ahmed deedat yousuf deedat

Keywords: South Africa, Deedat, Muslim, Christian, mission, transnational 0. Introduction During the 1980s and 1990s whenever South Africa’s Muslims travelled abroad for pleasure or pilgrimage, they were usually quizzed by strangers about Nelson Mandela (b.1918) and Ahmed Deedat (1918-2005). . Flag of South Africa. Photo by Tjeerd Wiersma- Wikimedia. South Africa is known not only for Nelson Mandela, but also for Muslim scholar Shaikh Ahmed Deedat, who is known for his passionate and humorous inter-religious public debates. He debated Jimmy Swaggart in 1986 and challenged the late Pope John Paul II to a debate in the Vatican Square. His son, Yousuf Deedat, refers to him as a “stage lion.” 1. Ahmed Deedat was one of the influential South African Muslim figures Sheikh Ahmed Deedat, a man who completely redefined Islam for the West and founded a dangerous enemy to the Christian missionary ideology, is profiled below. 2. He made the world rethink about Islam and Christianity Flag of South Africa. Photo by Tjeerd Wiersma- Wikimedia. “He motivated and inspired millions of people from various religions and backgrounds all over the world.” According to former IPCI director and personal friend Fuad Hendricks, Deedat aimed to alleviate “myths and lies about Islam and Christianity” through books such as Crucifixion or Cruci-Fiction? and What the Bible says about Muhammed. “Shaikh Deedat caused people to question their religious beliefs and seek answers.” “He even forced Muslims to reconsider their religious beliefs,” Hendricks said. “He became an expert on the Bible.” “His mission was to restate that Jesus peace be upon him needed to be acknowledged and applauded as a prophet of Allah in the same way that Adam, Moses, and Muhammad peace be upon them were,” Hendricks continued. 3. Deedat’s early childhood Deedat was born in the Indian province of Surat in 1918. Soon after, his father, a tailor, immigrated to South Africa. Deedat joined him in the city of Durban, on South Africa’s east coast, in 1927. Deedat studied hard in school, but poverty pushed him to leave and begin working when he was 16. Deedat first became interested in religious studies while working as a furniture salesman and encountering missionaries sent to convert non-Christians. Many deem Deedat to be a Bible scholar rather than a Quran scholar. 4. Ahmed’s heroic gestures to the world Among Deedat’s close friends were Goolam Hoosein Vanker and Taahir Rasool, whom many regard as Deedat’s “unsung heroes.” They founded a study circle to examine the teachings of the Quran, and Deedat and Vanker established the IPCI in Durban in 1956. Deedat gave his first public lecture in 1942, at the Avalon Cinema in Durban. Muhammad Messenger of Peace was his topic. Deedat spent the next four decades studying and memorizing the Bible and Quran, giving lectures and participating in public debates all over the world. He wrote over 20 books, which are now available in a variety of languages. 5. Nelson Mandela awarded him for his good work Deedat was commended by Mandela and received the Saudi Arabian King Faisal Award in 1986 for outstanding services to Islam. “Shaikh Deedat is a motivation to us and managed to help Muslims reinstate their integrity, particularly after defeating the likes of Christian evangelist preacher Jimmy Swaggart,” Ebrahim Jadwat, a close family friend and secretary-general of the IPCI, told Another of Deedat’s famous debates was with Bishop Josh McDowell on Was Christ Crucified? in Durban in 1981. “He beat the missionaries by questioning them rationally,” Jadwat says. 6. Ahmed’s suffered a stroke Flag of South Africa. Photo by Tjeerd Wiersma- Wikimedia. Deedat’s stroke rendered him unable to speak, swallow, or express himself. “But his mind was as sharp as it had always been,” says Yusuf Deedat, his son. “He could see, hear, laugh, and cry, and he could blink. And, more notably, he was able to reason.” Deedat’s wife cared for him at their home during this time. “All through his life, she was my father’s backbone, a pillar of strength and support.” “Hawa Deedat inspired my father and believed in his mission more than the shaikh,” Yusuf explained. Deedat was able to address politics and debate with members of the Christian clergy who visited him amidst his condition. Using an alphabet grid, Deedat signaled yes’ with a blink and no’ with a widening of the eyes, guiding his son to spell out words letter by letter. The grid had rows numbered one through five. Row one contained letters A through E, row two contained letters F through J, and so on. Deedat told shortly before his death, “Since my illness, I have learned to laugh and cry easily.” 7. Early missionary activity 1942-1956 Deedat’s first lecture, “Muhammad Messenger of Peace,” was given to a fifteen-person audience at the Avalon Cinema in Durban in 1942. The Guided Tours’ of the Jumma Mosque in Durban were a major vehicle of Deedat’s early missionary activity. The massive ornamental Jumma Mosque was a landmark in Durban, a tourist-friendly city. A program of luncheons, speeches, and free handouts was devised to provide an increasing number of international tourists with their first glimpse of Islam. Deedat was one of the guides, hosting tourists and explaining Islam and its relationship with Christianity. Deedat moved to Pakistan with his family in 1949 and spent three years in Karachi near Pakistan Chowk. As per a Pakistan Television interview, he was a strong supporter of the concept of an Islamic state. 8. What did Deedat do on his death bed? Deedat was studying right up until the moment he died. He influenced passages and maintained contact with people all over the world. “The shaikh’s professional life in the latter part was incredibly focused,” Hendricks said. Deedat had two framed quotations by his bedside in his room. One was a Quranic verse from Chapter 21, The Prophets “And remember Job when He cried to his Lord, Truly distress has seized me, but Thou art the Most Merciful of those who are merciful.” The second said, “There is no limit to what a man can accomplish if he doesn’t care who gets the credit.” 9. Deedat’s style on religion “Deedat’s da’wa is of a specific kind,” says one scholar, Brian Larkin. He says little about the errors of Sufism or Shi’ism, for example, and makes no specific requirement for the establishment of an Islamic state though he was supportive of these efforts in Nigeria. Instead, he devotes his entire agenda to undermining and refuting Christian evangelism, as well as arming Muslims against Christian attacks. Thereby, his fame stems from his extensive knowledge of the Bible rather than his mastery of Islamic sciences. According to one Nigerian, Deedat “opened the eyes of millions of Muslims to the fine art of inter-religious dialogue.” His command of the English language, debating skills, and knowledge of other scriptures “endeared him to millions of people who have seen his videos or read his tracts, millions of which are sent out free of charge all over the world… Deedat’s authority comes from his mastery of Christian texts rather than Muslim texts, as well as his proficiency in English rather than Arabic.” 10. Deedat’s death Flag of South Africa. Photo by Tjeerd Wiersma- Wikimedia. He received hundreds of letters of support from people all over the world, and local and international visitors continued to pay him visits and express their gratitude for his efforts. Ahmed Deedat died on August 8, 2005, at his home on Trevennen Road in Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal. He was laid to rest in the Verulam cemetery. Hawa Deedat died at their home on Monday, August 28, 2006, at the age of 85. Ismail ibn Musa Menk led his funeral prayer. Yousuf Deedat in critical condition after being shot by an unknown South African activist and son of a deceased prominent Muslim preacher is fighting for his life in a hospital after he was shot outside a court in the coastal city of Durban on Wednesday. Police colonel Thembeka Mbele said 65-year-old Yousuf Deedat – son of Sheikh Ahmed Deedat – was shot in the head as he walked towards the Verulam family court on the outskirts of Durban with his wife. Mbele said an unknown suspect opened fire, shooting Deedat in the head. He was later rushed to a hospital for medical attention, while the suspect fled in a car in an unknown direction. “He is in critical condition in a local hospital. While his injuries remain severe, we remain hopeful for Deedat’s recovery,” Deedat’s family said in a statement late on Wednesday. They also requested the family’s privacy be respected. Sheikh Ahmed Deedat, who died in 2005, was a prominent South African Muslim missionary who held several interfaith public debates with evangelical Christians. He was known across the world as a respected public speaker and writer who published several widely-distributed booklets on Islam and Christianity. He was the founder of the Islamic Propagation Centre International, which aims for Islam to be heard and understood across the world. The late Deedat was awarded the King Faisal International Prize in 1986 for his 50 years of missionary work. His son Yousuf is a famous community activist and Muslim scholar in Durban. Police said they were still investigating the reason behind his shooting. Thu 16 Jan 2020 1102 AM The son of late Shaykh Ahmed Deedat, Yousuf Deedat, a community activist, has been transferred to a nearby hospital after he was shot in his head outside Verulam Family Court on Wednesday. But…What is behind this attempted murder? The police, in South Africa, are still investigating the reasons behind the incident. According to initial investigations, Yousuf Deedat was walking towards the Verulam family court with his wife, while an unidentified armed shot him in the head. The reasons for the shooting are still unknown and the attacker drove away. The victim was rushed to the hospital for medical care. Meanwhile, Deedat’s family has released a statement dispelling rumors that he had been killed. On his part, Prem Balram, director of Reaction Unit SA, who was first to reach the scene, said that a security officer pursued the suspect who got into an awaiting white Mazda car on Groom Street and sped off. Balram added that the activist was due to appear in the Verulam Magistrate's Court for a matter. Social media users falsely circulated news that Deedat has been killed due to injuries. Yousuf’s son Raees said that his father is in a critical condition in the hospital. “While his injuries are severe, we are hopeful for his recovery,” Raees said, adding, “The coming 48 hours are vital for his recovery as he receives the best medical care available.” Durban - COMMUNITY activist Yousuf Ahmed Deedat, 65, was still in a critical condition last night after being shot in the head in a suspected hit outside the Verulam Family Court on according to the family, was being treated at St Anne’s Hospital in director of private security company Reaction Unit South Africa Rusa, Prem Balram, said a man walked up to Deedat, shot him, and fled to a vehicle parked along Groom Street.“On arrival, the victim was found lying face down on the pavement,” said spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele said Deedat was walking with his wife when he was shot. Mbele said the motive for the shooting was not known. The suspect was still on the chairperson of the Imam Hussein mosque in Verulam, Azad Seedat, described Deedat, who he’s known for 30 years, as a wonderful person.“He got along with everybody. He visited our mosque and supported us during our time of need. We are shocked at what transpired,” Seedat former neighbour of Deedat’s, Sharmaine Sewshanker, said he was a well-known community activist who was always willing to help.“He never turned anybody away that pitched up at his door for assistance. He always went the extra mile,” she son, Raees, said while his dad was in a critical condition, the family was hopeful of his recovery.“The next 48 hours are vital for his as he receives the best medical care available. Please join the family in praying for him. We thank the public for their good wishes and request that the family’s privacy is respected during this traumatic period,” he was not known yesterday what Deedat was doing at court, but he was no stranger to controversy and August 2016, he sued a Verulam magistrate after his eight cats disappeared from his home in Trevenen Post newspaper reported that the magistrate secured a final restraining order against Deedat after Deedat was charged for pointing a gun at and harassing a Verulam to the Post, Deedat claimed a man known to the woman was behind the “orchestrated” charges because he Deedat had declined to sell his parents’ property to him. Deedat said in papers filed in the Durban Magistrate’s Court that the Lotusville property was regarded as a Muslim heritage late father, Ahmed Deedat, a Muslim missionary, died in August 2005, aged 87. Both father and son were fiery speakers who courted controversy. Deedat sr was known for his inflammatory books and videos on Hinduism and Christianity, and set up the Islamic Propagation Centre International in DrYusuf Dadoo Grey September 2016, the Post newspaper reported that Deedat issued a letter of demand for compensation of R200 000 against a Greenwood Park police captain for allegedly having him detained for more than 25 hours with nine other suspects in a small cell.“I am 62 years old and struggled to breathe in the cell. I was treated like a criminal,” he told the was also arrested for allegedly issuing Isis-related pamphlets at a Durban North school. He said the case against him fell flat after a magistrate informed the prosecutor that it was on “shaky ground”. He claims he suffered loss of reputation, harm to his dignity and self-respect, and that he and his family were put in dangerGrey Street Mosque chairperson AVMohamed, who was in Pakistan when he received news of the attack on Deedat, said whoever ordered the alleged hit must be brought to News Childhood & Early LifeDeedat was born on July 1, 1918, in Tadkeshwar, Surat, Bombay Presidency, British Deedat turned nine, he reunited with his father, who had migrated to modern-day Kwazulu-Natal in South Africa, immediately after his birth. Shortly after he left for South Africa, he lost his of financial constraints, he discontinued his studies at the age of 1936, Deedat came across Christian missionaries who alleged that Prophet Mohammed used violence to convert people to Islam. This propaganda of Christians evoked Deedat to delve deeper into both Islamic and Christian his quest to understand the spread of Islam and Christianity better, he stumbled upon the book Izhar ul-Haqq’ Truth Revealed written by Rahmatullah Kairanawi. The book greatly influenced him, and inspired him to buy the he grew confident of his knowledge on the comparisons between Islam and Christianity, he discussed and debated with trainee Christian missionaries with renewed gain further insight into the Bible and its comparison with Quran and Islam, he attended sessions conducted by one Mr. Fairfax, a local who had converted to Islam. Fairfax conducted extended classes on how to convince Christians on Reading Below Missionary LifeFor reasons not known, Fairfax discontinued his classes, but a confident Deedat continued for three more years what Fairfax left behind. This is how he began his missionary year 1942 witnessed his first lecture, Muhammad Messenger of Peace,’ which was attended by 15 people at Avalon Cinema, Durban, South guided tour of the Jumma Mosque in Durban was a vital component of his missionary activity. As Durban was a city visited by millions of tourists, including international travelers, he used the opportunity to introduce Islam to them and explain its relevance to with his family, Deedat migrated to Karachi, Pakistan, in 1949 and stayed there until 1952. It is reported that in one of the interviews on a Pakistan television, he expressed support to the idea of an Islamic and his two close confidants, Goolam Hoosein Vanker and Taahir Rasool, established Islamic Propagation Centre International IPCI’ in 1957. The objective of the organization was to publish books on Islam and handhold newly converted Muslims into 1958, he founded As-Salaam Educational Institute,’ an Islamic seminary in Braemar, in Natal Province, South Africa,but the project failed to gather steam due to a shortage of manpower and monetary in 1973, the Muslim Youth Movement of South Africa’ took over the affairs of the seminary. Ensuring that the institute is in good hands, Deedat left for Durban from Braemar to support the growth of IPCI.’In the early 80s, he started gaining international fame and saw an unprecedented high when he received the King Faisal Prize’ from the King Faisal Foundation’ in Saudi Arabia in 1986. This honor was a recognition for his services to the growth of 1985, for more than a decade, he conducted various talks and sessions on several occasions in locations outside South Africa, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, Maldives Islands, the United States of America, Sweden, Denmark, Canada, and Reading BelowHe received financial support from Gulf countries and published more than a dozen palm-sized booklets on various Islamic received sponsorship for publishing a collated version of his four booklets after he won the King Faisal Prize.’ In April 1993, ten thousand copies of his book The Choice Islam and Christianity’ was released. This book was distributed for free at various missionary centers in North America. The book was much sought-after, and several publishing houses printed additional copies. By 1995, the prints and reprints amounted to 250,000 in the Middle East.’The Choice Volume 2’, a paperback version, was released later, which comprised another six of his promoted the South African print of The Holy Qur'an Text, Translation and Commentary’ by Abdullah Yusuf Ali to the extent that he even mentioned it in his speeches. The book was sold at heavily discounted of Deedat’s opinions were condemned by liberal Muslims in South Africa. They claimed that his points of view were intolerant toward Christians, Hindus, Jews, and monthly editions of Muslim Digest of South Africa,’ especially between July and October 1986, sharply criticized him, and his actions were referred to as “his various dangerous activities.”Hindus and Christians , who initially held him in high regard for his oratory and debating skills, developed a distaste for him. They aligned with liberal Muslim organizations in South 1987 publication From Hinduism to Islam,’ was a critique on Hindu faith and rituals. He called out the Hindus of South Africa for worshipping several deities and revering idols and also for embracing Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses’ was printed in 1988, he supported Ayatollah Khomeini’s fatwa against Reading BelowIn 1989, the Jews also expressed their opposition against him, after he published Arab and Israel Conflict or Conciliation?’It was discovered that IPCI’ received funds from the infamous Bin Laden family. Also, he held a good opinion on the notorious terrorist Osama Bin Esack, a Muslim scholar of South Africa, describes Deedat as a has banned the sale of his books since Personal Life & DeathDeedat was son of Hussien Kazem Deedat and Fatma Deedat. He had a sibling, Abdullah was married to Hawa Deedat. They had a son, Yusuf May 3, 1996, he suffered a major stroke that paralyzed him from neck below. The diagnosis revealed it was a consequence of a cerebral vascular accident. Although he was unable to speak, he communicated with eye movements using a chart and acknowledging the words and sentences that were dictated to this incident, he was confined to bed. However, he continued with his work until he breathed his last on August 8, challenged Pope John Paul II to a debate in the Vatican and even requested him to adopt Mandela had great respect for of the famous Christian leaders he debated with are Jimmy Swaggart and Bishop Josh McDowell.Crucifixion or Cruci-Fiction?’ is one of his twenty biography was released in June 2013 by the IPCI.’ The son of late Shaykh Ahmed Deedat, Yousuf Deedat a community activist has been recently moved at a hospital on Tuesday morning after being shot in the head in front of the Verulam Family Court as reported by many South Africa Media News sources. Update Yousuf Deedat has passed away after days of battle he got from a gunshot wound in his head. Zimbabwe Media announced the news of his demise on Friday night. In accordance with Thembeka Mbele, the KZN Police Colonel, the 65-year-old guy was shot outside the court and an attempted murder case has been filed Verulam SAPS. IOL ZA “It has been suspected that the man along with his wife was walking in the direction of Verulam Family Court at 830 this morning when the fire was opened from an unidentified suspect, hurting the male on his head. He was quickly moved to a hospital for treatment purposes. The suspect ran immediately from the spot by driving away in an unknown direction” He further stated that the reason for the shooting is yet not discovered and the suspect is still away. The paramedics of director of Reaction Unit SA, Prem Balram, are known to arrive first at the destination and they also shared that Deedat’s situation is critical. “On reaching, he was observed lying on the pavement by face down. He received a wound of one gunshot in his head”, stated Balram. “In accordance with the witnesses present, Deedat was walking in the direction of the court when he was noted by a male who created a firearm, fired a shot and then fled”. He further shared that, a security officer who witnessed the happening and tried catching the guy who sat into his awaiting Mazda white car on the Groom Street and ran by speeding off. Deedat was stabilized by the paramedics on the destination” He also said that after getting stabilized, the victim was shifted to the Hospital. It is known that the activist was due to attend the Court of Verulam Magistrate for a case. We pray that may God grant Yousuf Deedat a speedy recovery. Haniya is a business graduate from York University and an Islamic Information news correspondent. Previous Article Fasting Can Help Cure Many Disease Including Cardiac Issues, Research Next Article US Renamed Louisville Airport to Muhammad Ali International Airport Yousuf Deedat, the son of Muslim scholar Ahmed Deedat passed away on January 17. He had been shot in the head two days earlier outside the courthouse in the town of Verulam on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, where his family had lived for years. Deedat was immediately airlifted to a hospital where he was stabilised by doctors, but succumbed to his injuries with family and friends at his bedside. Yousuf was born in 1953 and grew up in rural As-Salaam on the south coast of Natal where his father had established a mission in the hope of spreading Islam among the indigenous peoples. After completing his schooling and training as a motor mechanic, Deedat joined the International Propagation Centre International, which his father had founded. Ahmed acquired global fame in the Muslim world when he “defeated” the American Pentecostal evangelist Christian Jimmy Swaggart in public debate and was bestowed with the prestigious King Faisal Foundation’s Service to Islam’ award in 1986. The debate and the award enhanced his reputation in the Islamic world, and he spent the next decade touring the Muslim world, as well as Western countries like Australia, the US, and the UK, presenting talks on comparative religion and engaging in debates with Christian and Jewish scholars. During all these travels, Yousuf was ever-present at the side of his energetic but ageing father. Ahmed suffered a stroke in 1996 and was bedridden until his death in 2005. During this period, Yousuf was at his father’s bedside, taking care of him while also attending to the numerous visitors who came from all parts of the world. They included the likes of the African academic Ali Mazrui, US Muslim leader, Louis Farrakhan, and Indian comparative religion specialist Dr Zakir Naik, who was inspired by Ahmed. Yousuf was outspoken on many issues and this rankled many people. During the 2001 World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, for example, Jews were irate that he carried banners seeking to declare Israel a racist state. He also distributed the controversial video that his father produced, From Hinduism to Islam’, which is critical of Hinduism at a time, ironically, when Muslims globally were demanding that the West stop its attacks on Islam. Around 2016, Yousuf was arrested on suspicion of being an ISIS recruiter. He was also charged with threatening and pointing a firearm at a Verulam resident. Yousuf defended himself and eventually all charges were dropped with a magistrate finding that there was no corroborating evidence’ to substantiate any of the charges. Following his acquittal, Yousuf was adamant that the arrest was a conspiratorial attempt by the police to intimidate him because of his religious activities and he sued the magistrate, police and the state for wrongful arrest. He also sued Independent newspapers for being Islamophobic for publishing articles demeaning Islam. Both cases were being heard in the courts at the time of his shooting, leading to speculation that his death may be related to these legal matters. Goolam Vahed, Professor of History, The University of KwaZulu Natal. Leading Muslim scholar and activist Yousuf Deedat, 65, passed away at St Anne’s hospital in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa on Friday South African activist and son of a deceased prominent Muslim preacher Ahmed Deedat was shot outside a court in the coastal city of Durban on Wednesday, January 15. “The family conveys their heartfelt gratitude for the support they received from family, friends and the community. May his soul rest in peace,” his son Raees Deedat scholars across the world have mourned with grief and pain the loss of the prominent activist, urging the South African government to investigate his murder.“Yusuf Deedat, son of Ahmed Deedat, just succumbed to his wounds and passed away. I strongly urge the S. African authorities to find the murderer who did this heinous deed and bring him to justice in this world – and as for the ultimate Justice, that will be meted out on Judgment Day,” American Muslim scholar Yasir Qadhi wrote on Facebook.“May Allah grant Yusuf Deedat the status of a shahīd, and forgive his sins and exalt his ranks, and give sabr to his family!”Renowned Muslim scholar Yusuf Estes also mourned the loss of Sheikh Yousuf Deedat.“Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajioon – From Allah we come and to Allah is the return. I knew Yousuf Deedat personally from visits to South Africa after 9/11. He was quite an amazing person,” Estes ScholarAhmed DeedatSheikh Ahmed Deedat, who died in 2005, was a prominent South African Muslim missionary who held several interfaith public debates with evangelical was known across the world as a respected public speaker and writer who published several widely-distributed booklets on Islam and was the founder of the Islamic Propagation Centre International, which aims for Islam to be heard and understood across the late Deedat was awarded the King Faisal International Prize in 1986 for his 50 years of missionary son Yousuf is a famous community activist and Muslim scholar in Durban. Police said they were still investigating the reason behind his shooting. Durban - A locally based private investigator has been enlisted by the family of slain Durban activist Yousuf Ahmed Deedat to find his 65, was shot in thehead in January and died just dayslater in Pietermaritzburg Abdool Karim, the family spokesperson, said they met private investigator Brad Nathanson in the hope that he would be able to dig up some information on the shooter.“Before doing anything we spoke with the investigating officer to see if he would be okay with us hiring a private investigator. We have given the private investigator time to dig around but everything is still in the preliminary stages and there is a lot that remains unknown,” said January 15, Deedat was shot once in the back of the head outside the Verulam Family Court as he and his wife crossed the street to enter the court died at St Anne’s hospital in lone gunman fled in a white vehicle and has yet to be identified. Karim said the make of the vehicle remained unknown. The suspect was short, had short hair, was thin and of Indian descent. Karim said Deedat’s wife, Yasmin, provided the police with a description of the shooter’s facial features.“We know that on the day he was shot he was on his way to make an interim protection order permanent. He got the interim order after he was attacked by a man who was known to him.”Sunday Tribune Islamic Preacher Youssef Ahmed Deedat - Youtube CAIRO - 16 January 2020 Youssef Ahmed Deedat, the son of the Islamic Preacher Ahmed Deedat, was shot in the head outside Verulam Family Court in Durban city in South Africa. The community activist, 65 years old, was airlifted to hospital and is suffering a serious injury, according to Independent Online IOL South African news website. The website said that Youssef Deedat and his wife were walking towards the court in the morning, when an unknown suspect opened fire, injuring Deedat in his head. The suspect drove away from the incident site. Social media users launched a hashtag “Assassination of Youssef Deedat” that attracted thousands of angry comments and reactions against the accident, wishing him a speed recovery. The police said that the motive for the shooting is still unknown, and the suspect was still on the run, according to IOL. Died in 2005, Sheikh Ahmed Deedat was a prominent South African Muslim preacher, who is known for his interfaith public debates. Deedat's son, Youssef, is a prominent community activist in the city of Durban.