WORLD NEWS

Honor for Ahmed Deedat

Ahmed Deedat

JEDDAH: A Saudi-based global forum has decided to award renowned Islamic preacher late Ahmed Deedat (1918-2005), the “life time achievement award” this year, said Esam Mudeer in a press release.

Deedat is among the top-ranking “individuals who have excelled in the field of Islamic Dawah with their lifetime struggle and efforts,” according to the Forum for Social Studies, an Islamic organization established in 1986 with offices in UK, Canada and Saudi Arabia.

Celebrating its 25th year on Feb. 2, the forum's programs include publications, conferences, seminars, workshops, exhibitions, competitions, DVD and audio production etc.

The forum is also giving “award of excellence” to organizations and individuals who have excelled in various fields of Islam. The name of a Saudi student Deedat is on that list this year as well for initiating the distribution of 50,000 copies of one of Deedat's books given out free to all Dutch in the Netherlands, in response to local calls there to ban the Holy Qur'an under the slogan “BOOKS not BOMBS.”

South African born Yousuf Deedat, son of the renowned scholar, has been invited by the forum to attend its event and receive the award on behalf of his late father.

Back in 1986, Ahmed Deedat received King Faisal Award for service to Islam from Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, who was the crown prince then.

“This comes at times when more and more Muslims in general, besides more Arab brothers and sisters in particular, all becoming very aware of the evangelical challenges and Western media crusades that face them and their youth in their own homelands, especially after 9/11,” Yousuf acknowledges.

He sees Arab youngsters posting and sharing more of his father's recorded debates in social media circles daily in YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, generating thousands of high and wide viewership in few hours.

“The fall of Mubarak of Egypt in Feb. 11th of 2011, thanks to the peaceful revolution the youth started there, laid to rest the dark legacy of 9/11,” claims Yousuf Deedat.

“It's our 2/11 against their 9/11. And by 'their' I mean American and Western hardliners; Evangelicals, Zionists or ignorant people about Islam who fell victims to their lies. It's about time we educate them better, just as much the Arab Spring is inspiring them and the rest of the world today to break free from Capitalism. Welcome to Islam!”