My Fight Against American Phantoms

Over the last four years, I have visited the United States more than 20 times. I have lectured on philosophy and Islam at numerous academic institutions from Dartmouth to Stanford and at organizations from the Brookings Institution to the United States Institute of Peace. I was invited to a meeting organized by former President Clinton, and I spoke before officials of the CIA.

So when I was offered a professorship at the University of Notre Dame, I did not see it as anything particularly controversial, and I accepted the position as an opportunity for greater engagement and dialogue with Americans.

After the necessary security clearance, my visa was approved in May. We shipped our belongings and were only nine days away from moving when I was informed that my visa had been revoked. Though no explanation was given to us, government officials were quoted anonymously in the media citing the Patriot Act as the legal basis -- but without stating exactly what I had been accused of.

The media speculated endlessly; all my detractors' old and baseless allegations were listed: "possible terrorist links," "Islamist," and the particularly inexplicable "gentle jihadist." I was accused of being an anti-Semite and of engaging in "double talk" by delivering a gentle, moderate message to non-Muslims but a "radical and extremist" message to Muslims. To bolster their argument, my critics pointed to my pedigree -- my grandfather was the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt -- as if one's thoughts and morals descend from the vices and virtues of one's lineage.

Time and again I fought to disprove these malicious allegations. But it didn't work. In 20 years of studying and teaching philosophy, I have learned to appreciate the inherent difficulty in recognizing "the truth." But I have also learned that in the world of mass media, "truth" is not based on clarity but on repetition. An assumption repeated three times becomes a fact.

Strange truth indeed! I have written 20 books and 700 articles. Have my detractors read any of them? Are they acquainted with my extensive study of the Islamic scriptural sources and my efforts to help Muslims remain faithful to their principles and, at the same time, face the challenges of the contemporary world? Are they familiar with my statement on Sept. 12, 2001, calling on Muslims to condemn the terror attacks? Or my condemnations of anti-Semitism? Have they read my writing promoting women's rights and Islamic feminism and rejecting mistreatment and discrimination?