Tariq Ramadan

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The Muslim scholar and activist Tariq Ramadan sees himself as a bridge between Islam and the West. But even he admits, that bridge can be a little rickety. He has been banned from a number of Muslim nations. And although it has just been lifted, he was banned from visiting the U.S. for 6 years as well.

Tariq Ramadan is a Swiss citizen who lives with his family in Britain. He is Professor of Islamic Studies at Oxford University, and President of European Muslim Network, a think-tank based in Brussels. On the international speaking circuit, he's something of an Islamic rock-star, packing lecture halls and auditoriums wherever he goes.

Ramadan has been writing and talking about Islam and its place in the West for decades. His latest book is called What I Believe. In it, he has tough words for Muslims and
non-Muslims alike, about how to get past the barriers of prejudice and misunderstanding that divide us.