UK Muslim leader barred from US

Just a matter of days after joining other faith leaders in a joint condemnation of the London attacks, Dr Zaki Badawi has been refused entry into the US.

The reason for the refusal has not been provided due to privacy:

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement said it had information indicating Dr Badawi was "inadmissible".

Spokeswoman Janet Rapaport said that when problems arose at JFK airport, Dr Badawi voluntarily withdrew his application to enter the country and returned home.

"We cannot disclose the information which led to the application being inadmissible because of privacy rules," she added.

BBC News - UK Muslim leader barred from US

How on earth do the US expect to make progress in conveying that they are not against Islam/Muslims, but against terrorists, when they treat a respected Islamic leader, who condemns the actions of the suicide bombers, as if he were a terrorist himself?

[edit on 15-7-2005 by Koka]

Sounds like somebody made a mistake.

He was listed as inadmissible, so he wasn't allowed in.
At least someone was looking at the list.

If there was no reason for him being on the list, an apology is due.

It is a bit interesting that , rather than stand his ground, he withdrew his application, and went home..Something to hide? or was he just avoiding making a scene?

As far a progress in conveying that we are not against, islam, but terrorism.
It's been made clear , again and again. I mean, did we round up all people of islamic faith, and imprison them? Did we close down the Mosques, of course not..

Originally posted by spacedoubt
Sounds like somebody made a mistake.

He was listed as inadmissible, so he wasn't allowed in.
At least someone was looking at the list.

If there was no reason for him being on the list, an apology is due.

It is a bit interesting that , rather than stand his ground, he withdrew his application, and went home..Something to hide? or was he just avoiding making a scene?

I would tend to think the latter, seeing as how he is very high profile and very well respected, except it appears, in the US.

You're probably right.
I was reading quite a few online stories about the guy. Seems like an
outreach type..Hopefully we can get past this. Get it straightened out.

Originally posted by spacedoubt
Sounds like somebody made a mistake.



If there was no reason for him being on the list, an apology is due.

It is a bit interesting that , rather than stand his ground, he withdrew his application, and went home..Something to hide? or was he just avoiding making a scene?

Likely he was highly offended, I would be. It also likely gave him the feeling that as he is a respected peaceful leader, that anti-muslim sentiment was there. I mean who would want to enter a country after being made to feel like that.

In another age, Zaki Badawi would probably have held the title "Grand Mufti of Islam in Britain". Everyone would have known that, on matters of faith, his word ranks alongside that of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Chief Rabbi and the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster. But when the Ottoman empire collapsed in the 19th century the post died. So now Badawi competes with a melee of Muslim politicians, local imams plus any hotheads the media chances upon: imagine a cardinal battling for attention with Gerry Adams, the odd turbulent parish priest and the comedian Dave Allen on matters of Catholic doctrine and you get the picture.

Yesterday, however, a party marking the Egyptian-born leader's 80th birthday celebrated his attempts to establish a modern Islam that can fit comfortably with British values. Attended by senior figures from the major faiths, alongside representatives of Prince Charles and the prime minister, it demonstrated that, with war looming and fears of British Islamic support for al-Qaida, Badawi's views matter.

His message, combined with his seniority, explain the uniqueness of Badawi, chair of the Council of Imams and Mosques. Far from portraying Islam as being at odds with modernity, he sees it as the immigrant's route to becoming a contented Briton. "There is no theological problem in Islam taking on a great deal of western culture and values and incorporating them."

He has waged scholarly war against, for example, forced marriages and female circumcision, practices he sees as having cultural rather than Islamic bases. He first coined the term "British Islam", much to the annoyance of those preferring ethnic terms such as British Asian or Black Briton. "Within a couple of generations," he says, "Muslims will lose their cultural baggage. Indian and Pakistani ways will disappear. They will adopt western cultural values and the whole community will be brought together as British Muslims."

www.guardian.co.uk...

He seems like a good man.

Originally posted by Kriz_4

I mean who would want to enter a country after being made to feel like that.

A man like him.
I believe he can turn this around, and use it as an example.
After all, it illustrates the things he is trying to overcome, right?

*sighs*

Thats America for you

A pitty that as we speak there are most likely several guys looking to find any and every dirt on him to post here and justify that he was rejected.

I'm thinking the reason this man was rejected, is because he, when giving speeches and lectures, will show a much different picture of Islam then the US administration wants the American citizens to have.

They just made an example out of one Muslim leader and put him in jail. So now having another one getting positive media attention and giving his style of lectures about Islam in the country, would affect the message they have tried to post with the conviction of the other muslim leader.

www.sky.com...

George Bush has met him before

"They were very, very embarrassed and I felt sorry for them. America is a lovely country. There is no reason why it should behave like that."

Dr Badawi was given an honorary knighthood and in 2003 was a guest of the Queen at a state banquet for US president George Bush.

Earlier this week, he joined other British religious leaders including Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams and Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks in publicly condemning the London bomb blasts which killed at least 54 people.

Originally posted by infinite
*sighs*

Thats America for you

No it isn't America, infinite. The majority of us would welcome any person of any faith that speaks out against terrorism.

A mistake was made, that's for sure. But please don't judge our wonderful land because of it; that's unfair.

Originally posted by jsobecky

Originally posted by infinite
*sighs*

Thats America for you

No it isn't America, infinite. The majority of us would welcome any person of any faith that speaks out against terrorism.

A mistake was made, that's for sure. But please don't judge our wonderful land because of it; that's unfair.

Agreed

"Infinite stop antagonising".

Not that I'm any less guilty, I just can't help myself sometimes, but I'm working on it.

And on the subject, although Dr Zaki Badawi received an honorary knighthood, it didn't do his street cred any good, but I reckon he knows that if he is shown respect by those of power, his words should have a greater standing with those that view Islam with suspicious eyes.