Can we represent the Islam of France?

No legitimacy without intellectual authority

Didier Leschi

Specialist in worship and secularism, former head of the central office of worship

From the beginning, the challenge of representing Islam in France has been to solve practical problems. The first was to establish a relationship of trust between the communities and the local leaders of the Muslim religion so that the latter could benefit from the French legal framework, and in particular encourage the construction of places of worship.

In this sense, the work carried out since Jean-Pierre Chevènement has enabled the Muslim faithful to see their situation considerably improved, as evidenced by the multiplication of places of worship, the development of Muslim chaplaincies in the armies, within the administration penitentiary and in hospitals or the development of the halal market.

Another challenge is to ensure that representation is not only assumed by immigrants, but that it can also involve people born in France, fully French citizens and believers. This is one of Forif’s objectives. The first generations of representatives, if they allowed a better consideration of the Muslim religion in the country, did not manage to be clearly identified as representatives of an Islam of France, because of historical, affective and financial links with of the countries of origin. They found themselves increasingly at odds with the new generations of Muslim believers.

The second difficulty is that these representatives have not succeeded in investing the theological problematic. However, this is the heart of the problem of the construction of an Islam in France: how to ensure that the legitimate Muslim belief is not in France hostage to Islamist excesses? In my book (1), I used a metaphor by saying: “What is lacking in the Islam of France are Muslim Bernanos”, that is to say people who, based on their faith , stand up firmly to defend the acceptance of their otherness, because we belong to a common humanity. This is what Bernanos did at the time of the Spanish war.

However, in the current period, regardless of the form taken by the representation of the Muslim faith – CFCM or Forif – what is striking is the difficulty in thinking that the revolt in Iran is perhaps the best thing that can come to the Muslim world. And the absence of positions taken by Muslim leaders on this subject – which I note – does not help them to become credible, both with the Muslim faithful and vis-à-vis French society as a whole.

The legitimacy of representativeness therefore does not depend solely on a technique or a structure, but on an intellectual authority and the force of an internal theological debate. The problem is not so much the multiplicity of representatives or their method of appointment as their moral and intellectual authority.

Collected by Marguerite de Lasa

The Forif seems to be the adequate format

Abdelhaq Nabaoui

Former National Hospital Chaplain for the Muslim Worship and President of the National School for Muslim Religious Leaders and Chaplains (Encram).

After the failure of the French Council for Muslim Worship (CFCM), a new organization had to be found to represent the Muslim faith. Except in certain regions, including ours in Alsace, the work of the CFCM has not lived up to expectations.

There were several obstacles. First of all, foreign interference was an obstacle to the work carried out. There was also a problem of representation linked to the operation in federations. These wanted their members, who have remained with few exceptions the same since 2003, to keep positions of responsibility. Finally, we had a problem of competence in the management of files.

With the Forum de l’islam de France (Forif), I think we have found the right format. In one year, we have set up four working groups which will already submit their conclusions and proposals to the President of the Republic on Thursday 16 February. For example, it was decided to create a National Council of Muslim chaplaincies to support and train chaplains in France.

I see a real desire on the part of the State to support the structuring of the Muslim faith, without interference in our organization and in compliance with the law of 1905. We have a relationship of trust and exchange: everyone is aware that we have to work together. On February 2, Forif was received by the Minister of the Interior, who expressed his satisfaction with the conclusions that we presented.

An important place is left to the dialogue between the members. Divergent opinions are heard and allow dialogue to move forward together. The new body is also more representative. The groups are made up of women, men, young people and older people, imams, association leaders, chaplains… It’s a reflection of what we see on the ground. This work will be articulated with the territorial foundations of Islam in France (Atif) in the departments. The conclusions will be studied in order to be implemented at the local level. Again, the functioning improves.

The scalable format of the new instance brings a welcome capacity for adaptation. We will have to give Forif a little more time for it to grow healthily. One year is insufficient to draw a definitive assessment. We must now continue on this path, correct the shortcomings, open up new projects such as the financing of places of worship. Forif must also always find more competent people and trained professionals to meet expectations. We must continue our efforts to become the reliable and responsible interlocutor that the State needs.

Collected by Matthieu Lasserre

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