Oxford Scholar Becomes Latest Suspect2 min read

These past weeks have come as a revelation of disappointment and shock for the general public with the amount of big-name exposures.

What recent events have shown is to always stay alert for there are always two sides of a coin.

Just because we like the shinier side, doesn’t mean we ignore the side with dirt on it.

So on Tuesday when it was revealed that Islamic Scholar Tariq Ramadan was accused of sexual assault, many in the community were shocked.

People have also criticised the Scholar being an advocate for Muslims and Islamic understanding in the western world, so they asked what the British Muslim community’s response is to this case.

As a Muslim myself, seeing an intellect who has defended our community against the political and societal friction we deal with in the modern day puts people like Ramadan on a pedestal.

I’m sure many young Muslims look up and aspire to be like him.

But regardless of his achievements, if the allegations do turn out to be true, all of that respect our community has for him will most certainly vanish.

From a young age, we are taught to respect and protect women from any harm and if anyone continues to support him after being proven guilty, it would go against our beliefs.

With more and more famous faces being exposed for acts of physical abuse against women & children in the last month, comes a new suspect that has been accused by several of sexual misconduct, violence and death threats.

Renowned Islamic Scholar Tariq Ramadan is under investigation by the French Authorities after accusations from two women of rape.

As a result of the allegations, Ramadan has taken a leave of absence from Oxford University as Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies.

It is understood that both the University and the accused Scholar both came to a mutual agreement in order for Ramadan to take time addressing the serious allegations against him.

The first woman to come out into the light after being motivated from Harvey Weinstein’s exposure has been identified as Henda Ayari.

She told the French Media that the Oxford Scholar had assaulted her in 2012 at a Parisian hotel room.

She told the press that Ramadan “literally pounced on me like a wild animal” and thought that she “was going to die” from the way he attacked her.

The second alleged victim is a disabled woman who has chosen to remain anonymous, saying that in 2009 the Swiss man beat up and molested her multiple time in a Lyonnais hotel room.

A further four Swiss women have come out and accused Ramadan of making sexual advances to them when they were still students in Geneva.

In response to all accusations, the 55 year old denies any form of assault on the women and has inform his lawyers to sue the accusers for “slander”.