entire African continent. Till now, numerous people accept Islam because of his books, which is based on such concrete evidences that the Christians are unable to refute.
One outstanding quality of the Shaykh was that he stood to the field in which he mastered (i.e. comparative religion) and left the task of issuing religious verdicts to the Ulama. Alhamdullillah, many Scholars here in Durban who had a close contact with the Shaykh throughout his life only have good to say of him.
We do acknowledge that there were some errors committed by the Shaykh; however, it will be a great injustice to discredit the Shaykh of all his great work because of that. Afterall, the Shaykh was also a human.
It would be great for you to listen to his lectures/debates (the audio versions only) so that you can equip yourself against the forces of falsehood, whose efforts are increasing by the day. We also suggest that you read his books which could be downloaded from the internet.
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Ml. Ismail Moosa,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In’aamiyyah