The Collectif des mosques de France offers a “charter of values” to the CFCM

The collective of mosques in France, which brings together more than a hundred mosques and Muslim federations, is an informal grouping of religious structures. The collective has just proposed a draft of a charter of values ​​for National Council of Imams at the French Council for Muslim Worship. Mizane.info wanted to know more. Zoom.

Who is the Collectif des mosques de France (CMF)? To find out, we contacted Dr. Yacine Laoudi, president of the Muslim worship association of Aulnay-sous.-Wood (ACMA) member of the CMF steering committee.

The CMF is an “informal collective, a grouping of more than a hundred mosques and Muslim federations”, most of which is located in Ile-de-France.

Its objective is to federate and “speak out” of mosques, most of which are not represented on the French Council of Muslim Worship (40% maximum of places of worship, according to certain internal evaluations).

“We want to be proactive,” Mr. Laoudi told us, referring to news from the National Council of Imams.

The structure is hybrid. Not subject to an associative regime, the collective allows this plasticity. However, it brings together 4 of the 9 CFCM federations (CIMG France, RMF, MF, Faith and Practice).

Other independent mosques are part of it alongside the Regional Councils of Muslim Worship (CRCM). In these conditions, it is difficult to radically separate the two bodies (CMF and CFCM).

The collective wants to be constructive but wants to keep a word of truth.

A letter addressed to the President of the Republic last October, the founding act of the collective, expressed in frank terms, serious reservations and criticisms with regard to the French executive in its management of Islam.

“For several months, Muslims in France have increasingly been the target of the worst stigmatizations and invective from political figures and certain media who have made Islamophobia a goodwill, thus promoting amalgamation and suspicion. from a whole section of French society. We are amazed to see a desire to bring Muslim organizations under control with systematically unannounced checks in our mosques, prayer rooms, Muslim schools and this with police means worthy of an era that we thought was over. Unannounced checks involving numerous police officers create unease and trauma among the children, adults of tomorrow, and educational staff. This pressure is no longer acceptable and must end immediately. ”

The collective, which also challenged the public authorities on the “unbearable” stigma and “the harassment suffered by Muslim women who have decided to wear a headscarf to live their faith”, has therefore just proposed to the French Council of Muslim Worship a charter of values for the National Council of Imams.

The text is formulated in more conciliatory terms.

It broadly espouses the guidelines formulated by the clerics of the CFCM, guidelines themselves in line with the expectations of the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron.

Asked about this secular approach to the charter of values ​​already contradicted by the Caesarist voluntarism of President Macron, Yacine Laoudi declares “that we would like institutions to respect these articles including non-interference in worship”.

The charter was sent to the French Council for Muslim Worship, which has not yet reacted to this proposal.

Mizane.info reproduces in full the six articles of this charter of values, followed by the complete list of members of the Collectif des mosques de France.

“Preamble
As representatives of the Muslim communities, we declare that we will act in accordance with the principles of the National Council of Imams enacted below, which was created for the purpose of approving the imams who will exercise their functions in our mosques. We will carry out our work within the framework of mutual respect, considering as richness the differences arising from institutional and cultural characteristics.

1. Common values
The common basic belief principles of the Muslim organizations which signed this declaration are to believe, in the existence and oneness of Allah, in the angels, in the books sent by Him, in the prophets, in destiny and in the divine decree as well. than in the beyond. These organizations also consider devotion to the Quran, Sunnah, Consensus and Legal Analogy, which are the fundamental sources of the Muslim religion, as a basic principle.

2. Adherence to the principles of the Republic
Muslim religious life, shaped around its principles, takes place within the framework of the French Constitution. Our Constitution guarantees Muslims living in France the possibility of freely practicing their religion, exercising their citizenship rights as well as living together in different religions and cultures. Our Constitution also imposes on us responsibilities for the peace, well-being and serenity of society. We consider all the responsibilities and all the rights enshrined in the Constitution as guarantors of the coexistence of all the different religions and cultures in France. We are against all tendencies that attempt to undermine the constitutional order.

3. Secularism and religious freedom
One of the principles of the constitutional order of France is secularism. This includes on the one hand the neutrality of the State vis-à-vis religious communities, and on the other hand the neutral attitude this time of these communities towards the State. The legislative, executive and judicial branches of government derive their legitimacy from the nation. Religious communities have the right to freely live, practice and teach their religion within the framework of freedom of conscience in a democratic and secular state of law. This constitutional norm, which we also defend, offers Muslims in France the possibility of freely practicing their religion.

4. Independence and refusal to interfere
The signatories of this declaration are civil communities subject to French law who engage in religious activities for Muslims living in France. It is unacceptable to abuse Islam and to use it as much in our territories as abroad, so as to disrupt the well-being, serenity and peace of the French people, of which we are an essential component. .

5. The Imam, actor of peace and cohesion
Imams perform their duties in accordance with our principles of belief and the Constitution which is the foundation of common life. They render invaluable services for the religious and spiritual needs of Muslims in France and away from all forms of extremism. In addition, they encourage interaction with the society in which they live, participate in social issues as well as inter-religious and cultural dialogues.

6. Mosque, place of life open to society
The signatories of this declaration render service to the Muslims of France through the mosques. These places of worship, which constitute the center of religious life where Islam is practiced and taught, are open to everyone. Likewise, mosques operate in an open and transparent manner for the whole of society. ”

List of members of the Collectif des mosques de France:

Ile-de-France