Hassen Chalghoumi Calls for an “Islam of France”

Le Monde – September 30, 2010 This short article profiles the Drancy imam, Hassen Chalghoumi, now often considered an icon of “moderate Islam” in France. Chalghoumi has received a great deal of attention for taking a public position against full-face coverings in France and for a law that would ban them. This position has meant…

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Drancy Mosque Reopens Amid Controversy

A French mosque, whose imam says he has received death threats over his promotion of dialogue with Jews, reopened for Friday prayers after it was forced to close down due to disruptive protests. The mosque in Drancy, a suburb in the north of Paris, has been the focus of tension for weeks with a small…

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Imam of Drancy, France, Hassen Chalghoumi, profiled in the New York Times

The New York Times calls Hassen Chalghoumi, 38, “the imam of President Nicolas Sarkozy’s dreams” because he supports the possible ban on full-face veils and has been involved in a great deal of ecumenical work with the French Jewish community. Chalghoumi claims, “A man who knows nothing about religion and sees a woman hidden from…

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Imam in Drancy, France targeted by Islamic radicals

The head of a mosque in Drancy, a northeastern suburb of Paris, was targeted by a gang of so-called Islamic radicals who interrupted the services and threatened to “liquidate him, this imam of the Jews.” The mob, about 80-strong, burst into the French mosque, halting a meeting of some 200 other imams led by Hassen…

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    A profile of the imam of Drancy, Hassen Chalghoumi

    This article in Le Figaro profiles the challenges faced by Drancy Tunisian-born imam, Hassen Chalghoumi. Chalghoumi claims he has invested a great deal of effort into fostering dialogue between Muslims and Jews, a position which has been saluted by the President of the Republic but is not welcome by all members of his community. The…

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