Son of prominent South African Muslim preacher shot in head

The son of a prominent South African Muslim preacher was airlifted to hospital on Wednesday after being shot in the head, media in the country have reported.

Yousuf Deedat, son of the late Ahmed Deedat, is reportedly fighting for his life after the attack outside a family court in the coastal city of Durban.

Police colonel Thembeka Mbele said the 65-year-old was walking towards the Verulam family court as he was shot. He added that the suspect fled in a vehicle.

"He is in critical condition in a local hospital. While his injuries remain severe, we remain hopeful for Deedat's recovery," Deedat's family said in a statement late on Wednesday.

Ahmed Deedat was one of South Africa's most prominent Muslim missionaries, having held several high-profile public debates and penned several works about comparitive religion.

The preacher from Durban debated a number of prominent Christian Evangelists, and at one point even challenged Pope Jean Paul II to a debate at the Vatican.

Deedat's works won international recognition and international accolades from Muslim states, including the 
King Faisal International Prize in 1986 for his 50 years of preaching. Deedat died at the age of 87 in 2005.

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