Muslim UConn Professor Forced Students to 'Praise Allah' Before They Could Talk to Him

A biology professor retired after students complained he required them to praise Allah before interacting with him in his office.

The University of Connecticut reprimanded Coe for posting a flyer on his door which read: "REMOVE SHOES BEFORE ENTERING" and "KNOCK FIRST, THEN REQUEST ENTRY Say: Bismillah,"

In a video first provided by Judicial Watch, Professor Felix Coe tells students they must remove their shoes and say Bismillah which means 'Praise Allah' before entering his office.

Campus Reform reports a female student who was looking for help finding another professor was berated and told by Coe, "I am a Muslim, You don't come into my office with dirty shoes; that's a curse." When she says, "I didn't know," Coe adds, "The sign is right there. Pay attention."

Also in the video, two male students recorded their interaction with Coe.

They ask the self-identified Muslim professor, "I want to know why these (signs) are necessary," furthermore the student presses Coe "Why would a student have to take their shoes off? Why would a student have to say (Bismillah)?"

A defiant Coe answers, "Because I am a Muslim and I don't want them coming in my office with dirty shoes."

The student responds "But this is your office, this is not a prayer (place). We have a separate place for a prayer." 

He then asks Coe, "If a Christian put in here 'In Jesus' name'...would this happen?"

Coe, who received a high 3.5 rating from his students on RateMyProfessors.com was an ethnobotanist at the college, studying tropical forest ecology.

According to Campus Reform, the university moved quickly to rectify the situation by first removing the signage from the professor's door and then moving him into retirement. 

In a statement to Campus Reform, university officials said after receiving complaints, "UConn promptly resolved the issue in a manner that respects the rights of all involved, and affirms the University's values of civility and inclusivity."

The college spokesman added, "Regarding this instance, the sign that had directed guests to precede their conversations with a specific Arabic phrase was immediately removed at the University's direction."