Ahmed Deedat
Great Islamic Scholar of the Bible?
That at least is the common Muslim praise for him. Let us examine this claim.
Recommended introductory articles:
- Another Choice: The Teachings of Ahmed Deedat is a concise evaluation of Deedat's polemical arguments.
- Deedat in the Balance (Excerpts from The Muslim Digest, South Africa)
Many Muslims know of Ahmed Deedat (died 2005) who attacked the Bible and the Christian faith in debates and a large number of publications. But most are not aware that John Gilchrist has written several books and booklets giving a thorough Christian response to Deedat's material as well as on other topics of importance in the dialog between Christians and Muslims.
Nevertheless, Deedat's literature continues to be spread and used widely. The following rebuttals will remain an important resource to evaluate and counter his anti-Christian arguments.
| Material by Ahmed Deedat | Christian Responses |
| Crucifixion or Crucifiction? Resurrection or Resuscitation? What is the Sign of Jonah? | The Crucifixion of Christ: A Fact, not Fiction What Indeed was the Sign of Jonah? |
| Is the Bible God's Word? | The Textual History of the Qur'an and the Bible The Deedat - Shorrosh Debate, Do you attribute these errors to God? |
| What the Bible Says about Muhammed | Is Muhammad Foretold in the Bible? |
| Christ in Islam The God That Never Was | Christ in Islam and Christianity section 2 of the above |
| A response to Deedat's COMBAT KIT | |
| "Was Christ Crucified?" - The Deedat / McDowell Debate | |
| The challenges of Sheikh Deedat & their answers (PDF) by Father Zakaria Botros (Source; this site also contains further books that are referenced in the one that is linked here) | |
Interestingly, in the booklet "The God that never was", Ahmed Deedat doesn't even dare to mention the name of the person he is trying to make fun of (John Gilchrist: "a man in Benoni", "lawyer", have a look in the third paragraph). He seems to fear some of the readers might go and look up Gilchrist's booklets and Deedat would be exposed for what he is. John Gilchrist on the contrary always references his rebuttals carefully to Deedat's publications so that the reader can check for himself who speaks the truth.
And this fear seems to be prevalent among the Islamic web site maintainers as well. None of those offering Deedat's material think it to be "worth the effort" to give reference to John Gilchrist's responses, even though most of them know about this web site.
Further responses to Deedat
- Answering Ahmed Deedat (a new blog with a couple of responses so far)
- The charge that the Bible uses pornographic language and therefore cannot be from God
- Deedat's ignorance in his comments about Greek
Background information on Deedat's stroke, paralysis and death
- Personal letter to Deedat (25 November 1993)
- Open letter to Deedat (13 August 1994)
- Detailed account of Deedat's Downfall (published 11 July 2005)
- Deedat died on 8 August 2005.
Ahmed Deedat isn't the only one doing this kind of quality Bible interpretation ... A spoof on Bible interpretation, takes it from the humorous side. But it is "seriously funny" and sadly right on the mark...
Books by John Gilchrist
Answering Islam Home Page