Last Saturday(7/11/09), i headed down to Geylang in Singapore to do some Hijab shopping. As always, i was punctual while my friend was late. So whilst having to wait for her , i thought of browsing the new books at the Islamic Bookstore@ Darul Arqam. I've always loved that bookstore. Each time i step into it, i never leave without learning something. However, this time, the lesson i learnt was much more overwhelming.
As i was there, browsing under the 'family bonding' section, a group of men in suits entered the bookstore. They were not local - definitely not. And they seemed to be guests who arrived to give some talk or some thing like that. When they stepped in, the 'announced' their salaam to everyone in the bookstore. Yeah, it was pretty loud :). When i looked at the enterance, there was this particular man whom i had eye contact with. At that moment,he raised up his arm and conveyed his salaam to me. I returned the salaam, gave an acknowledging smile and continued browsing through the book that i was holding. A while later, the same man came next to me , handed over to me a DVD and said, 'this is for you, sister'. I said 'thank you' and looked at the DVD. It was in plain white with green text on it saying '' daa'ee-iyah' Sheikh Ahmed Deedat,He was a voice against apartheid".
I didn't give it much of a thought,frankly.When i looked around, i couldn't find anyone who had the DVD too though. But probably, they might have already kept it into their bags once they got it. And soon after i received my friend's call and my shopping trip began.
Hours after i got home,i rememebered the DVD and decided to play it. It had a few chapters of Ahmed Deedat. It looked more like a non-commercial collection. Something that wouldn't have hit the media yet. When i started playing the first chapter, after some frames of acknowledgements, i was suprised to find the same brother who passed me the DVD in the opening scene of the DVD. Soon after, i was further suprised to learn that the brother was Ahmed Deedat's son.
I was pretty shocked, surprised,happy...in doubt - Any words you can use to describe that moment, go ahead. To be honest, i don't know much about Ahmed Deedat. My brothers are fans of him though. And i've heard of him through them. I've read briefly through his book ' The Choice' and watched some excerpts of his public talks on Youtube. I have always had immense respect and regards for him and the confidence he has when advocating to non-muslims that Islam is the only true religion. It all only shows how strong his Iman is. My brother used to tell me that, Ahmed Deedat spoke for Islam and debated that Islam alone is the truth in the US against a Reverant. After watching the DVD, my brother's account was validified and my respects for Sheikh Ahmed Deedat heightened to a further higher level. Sheikh Ahmed Deedat is no more. And i never had the chance to sit in his talks and learn from him.
I watched his son,Yousuf Ahmed Deedat's entire delivery and he was basically talking about his father, right from the very start till his last moments. I was admiring Sheikh Ahmed Deedat's mental strength, confidence, the strength of his Iman, his wittyness, his knowledge, his diplomacy, and the list can go on. To be honest, i cried at various parts of chapter 1. The only thing that was running through my mind, ' He has done so much for Islam, He deserves the respect that he was honoured with. May Allah pardon his sins. May Allah bless him. May Allah give us all the opportunity to do our bit for Islam'.
Sheikh Ahmed Deedat had a very humble family background. No political ties, no royal blood,no history of living off his grandfather's fortune.Whatever. Like his son said, they were not very well to do. Yet, there we huge troops of people who visited him at his home everyday, without expecting a penny from him. They came to honour him. To give their salaam to the great Islamic hero of the 20th Century.
I felt very unlucky and unfortunate to having met Sheikh Ahmed Deedat's son in person, but being unable to convey a proper salaam to him. I couldnt even tell him how much i respected his dad.How much i loved his works. And that i will always doa for him. I felt so unlucky. As always, i started complaining to my siblings about this. And they told me that, i should count myself lucky and give my thanks to Allah s.w.t that at least i could meet his son and receive this DVD from him. How many would have had the opportunity, they said.
May be, i am just a tool Allah s.w.t is using to let many other muslim brothers and sisters doa for Sheikh Ahmed Deedat. I would say Sheikh Ahmed Deedat is blessed. How many of us are remembered while we are alive, let alone when we are gone. But great souls and a martyr like him ought to be rememebered.Every muslim who has the thirst for Ilm(knowledge) has to remember him. Because, their research is never complete without reading and learning from Sheikh Ahmed Deedat's works.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, i have a very humble request. After reading this post, please get on your knees, face the 'kiblaat' and make a small doa for Sheikh Ahmed Deedat. Make doa that Allah should, inshallah, give us the opportunity to do a portion of what he did for Islam. Sheikh Ahmed Deedat dedicated his life just for Islam. I reckon most of us won't be able to do that. At least, do our level best to spread Islam.Inshallah. And please include him and his family in your daily doas henceforth.
I have attached some links below that might be of an introduction to Sheikh Ahmed Deedat.Though no matter what i have said, will never suffice his contributions. I hope the doa we make will be accepted by Allah s.w.t. Please email me at simplymuqmin@hotmail.com if you would like a copy of the DVD.
Assalamu Alaikum w.r.w.b
All Muslims are ambassadors of Islam. Please make Islam proud :)
An excerpt of his debate against the Reverant:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2bxzUQ1Nt8
A Wiki on him:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmed_Deedat
A funny and witty answer by him:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWueNl6na5E
A collection of the books he has written:
http://www.jamaat.net/deedat.htm
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