Chems-Eddine Hafiz denounces the influence of "the Islamist component" within the French Council of Muslim Worship (CFCM).
The rector of the great Mosque of Paris (GMP) announced on Monday to withdraw from the project of the National Council of Imams (CNI), wanted by the Elysee and entrusted to the CFCM.
"I decided […] to no longer participate in the meetings which aim to implement the project of the National Council of Imams and to freeze all contacts with the entire Islamist component of the CFCM", writes the rector in a communicated.
This is an "irrevocable" decision, he says.
The project of a National Council of Imams responsible for certifying their training in France was urged by the Elysée in the framework of its bill against radical Islam and "separatism".
With Charlie Hebdo, Chems-Eddine Hafiz also deplores “two totally opposed social projects”, which he sees emerging between the different trends of the CFCM.
And to add: “The only virtue of this draft charter is to have shown the positions of each one.
I draw the consequences, I no longer participate.
"
Approval issued to imams
The creation of such a body, often mentioned but never materialized, had been formally requested by Emmanuel Macron during his speech at Mureaux (Yvelines) presenting his strategy for the fight against “separatism” at the beginning of October.
The pressure to better frame Islam in France had further increased with the assassination of Samuel Paty and the Nice attack.
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This project was entrusted to the CFCM, its main interlocutor on questions of organization of the Muslim religion in France.
The CNI must issue an authorization to imams based on their knowledge and their commitment to respect a code of ethics.
The nine federations of mosques that make up the CFCM, regularly criticized for its lack of representativeness, were first to agree in early December on a "charter of republican values".
"Doubtful actions"
“Unfortunately, the Islamist component within the CFCM, in particular that linked to foreign regimes hostile to France, has insidiously blocked the negotiations by almost systematically calling into question certain important passages” of the charter, criticizes the rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris.
"Members of the Islamist movement" would have made believe "that this charter had for ambition to touch the dignity of the faithful Muslims", details Chems-Eddine Hafiz.
It is "a shameless lie", he denounces.
"I believe that the representation of Muslims deserves something [...] than dubious actions surrounded by actions which seek to divide the national community and to separate the French of Muslim faith from their society," he writes.
At the beginning of December already, ten figures of reformed Islam had denounced the role granted by the State to the CFCM for the creation of the CNI, qualifying it as a "fragile institution".