by Bint Abdul Khaliq
Let me remind You
let us go back
for a moment or two
to rewind and unpack
Those many years ago
That first moment
That first breath
The first day of the rest of your life...
You knew nothing
Could say nothing
Could read nothing
Could do nothing
But yet you came with something:
Your Iman
Yes...YOU.
Look at yourself today
Contemplate
Be dazzled
HELPLESS you were
Dependant you were
Innocent you were
Were are you today?
Think back
Unpack
How Allah’s grand plan
Took shape!
HE taught you
Everything that you know
HE taught you to crawl
And crawl you did
Until it was time to walk
THINK OF THAT FIRST STEP
Have you ever thought of that step
Have you ever thanked Allah
For that first step?
Have you ever thanked Allah
For the body that could support you?
The brain that could supervise you?
For that step was not because of your own doing
ALLAH taught you to walk.
Today,are you walking towards Allah’s obedience?
HE taught you to talk
And talk you did
From words
To sentences
To conversations
THINK OF THAT FIRST WORD
Have you ever thought of that word?
Have you ever thanked Allah
For that first word?
Have you ever thanked Allah
For your respiratory tract that could make it possible?
For the it’s ability to liaise with your brain?
For that word was not of your own doing
ALLAH taught you to talk.
Today, do your words reflect your gratefulness to HIM?
HE taught you the names of everything
And thus did you understand
And understand you did
As you absorbed the meanings around you
As you made sense of the things that did surround you
Have you ever thanked Allah,
For that ability to understand? To learn?
For the consciousness that sprang within you
For that blessing of intelligence
To interpret
To think
To choose
For it was not of your own doing
ALLAH made you understand.
Today,are you using this intelligence to distinguish between right and wrong?
You have been sent in this world
Not by coincidence
NO…Certainly not by chance
Have you ever thanked ALLAH for your IMAN??
You have been sent with a mission so pure
With a purpose so noble
That IT alone befits the miracle that YOU are
You have this body at your disposal
You have this world at your disposal
You have been chosen
As the best of Creation
You have been created
In the best of forms.
You have been handpicked
To be in the best of Ummahs
WHY?
To disobey ALLAH?
To use HIS gifts in utter disobedience to HIM?
To forget Your Creator?
To ignore Your Sustainer?
To challenge Your Master?
You could not take that first breath yourself
You could not take that first step yourself
You could not say that first word yourself
You could do nothing for yourself
You can do nothing for yourself.
ALLAH alone says ‘BE’ and it is.
ALLAH created YOU for a reason
Remember Your purpose
Remember that first breath
Remember why You have been given
This gift of life
Through happiness
And sadness
Through hardship
And ease
Thank Allah for Creating You
Obey Allah.
Live for ALLAH alone.
Die for ALLAH alone.
To ALLAH do we belong
And only to HIM shall we return.
A message on behalf of Trustees, Director and Staff of IPCI
Early this morning, 8 August 2005 / 2 Rajab 1426, Sheikh Ahmed Hoosen Deedat passed on to meet his Creator. This was after succumbing to a severe stroke that left him paralysed for more than nine years.Throughout this period, he gracefully persevered under the most difficult personal conditions; however, not forgetting his task as a daee (Islamic worker) and an ambassador of Islam, he continued to inspire, educate, challenge and inform people about the universal message of Islam.It is on this solemn occasion of his demise that we salute the courageous spirit and phenomenal work of this world-renowned personality, a hero of the Muslim World, nay, a true hero of believers all around the globe!
Brief Biography of Sheikh Deedat
Sheikh Ahmed Hoosen Deedat was Born on the 01 July 1918 in the Surat district of India in 1918. His father emigrated to South Africa in 1927 with him. Ahmed Deedat was a very bright student and excelled in school. Lack of finance interrupted his schooling and at an early age of 16 he took on the first of many jobs in retailing and short assistant.
After reading a book called Izharul Haq – The Truth revealed, a book about a debate with Christian Missionaries in the then British India, Sheikh Deedat was spurred on in the direction of Dawah – Islamic Missionary Activity to halt the tide of the then Christian onslaught against Islam.
Over the next four decades, he immersed himself into a host of activities. Conducting Bible classes, lectures and debates the world over. He established the first Islamic Seminary in Southern Africa to train propagators at Assalaam educational Institute - Braemar.
He is the founder of the largest Islamic Dawah Organization in the world, the Islamic Propagation Center International and became its president.
He has published more than 20 books and distributed millions of copies of FREE literature and pamphlets the world over. Many of Sheikh Deedat’s publications have been translated into the many different languages of the world : Russian, Urdu, Arabic, Bengali, Bangladeshi, French, Amharic, Chinese, Japanese, Mayalam, Indonesian,, Zulu , Afrikaans, Dutch, Norwegian amongst others.
He delivered thousands of lectures all over the world, crossing all the continents and successfully engaging some of the biggest names in Christian evangelists in public debates. Sheikh Deedat’s debates and lectures are available all over the world in the various languages in Video and DVD format.
His career in the field of Comparative Religion took him across all five continents and dialogue with the heads of the Protestant world in America and the late Pope John Paul.
So fearless was his stand in defending the truth that Sheikh Deedat was refused entry into France and Nigeria on the pretext that ‘ he would cause a civil unrest’.
Sheikh Deedat also received a personal phone call at the IPCI from former President Nelson Mandela who was in Saudi Arabia at the time, congratulating Deedat for his international icon status in the Muslim World.
He was awarded the prestigious King Faisal Award in 1986 for his sterling services to Islam in the field of Propagation.
May Almighty Allah bless his soul, accept his efforts for the cause of da’wah and grant gracious patience to his loved ones during this trying time.
His funeral will leave his house 49 Trevenen Road, Lotusville Verulam at 5 pm. Proceeding to the Wick Street Musjid and after Magrib Salah / Prayer , he will be laid to rest in the Verulam Muslim Cemetery.
http://www.ahmed-deedat.co.za/frameset.asp
gillette
on August 8, 2005 7:43 PMTo Allah we belong and to him is our return.
I loved Sheikh Ahmed. He was an amazing daee.
on August 8, 2005 8:17 PMAsalaam Aleikum Warahmatullah Wabarakatu,
Masha Allah! this is very good.
I miss these types poems on Hidaya.
Where's Mohammed Irfan to read out a poem when you need him?
on August 9, 2005 2:01 AMA man who challeged falsehood
A man who stood up for Truth
A pillar of determination
he wished Islam for the entire nation
May Allah grant Shaikh Ahmed Deedat the highest stage in Jannah-Jannatul Firdous.Ameen.
This great Daee of Islam has passed on.He had accomplished so much in a short span of 87 years.This responsibility of calling to Islam is a duty of every Muslim.It is MY duty,it is YOUR duty.May Allah make us assets to this Ummah and use us for the Deen of Islam.
Ameen.
on August 9, 2005 5:06 AMSalaam:
Inna-lil-lahi-Wa-inna-Ilay-hi-Ra-jai-oun
Sheikh Ahmed Deedat was a great Dawah leader of our times. By the Grace and Mercy of Allah his works and deeds got spread to all corners of the muslim ummah before his death.
May Allah grant him peace and tranquility in his grave and on the day of ressurection, & May Allah grant him Jannatul-Firdaus!
Ameen
sub-hanallaah,
Ahmed Deedat passed away? Inna lillaahi wa inna ilayhe rajiooon. May Allaah have mercy on him and forgive him and reward him for upholding truth and facing against falsehood ameen.
South Africa has indeed lost someone great, for he was a muslim and he did not get as much attention as Nelson Mendela and others but yet for his community and for Muslims at large he did a tremendous amount of work that shook the foundations of some people(namely christians),
as ignorant as it sounds, I did not know he was alive until now, I dont know who had told me or I had read somewhere that he passed away earlier but now I see the news and I am like no, I was wrong.
As a young girl( 12 or 13), I read his pamphlets/books with much interest and was able to speak with muslims and non-muslims about concepts of tawheed, and about Rasool SAW.
It brings back memories for me, that I owe my early Islaamic education and interest in Islaam to many people and one of them is Sheikh Da'ee Br. Ahmed Deedat, may Allaah have mercy on him.
your sister in islaam,
with the Muslims of South Africa
Sakupoona,
Ibtisam
The world has missed the man who contributed to the knowledge of Comparative Religion!
on August 24, 2005 4:19 PM