Mohammed Moussaoui, president of the French Council of the Muslim Faith (L) signs the "Charter of principles" next to French President Emmanuel Macron (R)
Credit: POOL/REUTERS
President Emmanuel Macron on Monday hailed a major step for “enlightened Islam” in France after Muslim leaders approved a charter that rejects extremism and upholds the "primacy of Republican principles over religious values”.
Mr Macron has been pushing for the charter since November after a jihadist killed a schoolteacher for showing cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in class.
He called it “a hugely important step” and “truly a foundational text in the relationship between the state and Islam of France”.
“Everything starts now,” he told Muslim leaders after an Elysée meeting rubber-stamping the text.
However, it received a sceptical response from some religious scholars and experts.
The 10-article “charter of principles” comes after six weeks of sometimes fraught talks within the French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM), an umbrella body representing Islam in relation with the state.
Negotiations almost collapsed last month when Chems-Eddine Hafiz, the council’s vice-chairman, walked out amid claims that Islamist council members were spreading falsehoods that "the charter aims to attack the dignity of faithful Muslims".
Entente over the charter seen is seen as key to Mr Macron’s fight to banish a culture of “separatism” in French society, which is also the subject of a new bill debated in parliament on Monday.
French Muslim leaders clashed for six weeks over the charter, notably amid claims fundamentalist were seeking to brand it anti-Islamic
Credit: LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP
The Elysée said the charter recognises two “essential political points”, namely “the refusal of all foreign influence” and “the rejection of political Islam” in France whose practitioners it defines as followers of Salafism or Wahhabism, the Muslim Brotherhood and the Tablighi Jamaat movement.
The text also eschews "nationalist" groups linked to Turkey. Mr Macron’s administration has previously blasted President Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party for meddling in France through its preachers.
A new system to license imams will require all preachers to sign the charter. They must commit to accepting sexual equality and condemning “all forms of racism, discrimination and hatred”. They must also acknowledge that cultural practices such as female genital mutilation, the use of virginity certificates or forced marriage “do not stem from Islam”.
The charter stipulates that claims Muslims are victims of "state racism" is tantamount to "slander".
The imams must also reject the notion of apostasy, the sin of renouncing the Muslim faith, which some radical branches deem punishable by death. Choice or rejection of religion is a fundamental French right, the charter stipulates.
France's Muslim leaders have agreed on a 'charter of principles' reconciling Islam with French secularism
Credit: YOAN VALAT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock/ Shutterstock
CFCM president Mohammed Moussaoui welcomed the text, saying it “states in a clear way that the principles of the Muslim faith are entirely compatible with the principles of the Republic.”
The agreement had brought “unity” back to Muslim federations the CFCM represents, he said.
The next step was to certify home-grown imams and protect the faith from “self-proclaimed” religious leaders and “untrained people,” he added.
The Elysée said it expected a new National Council of Imams (CNI) to be up and running by the end of the month.
However, other Muslim figures poured cold water on the charter.
Hakim El Karoui, a scholar and author of Islam, a French Religion, called it a "praiseworthy declaration of intent".
But he expressed surprise at the "paradox" of foreign-funded and Islamist federations who make up the CFCM signing up to a text that approves the removal of foreign influence and Islamism.
These, he said were "people who have interests that run in contradiction to the text".
He also pointed out that the signatory federations were "judge and jury" whereas an "independent" council would be better placed to "verify" if its principles were being properly applied.
Franck Frégosi, a France Islam expert at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) suggested it would receive a frosty reception outside of Paris.
"I’m not sure this text, even once signed, will receive unanimous support from Islam on the ground, which does not recognise itself in the CFCM, considered an organisation of dignitaries disconnected from the field," he told AFP.
Tareq Oubrou, imam of the mosque of Bordeaux, southwestern France, was even more dismissive. "The CFCM has no influence … on the reality of Muslims in France, it should stick to the logistical and organisational aspects (of the faith)," he said.
"Muslim scholars and theologians should draw up a text and then submit it to the CFCM, not the other way round."
Mr Macron also called on other Muslim bodies “outside the framework of the CFCM” to adopt the charter or face unspecified consequences.
The draft charter was welcomed by Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally, who said: "Everything that goes in the direction of involving religious leaders in respecting the laws of France seems positive to me.”
French MPs are debating a law aimed at countering 'separatism' from French society, mainly by Islamists
Credit: CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT/AFP
It came as the National Assembly debated on Monday a new law "bolstering the principles of the Republic", which includes measures such as denying foreigners residency if found to be polygamous and cancelling marriages if authorities conclude they are forced.
School under the law will be obligatory from the age of three with homeschooling for special cases only. The measure is aimed at preventing parents enrolling children in underground Islamic facilities.
Another clause cracks down on online hate speech by enabling judges to hold fasttrack trials of terror suspects.
However, the Macron majority was expected to reject a controversial amendment tabled by one of his MPs banning "little girls" and mothers in school outings from wearing the Islamic veil, amid concerns it would fuel claims the bill was "anti-Muslim".
Emmanuel Macron's staunch defence of French secularism, including the right to blaspheme, sparked angry protests in some Muslim countries
Credit: DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP
Mr Macron’s staunch defence of French secularism and freedom of expression, including blasphemy, triggered protests in some Muslim countries in recent months.
However, his prime minister Jean Castex insisted: "This bill is not a text aimed against religions or against the Muslim religion in particular.”
"It is the reverse — it is a law of freedom, it is a law of protection, it is a law of emancipation against religious fundamentalism."
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