Grand Mosque of Paris: “Muslims Must Respect The Values Of The French Republic”

In the light of the acute tension now gripping the Islamic scene in France, the Grand Mosque of Paris issued a declaration on the Islam of France, in which it cleared many of the lingering ambiguities and warned against the nefarious practices of what it called “fraudsters and fake preachers”.

The aim of the 25-page  article, published in “Le Point” newspaper, signed by the dean of the Paris Grand Mosque, Mr. Dalil Boubekeur, is to ward off any confusion or misinterpretation of the Islamic religion and thereby any adverse distortion of the brand- image of French Muslims.

The Grand Mosque of Paris reaffirmed the principles and values of Islam, which are compatible with the values of the French Republic, recalling that the 1905 law considers the principle of the neutrality of the state, administration, public services and personnel in relation to religions.

In other words, the Declaration made it clear that the French Republic does not finance any religion and does not accept any request made in the name of religion and does not encourage any religion. It grants the religious communities the same rights and duties from the population in the country, whether cultural or otherwise in line with secularism principle serving as a bulwark against any drifts.

The French Republic considers that France is not a land of Islam, but a land for the coexistence of religions, including Islam alongside atheists or non-Adrienians, a philosophical face that believes that the true values of religious or non-religious issues are undefined and cannot be identified.

“The Paris Grand Mosque is aware of responsibilities towards the Muslim community in France in the field of thought, guidance and religious interpretation,” he added. 

The Dean of the Grand Mosque of Paris further described those people who claim falsely to be “Mujahideen” as sheer swindlers and enemies of the true Islam as a religion of peace and tolerance, pointing out that the ideal “jihad” is the self-jihad to advance towards achieving the high qualities of the best and exemplary Muslim.