Oxford University Islamic professor denies rape allegations by French author

E-Paper | March 12, 2026

Swiss academic and Oxford University Professor Tariq Ramadan has denied rape allegations levelled against him by French activist and author Henda Ayari, Arab News reported on Sunday.

Ramadan, a professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies in the Faculty of Oriental Studies at St Antony's College, Oxford University, is also the grandson of the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al-Banna.

Ayari filed a rape and sexual assault complaint against Ramadan on Friday in France detailing acts of rape, sexual assault, violence, harassment and intimidation, according to AFP.

The writer, in her book 'I Chose to be Free' published in Nov 2016, described an encounter with an aggressor named Zubair, saying that she had met him at a hotel in Paris after he had given a lecture.

She said that when she pushed back against his advances, he screamed at her, insulted her, slapped her and treated her violently, Arab News reported.

In a post on Facebook, Ayari confirmed "that the famous Zubair is Tariq Ramadan". Her lawyer said she had not reported the assault earlier out of fear.

The writer decided to go public with her experiences "after revelations over the past few days of rape and sexual assault claims in the media", her lawyer told AFP.

Ramadan, however, denied Ayari's allegations and announced his intention to sue her for "slanderous denunciation".

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Oct 23, 2017 12:25pm

Shocking and just sad. It's happening all over the world. I was molested as a child by men in my family and their friends. And I'm a man but has not got over the abuse.

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Tamza

Oct 23, 2017 12:26pm

This thing is getting out of control - in the same way the independence movements get out of control. Freedom ensues. And so does responsibility. Seems to me we all will soon need to start wearing caneras and recorders so such accusations are immediately verified or rebutted!! And i am serious. We already have widespread(ing) use of cameras on cars to record collusions. On bicyclists to record any incident as well as capture the registration plate number.

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shail

Oct 23, 2017 12:34pm

So what next ?

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J Li

Oct 23, 2017 12:36pm

Looks like a Hollywood script in action!

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saqib ghumman

Oct 23, 2017 12:58pm

There is more to come I guess...

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timetostopthis

Oct 23, 2017 01:14pm

These kind of people deserve to be exposed in front of the world. They are rich and powerful and think they can get away with abusing women. Time they get the message that this kind of behaviour wont be tolerated any more.

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ayesha

Oct 23, 2017 01:19pm

while it may be true in all cases . In others Im sure there are women who are settling score by pretending to be victims.

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theCAPSgirlsSoundMAD

Oct 23, 2017 01:45pm

@Jo Now it's men, Jo Jo?

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lafanga

Oct 23, 2017 01:55pm

No one knows who is right and who is wrong here but I have one question. Why didn't she report this when it happened? Rape is such a serious allegation and crime which must be reported right away and the longer you wait the more diluted the case becomes.

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timetostopthis

Oct 23, 2017 02:29pm

No smoke without fire....

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timetostopthis

Oct 23, 2017 02:29pm

Sooner or later the truth will be out, despite his powerful connections.

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JA-Australia

Oct 23, 2017 02:43pm

If the allegations are true, she should go to court. Anybody can write anything in a book.

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Well Meaning

Oct 23, 2017 02:45pm

what a shame prof suing a woman you molested ? .

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A shah

Oct 23, 2017 04:04pm

He should be prosecuted.

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A shah

Oct 23, 2017 04:05pm

Disgusting.

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Javed

Oct 23, 2017 04:17pm

Rape allegations are the new rage in vogue these days.

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ahmedj

Oct 23, 2017 04:23pm

Instead of accusing the multilingual scholar Tariq Ramadan who is a modern Islamic thinker who even cannot go back to his country of origin due to fear of persecution. Instead ask who is this accuser Henda Ayari, is she the same woman who used to wear strict Islamic dress code and suddenly changed her attire into leather trousers? How come this woman with eccentric personality can accuse an Islamic scholar who is bringing positive change to the Islamic society in the Western hemisphere.

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Oct 23, 2017 04:25pm

@theCAPSgirlsSoundMAD this is not about demeaning abuse against women. I'm simply making the point this kind of sexual predatory behaviour exists in all societies and against all genders.

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RAHMAN

Oct 23, 2017 04:47pm

I am sure this will be not true.

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ejaz

Oct 23, 2017 05:32pm

I will give him a benefit of doubt. They (famous people / Celebrities / public figures) should avoid putting themselves in to the situation where somebody can take advantage of them. Meeting with other people, especially with opposite gender, should be held in open places, not in the hotel room, apartment or in the house alone. I someone invited a person with opposite gender in to his/her room alone, he and she is already guilty of committing the crime.

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Syed Anjum Ali

Oct 24, 2017 06:11am

Let's not be hasty in our judgments. A case is registered and let's see what the outcome is.

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hnmirza

Oct 25, 2017 01:56am

Tariq Ramadan is a morally upright individual. He is not "powerful" but is well known enough that he was voted among 500 most influential people of the world. It would be next to impossible for him to give a lecture anywhere posing as a " Zubair", since he is very well recognized especially in Europe. So giving the lady here also benefit of doubt, she may be sadly mistaken about the identity- unless this is a ploy to boost book sales or something like that.

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rana1

Oct 25, 2017 07:58am

@RAHMAN ...hard for male ego ti believe...there is another scandal going on,Nouman Ali Khan

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