Al-Qalam 
Murhoom Yousef Deedat – son of Shaykh Ahmed Deedat – who was cowardly gunned down outside the Verulam Magistrates’ Court last week was actually on his way to file a protection order against an individual who was threatening him, a relative Professor Abdul Karrim told Al Qalam in an interview.
The well-known Islamic activist passed away early the next day on Jum’uah at St Anne’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg where he was airlifted for emergency surgery. Professor Karrim said shortly following Yousef Deedat’s passing, said held a meeting with police investigators – and he was hopeful the culprits/s would be brought to book. He said he hoped that video footage and other evidence being collated by the investigators could lead to an early arrest. Approximately 300 people attended his Janaza in Verulam – and he was buried in his mother’s grave. Professor Karrim said Yousef was walking towards the courthouse when a gunman opened fire at him and fled. His wife Yasmin and a security guard chased after the gunman who then clambered into a waiting car which then sped off. When she turned around, she was horrified to see her husband lying face down, bleeding from the head. Yousef Deedat (65) was an outspoken personality who defended the honorable name of Prophet Mohammed (SAW). He fought many matters in court and had ruffled many feathers. He was labeled an extremist by some of his detractors. Paying tribute to him was Shaykh Rafeek Hassen who was a close associate of international daa’ee Shaykh Ahmed Deedat and a former director of the Islamic Propagation Centre International in Durban. To Yousef, his father was his real hero. He took care of his father when he was bedridden for nine years “He continued his own Da’wah work by the name of “DEEDAT’S HOUSE OF DAWAH” from his father’s house in Verulam, publishing his father’s literature. Yousef Deedat was not only passionate about Da’wah but he dearly loved his father and admired his father’s legacy which he carried on in his own way. For Yousef, Sheikh Ahmed Deedat was not only HIS father, but his HERO. “Yousef also developed a passion for law and the courts and his second past time was helping lay people with their court matters. He even began handing his legal matters himself. He developed much self-confidence appearing before the Judges and magistrates, as in the current matter, where he took the Natal Mercury to the Equality High Court (without any lawyer) over the publication of a derogatory and provocative “letter to the Editor” about Prophet Mohammed [SAW} which he deemed to be “hate speech.” This case is still not finalized and sadly Yousef Deedat will not be around to hear its outcome. He will be missed by me as he chose me to give the Islamic View in Court in this Hate Speech Trial. “In his private capacity, Yousef was very generous and also strong in Imaan. He took care of his bedridden father until his passing. He then took care of his elderly mother which is enough to earn him Jannah, Inshallah, Ameen! Popular Islamic radio personality, Shafa’at Ahmed Khan paid tribute to Yousef Deedat on Channel Islam where he hosted Shaykh Rafeek Hassan. Khan, who was the editor of Al Burhan magazine when he worked closely with Shaykh Ahmed Deedat at the Islamic Propagation Centre International, said Yousef was dedicated to carry on his iconic father’s noble work in promoting Dawah.
By Al Qalam Reporter
