A truce is declared.
The rector of the Great Mosque of Paris, who had announced to file a complaint against Michel Houellebecq, suspended his legal action after meeting the French writer on Thursday, according to information from our colleagues from Figaro.
Chems-Eddine Hafiz announced on December 28 that the Grand Mosque of Paris was going to file a complaint against Michel Houellebecq, for “provoking hatred against Muslims”.
In question: the words of the novelist during a "river discussion" with the philosopher Michel Onfray, transcribed in the magazine Front Populaire.
Read alsoMichel Houellebecq and Islam, 20 years of controversy
“When entire territories are under Islamic control, I think acts of resistance will take place.
There will be attacks and shootings in mosques, in cafes frequented by Muslims, in short Bataclan upside down”, had declared in particular the author of “Submission”.
An interview between Michel Houellebecq and the rector therefore took place at 9 a.m. this Thursday morning, over coffee, on the initiative of the Chief Rabbi of France Haïm Korsia who had offered to mediate in a column published in Le Figaro.
A book to clarify his thought
During the discussion which would have lasted six hours, the writer clarified his remarks and undertook to modify certain passages in a future book which will bring together his entire conversation with Michel Onfray.
“Chems-Eddine Hafiz told me of the great emotion of French Muslims caused by certain passages of my interview with Michel Onfray.
It turns out that a book will be drawn from these interviews.
I am deeply attached to the text and I am willing to admit that the paragraphs concerned are ambiguous.
I will therefore replace them, in the next edition, with paragraphs that better explain my point, and which, I hope, will not offend Muslims, ”wrote the writer, often singled out for his remarks deemed offensive to the public. against Muslims, after the interview.
The rector of the Paris Mosque, who suspended his complaint, clarified to the daily that he was waiting for the publication of the text to withdraw it definitively.
