View source for French Council of the Muslim Faith

{{Short description|Islamic organisation based in France}}
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The '''French Council of the Muslim Faith''' ({{langx|fr|'''Conseil français du culte musulman'''}}, usually abbreviated to '''CFCM'''), is a national elected body, to serve as an official interlocutor with the French state in the regulation of Muslim religious activities.<ref name="merip">Mayanthi Fernando, [http://www.merip.org/mer/mer235/fernando.html The Republic’s “Second Religion”: Recognizing Islam in France] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171226130445/http://www.merip.org/mer/mer235/fernando.html |date=2017-12-26 }}, [[MERIP]].</ref> It is a non-profit group created on 28 May 2003 by Nicolas Sarkozy and a group of Islamic students who felt they needed better representation in their country. The council consists of 25 [[CRCM]]s (Conseil Regional du Culte Musulman or [[Regional Councils of the Muslim Faith]]). From 2008 to 2013 the president of the CFCM was Mohammed Moussaoui, a CIO of [[SFR]] French telecommunications company representing the {{Interlanguage link multi|Rassemblement des musulmans de France|fr}}.
While CFCM has no special legal standing, it is the ''[[de facto]]'' representative of the French Muslims before the national government. [[Nicolas Sarkozy]], who was then [[Minister of the Interior (France)|Minister of the Interior]], supported the creation of CFCM. The group includes other organizations, such as the [[Union of Islamic Organisations of France]] (UOIF). It is presumed that Sarkozy desired to have some "official" representative of the Muslim community, in the same manner as there exist "official" representatives of the Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant faiths. Critics allege that, in virtue of [[laïcité]], there was no need to give official representation to a religious group, which led to ''communautarisme''.{{fact|date=November 2020}} They further note that most people of Muslim culture in France are not well represented by such religious institutions. Newspapers like ''[[Le Canard enchaîné]]'' or ''[[Charlie Hebdo]]'' have stressed that Sarkozy appeared to favour the UOIF.{{fact|date=November 2020}} Considered ineffective and following an internal split, the CFCM was dismissed in early 2023 by the decision of Emmanuel Macron, who preferred the French Forum of Islam.[https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2023/02/16/emmanuel-macron-annonce-mettre-fin-au-conseil-francais-du-culte-musulman_6162094_3224.html].
== Stated objectives ==
The Council of the Muslim Faith was originally created to help Islamic France to be better represented and to help regulate things that go along with the religion. The council is in charge of regulating things such as halal meat, holidays, and mosque construction in France. They strive to make sure Muslims have somewhere to pray toward mecca, somewhere their children can learn more about their religion, and also to bring the population together. The council is not a political party, rather a way for the Muslim citizens to have their ideas heard and make sure they are represented when it comes to governmental decisions.<ref>{{Cite thesis|url=https://theses.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-08142006-181628/unrestricted/CFCMandRepresentation.pdf|title=THE FRENCH COUNCIL for the MUSLIM FAITH: ITS IMPLICATIONS for REPRESENTING MUSLIMS in FRANCE|last=Boudreaux|first=Demas E.|date=August 10, 2006|publisher=Virginia Tech |type=Thesis }}</ref> The CFCM also seeks to dilute the discrimination against Muslims in Europe, most specifically France. They look to educate those who affiliate radical Muslims with the entire Muslim faith, showing them that there can be a radical form of any religion.
== History ==
France, along with other parts of the world, set Muslims apart from the rest and treated them as if they were "others." This led to a lot of mistreatment and discrimination in the country of France. As the population of Muslims started to grow in France, the people felt that they should be better represented.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/societe/religion/la-face-cachee-de-l-uoif_486103.html|title=La face cachée de l'UOIF|date=2017-03-30|work=LExpress.fr|access-date=2017-03-30|language=fr}}</ref> The French Council of the Muslim Faith was originally configured by a group of Muslim students who wanted to see the change throughout France and better their ways of life in their country.
[[Nicolas Sarkozy]], then interior minister, lead the efforts to establish the council in 2003.<ref>{{cite book|author=Trica Danielle Keaton|title=Muslim Girls and the Other France: Race, Identity Politics, and Social Exclusion|publisher=[[Indiana University Press]]|page=180-181}}</ref> The stated purpose of the council was to better communicate the wants of all Muslims in France to the French government.{{fact|date=November 2020}}
== Key people ==
Nicolas Sarkozy is the man who officially established the French Council for the Muslim Faith. "Pour lutter contre le danger d’un Islam des caves et garages," or, "To fight against the danger of an Islam of basements and garages." People{{who|date=June 2017}} in the country of France had been wanting to bring together Islamic France and The French Government for many years prior,{{citation needed|date=June 2017}} and Sarkozy felt this action was necessary in order to protect the views of the Muslim religion that had been quickly diminishing due to the recent terroristic attacks.
Tareq Oubrou is an imam from the Bordeaux,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.laicite-republique.org/-union-des-organisations-islamiques-de-france-uoif-.html|quote="Comité Laïcité République La laïcité n'est pas une opinion, c'est la liberté d'en avoir une."|title=Union des organisations islamiques de France (UOIF)|last=|first=|date=|website=|access-date=March 28, 2017|language=fr|trans-title=}}</ref> a city in Southern France. He is known for his progressive and liberal views and was brought in at the creation of another branch of the council, the theological panel. The council brought this section to life in order to more thoroughly represent the various branches of Islam practiced in France, as well as to help squash the negative stigmas against the believers that have been circulating the internet.
== Outreach ==
Due to the recent terrorist attacks against France, there has been tension among the people, many of whom now feel uneasy in the presence of Muslim worshippers. A new branch of the FCMF, theological plane,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.euro-islam.info/2016/05/08/french-council-of-the-muslim-faith-creates-theological-council-to-counter-radical-discourse/|title=French Council of the Muslim Faith creates 'theological council' to counter radical discourse - Euro-Islam: News and Analysis on Islam in Europe and North America|last=Euro-Islam|access-date=2017-03-30}}</ref> was created in order to try and spread the word that the people committing these crimes are not representative of the other believers.
== See also ==
* [[Islam in France]]
* [[Muslim Executive of Belgium]]
* [[Central Council of Muslims in Germany]]
* [[Islamic Commission of Spain]]
* [[Council on American-Islamic Relations]]
* [[Muslim Council of Britain]]
* [[Muslim Council of Sweden]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20160320065130/http://www.lecfcm.fr/ Official website of CFCM]
* [http://www.journal-officiel.gouv.fr/association/index.php?ACTION=Rechercher&HI_PAGE=1&HI_COMPTEUR=0&original_method=get&WHAT=culte+musulman&JTH_ID=&JAN_BD_CP=75013&JRE_ID=&JAN_LIEU_DECL=&JTY_ID=&JPA_D_D=07%2F06%2F2003&JPA_D_F=07%2F06%2F2003 Entry of the CFCM] on the national registry of nonprofit associations maintained by the ''[[Journal officiel de la République française]]''
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080506184932/http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2008/05/05/uncertain-future-for-frances-muslim-council/ Uncertain future for France’s Muslim council], Reuters on May 5, 2008
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[[Category:Islamic organizations based in France]]
[[Category:2003 establishments in France]]