Deedat dies aged 87

Ahmad Hussain Deedat, famed Muslim preacher and debater, died at the age of 87 in South Africa early on Monday morning.

He died from the effects of a paralyzing stroke he suffered in 1996. The stroke robbed him of the power of speech.

Born on July 1, 1918 in Surat, India, his family emigrated to South Africa in 1927.

Deedat - the founder of the Islamic Propagation Center International (IPCI) in Durban, South Africa – was a champion of D'awa (Islamic missionary activity).

Throughout his life, Deedat published more than 20 books and distributed millions of copies of free literature and pamphlets the world over which were translated into many languages.

He was awarded the prestigious King Faisal Award in 1986 for his services to Islam in the field of Propagation.

Famous books by Deedat included "The Choice - Between Islam and Christianity; "Is the Bible God's Word?"; "Al Qur'an the Miracle of Miracles" ; "What the Bible says about Muhammad (PBUH)?"; and "Crucifixion or Cruci-Fiction?"