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Muslim professor demanded students praise Allah and remove shoes before entering office
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Muslim professor demanded students praise Allah and remove shoes before entering office

Felix Coe, a man of Muslim faith and a retired professor of biology at the University of Connecticut, reportedly demanded students remove their shoes before entering his office, as well as praise Allah prior to entry.

What are the details?

According to Campus Reform, Coe — who retired over the last year — taped signs outside of his campus office that told students to remove their shoes before entering the office.

Another sign required students to say "Bismallah," an Arabic phrase that means "in the name of Allah" prior to entering his office.

One sign read, "Remove shoes before entering."

The other sign read, "Knock first, then request entry. Say: Bismallah."

In a video shared on Tuesday by Jihad Watch, such signs are visible, and Coe can be heard telling a student, "I'm a Muslim. You don't come into my office with dirty shoes. That's a curse."

After the student asked about his shoe policy, Coe can be heard telling the student to "get the hell out."

What else?

In another portion of the video, a man is filmed approaching Coe's office.

When he reaches Coe's door, he asks about the shoe policy, as well as the sign on the door encouraging those who request entry to say "Bismallah."

“I want to know why these [signs] are necessary,” the unidentified man asks the professor. “Why would a student have to take their shoes off? Why would a  student have to say [Bismillah]?”

Coe responds, “Because I am a Muslim and I don’t want them coming in my office with dirty shoes.”

Undeterred, the man continues, “But this is your office, this is not a prayer [place]. We have a separate place for a prayer. ... If a Christian put in here 'In Jesus Name' ... would this happen?”

According to the outlet, the video was recorded in December.

Has the university responded?

Stephanie Reitz, a spokesperson for the university, told Fox News that Coe retired after the video was filmed and the signs were taken down from the satellite campus in Hartford.

"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," Reitz said. "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."

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Sarah Taylor

Sarah Taylor

Sarah is a former staff writer for TheBlaze, and a former managing editor and producer at TMZ. She resides in Delaware with her family. You can reach her via Twitter at @thesarahdtaylor.