Deedat, Ahmed

Ahmed Deedat (1918-2005) was a South African Muslim scholar and public debater who became one of the most prominent Islamic apologists of the 20th century. Born in India and raised in South Africa, Deedat founded the Islamic Propagation Centre International in 1957. He specialized in comparative religion, particularly Christian-Muslim polemics, and engaged in numerous public debates with Christian evangelists and theologians. His work "Is the Bible the Word of God?" exemplifies his apologetic approach, which focused on textual criticism of the Bible while defending the Quran's divine origin. Deedat's confrontational style and focus on perceived biblical contradictions significantly influenced modern Islamic dawah methodology. Though controversial for his polemical tone, he shaped contemporary Muslim-Christian dialogue and inspired a generation of Islamic apologists. His debates and writings continue to circulate widely in Muslim communities worldwide.