One week after jihadists from Islamic State massacred 130 people in Paris, the French Council of the Muslim Faith took the unprecedented step of asking imams in 2,300 French mosques to read a text at Friday prayers condemning the attacks. An estimated one million Muslims attend Friday prayers in France. “We must never weary of…
A French Muslim who created headlines when he went on national television in France to declare jihad on Islamic State (IS) extremists says he is not deterred by the death threats he has received since. In the wake of the Paris attacks, Mohammed Chirani, a specialist in religious radicalization, delivered an impassioned speech telling IS…
Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve urged French Muslim leaders on Sunday to develop an “enlightened Islam” to confront what he called the obscurantist views of Islamic State that lead young Muslims into violence. At their first meeting since the Nov. 13 killings of 130 people, he told about 400 Muslim leaders, imams and activists that France…
The State, mayors in the Rhône-Alpes, and local religious leaders have set a goal to curb radicalization of young Muslims in the region, introducing 10 propositions. These include: opening the mosque to women, lessening financial burdens, mentoring Arab language schools, reinforcing interreligious dialogue, creating a regional council of Muslims. These goals are intended to “clarify”…
Several hundreds of people took part in a march that developed into a demonstration against the attacks in Paris. The demonstration was organized by synagogues and mosques in Amsterdam. Amongst the participants were also present: Amsterdam mayor Eberhard van der Laan, city-counsel member Kajsa Ollongren, district-chairman Thijs Reuten, and Parliamentary member Ahmed Marcouch. The march…
