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# Tariq Ramadan: Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde?
- URL: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/19087/
- Published: 2006-09-26T16:09:17.000Z
- Updated: 2019-02-14T22:35:16.000Z
- Author: openDemocracy Supporters
- Tags: #en, #Migrated, #Import 2026-04-09 18:23

**By Jessica Reed**

Tariq Ramadan is a controversial Swiss islamologist and scholar who publishes the bulk of his academic work in French. To many, he is Europe's leading muslim intellectual. Often invited to talk-shows in France in the early 00's, he has been laregly avoided (censored?) by the media in the past two years, which accused him of advocating anti-semitism (Le Monde article, in english), misogynism and religious extremism.

On the other side of the Channel, he is an Oxford-Universty professor and a highly respected figure, who was [interviewed](../../../faith-europe%5Fislam/article%5F2006.jsp) by Rosemary Bechler for openDemocracy. Several American publications [chose him](http://dir.salon.com/story/news/feature/2005/11/16/Ramadan/index.html?ref=opendemocracy.net) to decrypt the French suburbian riots in the fall of 2005\. Back in 2004, his visa was [revoked](http://www.danielpipes.org/article/2043?ref=opendemocracy.net) by the US Departement of Homeland security.

Yesterday the United States once again [denied him the right](http://www.nwfdailynews.com/articleArchive/sep2006/visabushmiddleeastpolicies.php?ref=opendemocracy.net) to set foot in the country, and this "based solely on his actions, which constituted providing material support to a terrorist organization" : Ramadan allegedly gave $765 to humanitarian organisations providing aid to Palestinians. Many denounces what seems to be a deliberate act of censorship. The American Prospect magazine [called him](http://www.prospect.org/print/V15/3/smith-l.html?ref=opendemocracy.net) "a cold-blooded islamist who believes that Islam is the cure for the malaise wrought by liberal values". Ramadan quickly defended himself by publishing [many](http://oumma.com/spip.php?article1074&ref=opendemocracy.net) (*link in french*) lenghty [rebuttals](http://www.campus-watch.org/article/id/1265?ref=opendemocracy.net). Many [stood up](http://fistfulofeuros.net/archives/000782.php?ref=opendemocracy.net) for him.

In the months that followed 9/11 I watched many French political shows featuring Tariq Ramadan - at the time he was all the rage, a symbolic academic figure to be listenned to at all cost so as to understand the complexity of the so-called war on terror days. The scholar was indeed often provocative, at times offering comments and analysis similar [to Abu Izadeen's](2006/09/23/Abu-Izzadeen-and-British-Democracy-1.html). But silencing his voice always sounded terribly counter-productive to me, that is if we truly want to understand the different dynamics, movements and thoughts currently shaping the landscape of the communitarian debate in Europe.

**Elsewhere**: Le Monde will be hosting [an online chat](http://www.lemonde.fr/web/chat/0,46-0@2-3226,55-815982,0.html?ref=opendemocracy.net) with Tariq Ramadan, tomorrow at 14 o'clock GMT. The discussion's main topic will be: "Is talking about Islam taboo?".