France's draconian measures condemned in petition by prominent Muslim leaders

Respected scholars, du’āt, and academics from around the world have condemned France for their increasingly hostile crackdown against French Muslims.[1]

Contents

A full copy of the letter with its signatories can be found below:A full list of the letter’s signatories can be found below:

The letter was compiled in response to the onslaught from French authorities that has created a climate of fear amongst Muslims in France.

More than 70 mosques and Islamic private schools across France have been closed by authorities since the turn of the year, which has only been aggravated by President Macron’s recent speech on combatting “Islamic separatism”.[2]

The letter begins by referencing the cause of the public boycotting of France and its products: the insults towards our Prophet Muhammad (sall Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam):

“We, the undersigned, condemn the recurrent insults towards the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and the insistence of the French government to defend them. This crosses a red line that rightly draws the contempt of Muslims across the world.”

The letter warns against the “irrational and aggressive” statements by Macron and Gerald Darmanin, French Minister of the Interior. Their statements resulted in a family of French Algerians stabbed by two European women near the Eiffel Tower.[3]

The letter also reveals that Muslims around the world were saddened and shocked to learn of Darmanin’s public admission that “dozens of individuals not linked to any criminal investigation were raided in order to simply send a message to Muslims in France. This extraordinary claim highlights that the police and other arms of government have been politicised to intimidate otherwise innocent Muslim citizens.”

Finally, the letter emphasises that “Muslim communities and organisations stand in solidarity with France’s Muslims” and demand that they be treated with dignity and respect. The signatories of the letter call for the “French government to end its campaign of hostility towards those carrying out their duties to live lawfully.”

A full copy of the letter with its signatories can be found below:

We, the undersigned, condemn the recurrent insults towards the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and the insistence of the French government to defend them. This crosses a red line that rightly draws the contempt of Muslims across the world.

We are alarmed by the French government’s violent crackdown on its Muslim citizens which has seen the closure of mosques, schools, businesses and attempts to dissolve mainstream civil society organisations, such as the anti Islamophobia group CCIF and humanitarian relief charity, BarakaCity. These are celebrated organisations that conduct their activities in a lawful manner. They should not be harassed by the state.

Recent statements by the President Emmanuel Macron and the Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin have been irrational and aggressive, deliberately targeting a minority community.

Already there are reports that two Muslim women were stabbed close to the Eiffel Tower on 21 October 2020 in an Islamophobic attack. Such incidents do not take place in a vacuum..

The Interior Minister made the shocking public admission that dozens of individuals not linked to any criminal investigation, were raided in order to simply send a message to Muslims in France.

This extraordinary claim highlights that the police and other arms of government have been politicised to intimidate otherwise innocent Muslim citizens.

Muslim communities and organisations stand in solidarity with France’s Muslims. We call on the French government to end its campaign of hostility towards those carrying out their duties lawfully. Muslims in France should be afforded the rights that others are guaranteed; to live fully, without facing state oppression.[4]

A full list of the letter’s signatories can be found below:

Mohammed Kozbar, Finsbury Park Mosque
Imam Yousaf Baig, Wifaqul Ulama
Shaykh Shaqur Rehman, Islamic Council of Europe
Shaykh Zahir Mahmood, As-Suffa Institute
Shaykh Suliman Gani, Purley Masjid
Shaykh Dr. Haitham Al-Haddad, AlMarkaz Centre for Revival & Reform Studies
Shaykh Farid Haibatan, Muslim Research & Development Foundation
Imam Shakeel Begg, Lewisham Islamic Centre
Shaykh Dr. Omar Suleiman, Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research
Prof. Dr. Sami Al-Arian, Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA) – Istanbul, Turkey
Shaykh Dr Yasir Qadhi, The Islamic Seminary of America
Yasemin Yürekli, EMISCO – European Muslim Initiative for Social Cohesion
Dr Shazad Amin, MEND
Imran Shah, Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK
Dr Asim Qureshi, CAGE
Shaykh Wasim Kempson, The Wise Muslim
Ragad Altikriti, Muslim Association of Britain
Yahya Birt
Imam Yahya Ibrahim, Islamic Community Services
Fatih Atmaca, Imam of Balgreen Masjid and Chair of Edinburgh Turkish Community
Zahid Akhtar, Documenting Oppression Against Muslims
Rafiq ibn Jubair, IlmFeed
Fadel Soliman, Bridges Foundation
Roshan Muhammed Salih, 5Pillars News
Dr Anas Altikriti, The Cordoba Foundation, UK
Dr Salman Butt, Islam21c
Tasneem Najwa, Nakheel Women’s Group
Shaykh Hasib Noor, Founder & Director of The Legacy Institute
Samira Sabir, Centrum de Middenweg
Oguzhan Yürekli, European Yozgat Federation
Dr Mohammed Rafiq Habib, Muslim Council of Scotland
Dr Abdul Wahid, Hizb ut Tahrir Britain
Ustadh Shabbir Hassan, Faith Space UK
Shaykh Bilal Ismail, Alkauthar Institute
Abdelmonim Elhakim, British Islamic Medical Association
Abdur Rashid, UK Islamic Mission
Shaykh Bilal Brown, Marifah Institute
Abid Khan, Cheadle Mosque
Imam Abdullah Patel, Masjid e Umar (Gloucester)
Mohammed Farook Kazi, Al-Ansaar Welfare & Education
Muhammad Uddin, Newham Muslim Forum
Imam Sheikh Mohammad Ismail, United Mosque Council of South Yorkshire and Jamiat Ulama UK
Muhammad Mulla, Masjid-e-Umer (London)
Bakhtiar Ahmad, Masjid Salaam
Dr Louay Al-Alousi, Masjid-us-Sunnah
Ustadh Omar Hajaj, West London Islamic Cultural Centre
Usman Qureshi, Norbury Muslim Centre
Nayeem Haque, Muslim Youth Network
Nicolas Blancho, Islamic Central Council of Switzerland
Muhammad Jalal, The Thinking Muslim Podcast
Firdosa Akhter, Aligarh Muslim University
Amanj Aziz, Nyans Muslim (Sweden)
Muhammad Delair, Madinatul Uloom
Rahma Bavelaar, Meld Islamofobie/Report Islamophobia (Netherlands)
Mohammed Lockhat, The Peace Centre
Dr. Aysha Wazwa, Gems of Light
Yusuf Ríos, Islamic Learning Foundation (Chicago USA)
Fahmi Adzha, International Islamic Federation Of Student Organizations (Turkey)
Tahir Alam, Muslim Parents Association
Dr. Maria Saleemi, Lahore College for Women University (Pakistan)
Ismail Kamdar, Islamic Self Help
Shaykh Bilal Ismail, Imam Development Program
Yacoob Hafejee, Madrasah Taleemul Islam
Syed N Hoque, As-Subah Academy
Muhammad Mustaqeem Shah, Al Istiqāmah
Abul Barakat Monawar Hasan, Centre for Islamic Guidance UK
Zainulabedin Amir, Woodfarm Education Centre
Hashim Gora, Al Hashim academy
Abdallah Mohamed Elsaeidy, Hamad Medical Corporation Doha (Qatar)