When French Muslims support the Christians of the East
Facing the chaos of jihadists in the Islamic State of Ira, France’s Muslim community has not stayed silent. Instead, it has voiced its support for the Christian and Yezidi minorities that are currently being persecuted in Iraq.
“Faced with the challenges of fanatics and extremists from all sides, believers and humanists from all cultures and religions must mobilize to bring together peoples and communities. It’s about building ‘bridges’ while some would build ‘walls’” affirmed Anouar Kbibech, president of the Rally of Muslims in France (RMF) when responding to the “jihadist threat” of the “so-called Islamic State” proclaimed in Iraq.
As they have already stated on numerous occasions, French Muslim authorities stress that Islam is a “religion of peace” and maintain that it must not be associated with any form of terrorism. “Any crime of terror is an attack against all of humanity” stated Kamel Kabtane, rector of the Great Mosque of Lyon and Laid Bendidi, president of the Regional Council of the Muslim Faith (CRCM), addressing the acts of violence perpetrated by the Islamic State against Christian Iraqis.
Dalil Boubakeur, rector of the Great Mosque of Paris and president of the French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM), called on “Muslim countries to leave behind their cold indifference concerning the massacres of Christians and Yazidis.” The RMF stated that Islam is deeply committed to religious freedom as stated in the Quranic verse (2:256) “Al Baqara: no constraint in religion.”