A new report on Islam in France attempts to confront the spread of jihad ideology and how to assimilate Muslims into French society.
Key concerns include the involvement of foreign funders – especially Saudi and Turkish – of Islamic entities, and the fact many Muslims learn Arabic not at school but in the mosques.
The problem is the same for virtually every Western society, and one wonders how often this needs to be repeated. The solution? End such funding, as suggested by the report. Unfortunately, the report also suggests “the creation of an independent French Islamic organization that will supervise all issues linked to the Islam faith, and promote the learning of Arabic at schools.”
Western nations do not need Islamic organizations supervising issues “linked to the Islam faith.” Nor are large numbers of Muslims likely to accept such organizations. Western authorities need to be monitoring Islamic institutions for the safety and well-being of all citizens.
“France Grapples With Proposals to Counter Radical Influences Among French Muslims,” by Fayçal Benhassain, CNS News, September 1 , 2018:
Paris (CNSNews.com) – A new report on Islam in France is stoking debate between those who believe its proposals will help counter the spread of radical thought, and those concerned that they would work against attempts to assimilate Muslims into French society.
Coming at a time when many European countries continue to grapple with issues of Islamist radicalization, the report is now under consideration by President Emmanuel Macron, who told lawmakers in July that he plans to take decisions on the organization of French Islam in the fall.
The report’s author is Hakim El Karoui, an expert on Islam and senior fellow at the Paris-based thinktank, Institut Montaigne. He said in media interviews this week that foreign countries in the Muslim world have too much influence with French Muslims, and that the time to act is now.
In the report’s crosshairs is Salafism, the theology that underpins extremist interpretations of Islam. Key concerns include the involvement of foreign funders – especially Saudi and Turkish – of Islamic entities, and the fact many Muslims learn Arabic not at school but in the mosques.
The report proposes the creation of an independent French Islamic organization that will supervise all issues linked to the Islam faith, and promote the learning of Arabic at schools.
It also suggests a tax on halal products, to finance the envisaged new organization, build and maintain mosques, and train and pay imams – rather than expose French Muslims to foreign funding and influences.
El Karoui said the envisaged new Muslim Association for Islam in France would be totally independent of Muslim countries.
It would collect the halal products’ taxes to finance Islam in France, organize and control French Muslims’ annual pilgrimage to Mecca, and work to limit the influence of Salafists in France.
“The number of Salafists [in France] is growing and they have a kind of monopoly in the Muslim discourse,” he said, adding that Muslims under 35 years of age are especially affected…….
Stop Kafirophobia says
The fox guarding the henhouse.
Indiana Tom says
Fox guards hen house. Beat me to it.
Complete with chicken brained politicians and Muslim sympathizers and defenders.
jule says
I heard this kind of report about 2 years ago at least. You mean they have done nothing? All this time just ‘think tank’? But my instinct says, someone wants to trade Wahhabi for Muslim Bros. There is no way to integrate. I just hope they do not let MB in to take over.
StellaSaidSo says
El Karoui will need to watch his back. The Salafists don’t like this sort of talk. Especially the suggestion that the flow of Saudi money should be stopped.
jerry zavage says
France used to be a progressive country. Now they, like many Western countries, expend their energies trying to engineer a way to 1) manage Islam, 2) protect themselves and Islamic countries from Islam. Islam is a speed bump, and perhaps a cliff, to the progress of the West (and Islamic countries too). It is sad, and speaks volumes about Islam, that France had to waste national energy to produce such a “French Islamic organization” plan.
Laveritétriomphera says
French Islam can not exist, we are too skeptical. The government knows it, but they wants to avoid social unrest.
jule says
Wasn’t it about 2 years ago they said this? Will they allow Muslim Bros to take over, trading one bad for another?
Lavéritétriomphera says
@jule,
I am not quite sure what you are talking about, but if it’s true it can only be ballyhoo and hysteria. I believe many of my fellow citizens will agree with me, when I say that we cannot find the truth just by reading books as Quran or Bible, or in practicing a religion. Experience is essential, and since the revolution we’ve always taken freedom of thought and opinion very seriously. Islam is a totalitarian ideology false and misleading by definition.
jule says
I was talking about years back when Sarkozy said France needed and independent French islam with No money or mosques built by Saudi, Turkey. Pakistan and that they could not send their Imams to preach in France. But it did not happen accept for ‘think tank’ talk and media. 2005 some group was formed but did nothing Macron was again very adamant 2016 sayin For Sure this was going to happen immediately. But it didn’t and now again we hear…yeah, we have to get this French Islam (reformed) going…………Whose laughing alAzhar, Irsan. Muslim Bros from Egypt/Qatar. They know its impossible.WHY DONT Politicians in ALL countries know?Is it egocentrism where think this will meld? Thats apostasy to them SOMEONE HAS TO EDUCATE LEADERS. I cannot stand it that the world is run by such fools and our lives are stake. If we small people here on this site know….WHY DON’T THEY DIRECTING EVERYONES LIFE. Do most people in France really know what Islam is?
Lavéritétriomphera says
@jule,
“Do most people in France really know what Islam is?”here in the south of France, it is not the first time that I heard from a typical Mediterranean follow citizen that he feels culturally closer to Germans, Swedish or a Russian living in Moscow than to a North African Muslim.
We are all Europeans and we do not accept this acculturation, and it cannot be excluded that our governments know what Islam is. I think they often do not believe a word they say when they treat the question of the relationship of Islam with Western modernity.
French Islam or German or American Islam cannot exist as long our countries are not held under dictatorial rule
jule says
France has too many projects in those countries.
Jon Sobieski says
“The report’s author is Hakim El Karoui, an expert on Islam and senior fellow at the Paris-based thinktank, Institut Montaigne.”
Snake! In the house! Really create an ‘organization’ or is that a parallel govt., authorize taxation of muslims to solely benefit muslims, decide what is right is what is bad for muslims by muslims, Flood the public schools with muslim teachers teaching arabic (and islam) at the infidel govt’s expense. Snakes, I say, Snakes!
Michael Copeland says
Question for Hakim el Karoui:
What is the non-“extremist interpretation” of “Kill them wherever you find them”?
StellaSaidSo says
‘Slay them wherever you find them.’
Reminds me of a conversation I once had with a smart-alec leftist, who insisted that non-Muslims ‘too often fail to appreciate’ the many ‘nuances’ in Islamic scripture, and that we need to ‘consider ALL the possibilities when interpreting text’. This was the text I showed her. Turns out there weren’t a lot of possibilities after all.
Kepha says
If he’s sincere, can he win “the battle of the texts” with the Saladists and Jihadis–and do so with Islamically-informed Muslim referees rather than liberal Western academics? When Al-Azhar and Qom agree on what Islam is over and against Harvard and Georgetown, I will listen to Al-Azhar and Qom.
One of the gravest dangers facing the West is that its supposedly best academics, journalists, and opinion makers inhabit a vast echo chamber in which liberal fantasies about Islam are bouncing about everywhere; and not even when these liberal fantasies get people killed (like those to bicyclists who ran into IS symapthizers in Tajikistan or some of the people who go to help Gaza) are the misleading echoes dispelled.
jule says
I cannot understand why this is…..surely they know as much as people on this site??? If we know, what IS the problem? besides money profit from Mideast…they must be more in the know than THIS sounds like they do.
Walter Sieruk says
This French report about about countering violent jihad Islamic ideology by taking part with a non- violent Muslim organization might be a report published with good intentions nevertheless plain about rooting out the ideology of Islamic terrorism fails to take in account or understand is that the foundation of the ideology of Islamic terrorism is the theology of Islam’s “holy book” the Quran. For the Quran instructs in the uses of violence and killing for the advancement of Islam. As found in, for example, 2:191. 5:33. 9:5, 111.123. 47:4. Therefore Islam is a false ,dangerous and deadly religion.
Cunamarra says
malum trahit prope
Carl Goldberg, PhD says
What’s this?: “Salafism, the theology that underpins extremist interpretations of Islam. ”
Islam is the belief system based on the Koran, and the Koran does not come in different “interpretations”.
As Turkish president, Erdogan, told us: “Islam cannot be classified as moderate or not,… These descriptions are very ugly, it is offensive and an insult to our religion. There is no moderate or immoderate Islam. Islam is Islam and that’s it.”
Please STOP talking about “extremist interpretations of Islam”. The Koran, considered to be Allah’s literal word by all Moslems, is full of sacred commands to make war on non-Moslems “until Islam reigns supreme in the world” and “is victorious over all other religions”.
This is NOT an “extremist interpretation”; it is the literal reading of Allah’s literal words!
Paul says
Yes, and Wahabism – an ‘extremist’ interpretation of Mohammedanism,
allegedly – WAS the actual genuine reformation of that cult in the 17th
century. Much like how Martin Luther reverted to the words and actions of
Christ during the Christian reformation earlier on.
That’s a fact conveniently omitted by charlatans in attempt to buy more
time for a supposed ‘reform’ that they know perfectly well will never work.
Michael Copeland says
“a tax on halal products, to finance the envisaged new organization”?
Halal certification is already a tax anyway, though paid to Islamic entities, not the State. Halal certification also is not limited to products consumed only by muslims: it is exacted on chocolates, beauty products, and many kinds of non-food items.
Make the kuffar pay, as usual.
Clive Stephen Delmonte says
An independent organisation to monitor Islamic activity in France would not be independent for more than a few minutes. Some assassinations of its personnel would give the jihadists immediate control and funding from the French state.
Vive la France Islamique !
jule says
So are they going to trade for Muslim Bros??
Besides that…this idea was put out a few years ago already. But its still in the ‘think tank’.
gravenimage says
France: New report proposes independent Islamic organization to stop spread of jihad ideology
…………………
Fox, henhouse.
Gjallarhornet says
Fantasy.
Jack Holan says
Don’t expect the Saudis and Turks to submit and give up.
Jack Cade says
Muslims are COMMANDED to deceive by Satan, aka Allah! Why would anyone smarter than unbuttered toast believe this would work?