The rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris Chems-eddine Hafiz deplored on Thursday the “amalgamations” targeting Muslims and vigorously denounced an “unprecedented media campaign” targeting him, assuring that he will “continue to preside over” 'institution.
“For more than twenty years, in France as in the West, Islam has too often been reduced to distorted images contrary to its essence. This erroneous perception fuels amalgamations, confusion, anti-Muslim acts and speeches,” a- he emphasized
He deplored that “many French people of Muslim faith are coming to doubt their place and their future in their own country”, and pleaded for tracing “the path of true and enlightened Islam, capable of flourishing in multi-faith and secular societies.
“We, Muslims, on this land of Europe, do not 'replace' anything: we are here to contribute and to share a common destiny with our other fellow citizens,” he assured.
The rector also denounced an “unprecedented media campaign” carried out according to him against the Grand Mosque of Paris with “extremely virulent, totally false attacks” and coming in particular “from circles hostile to the appeasement of relations between France and the Algeria”.
Already at the beginning of the month, Mr. Hafiz denounced an “intolerable slanderous campaign” by the television channel CNews after the influencer Chawki Benzehra had qualified him on the air as an “agent of influence of the Algerian regime” on service of “a campaign to destabilize France”.
-The rector assured that for five years, “freely and in full light”, the activities of the institution were carried out, particularly for Halal certification “which we have been carrying out, with seriousness and experience, since 1939” – an allusion to a recent article in The Opinion accusing the Grand Mosque of Paris of having organized a very profitable monopolistic certification system.
“Everything is traced, controlled, declared” and “all the dividends are used to finance the exercise of Muslim worship”, added Mr. Hafiz, assuring that the Grand Mosque of Paris “will not give in to a scandalous cabal and unfounded.
“Some would like to see me leave” but “I will continue to preside over the destiny of the Grand Mosque of Paris,” he insisted.
And “no one will be able to ignore the republican commitment of the Grand Mosque of Paris, its attachment to the values of our society”, affirmed Mr. Hafiz, emphasizing his wish “to build virtuous bridges between France and the Algeria”.
