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Tariq Ramadan, Islamic scholar, to be permitted to enter U.S.

Adam Habib and Tariq Ramadan should soon be able to enter the United States once again, ending years in which the Bush administration kept out the two prominent scholars, infuriating many academic groups.

Several academic groups have been in a protracted legal battle with the government over the visa denials to Habib, the deputy vice chancellor of research, innovation and advancement at the University of Johannesburg, and Ramadan, a professor of contemporary Islamic studies at the University of Oxford. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday lifted the orders denying visas to the two scholars. While they must now re-apply for visas, the past rationales for rejecting them can't be used, and they are expected to receive speedy approval....

Ramadan, a Swiss citizen, had visited the United States many times prior to 2004, when he accepted the position to teach at the University of Notre Dame. Ramadan is known as a leading Muslim scholar who advocates peaceful coexistence for Muslims and non-Muslims in ways that preserve Islamic ideals and Western democracy. While he has criticized U.S. policies many times, he has also criticized violence by Muslim groups. In 2004, he was denied a visa to take the Notre Dame job, and he was subsequently blocked from coming to the United States to address the AAUP.
Read entire article at Inside Higher Ed