Paris Mosque Dean Condemns French Government’s “Politicized” Report on Islam, Fueling Division Instead of Reconciliation

✍️ BY: Dr. Hana Saada

Chamseddine Hafiz denounces the controversial “Islamic infiltration” report as a baseless, politicized attack targeting millions of French Muslims ahead of critical elections, exacerbating social tensions in France.

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Algiers, Algeria | May 30th, 2025 — In a scathing response to the recent report on “Islamic infiltration” prepared by French authorities, Chamseddine Hafiz, the Dean of the Paris Mosque, has publicly condemned the document as politically motivated, misleading, and dangerously divisive. This marks the third time Hafiz has challenged the report since its release, which he accuses of instrumentalizing Islam to serve narrow political agendas just two years before crucial presidential elections in France, where the Muslim community is feared to be a pivotal electoral bloc.

In a powerful video statement broadcast late Thursday on the official Twitter (now X) account of the Paris Mosque, Hafiz sharply criticized the report authored by Bruno Retailleau’s Interior Ministry as “far more political than scientific.” He accused it of extreme subjectivity, lacking factual clarity and objective evidence, which are essential for any credible government report on such sensitive matters.

Hafiz further elaborated that the report’s methodology is flawed, relying heavily on vague assumptions, scarce data, and unsubstantiated claims rather than rigorous analysis. “In reports like this, numbers are often scarce, sources are frequently absent, and conclusions tend to be speculative or based on conjecture,” he said.

Earlier this week, Hafiz had written an article on the mosque’s X page fiercely criticizing the report, calling it a manifestation of the Republic’s momentary lapse into hysteria despite its foundational principles of justice and transparency. He described the document as an instrument of exclusion rather than understanding — a weapon designed to isolate and stigmatize an entire community. “This so-called report does not seek enlightenment; it seeks assignment. It assassinates the spirit of our republican pact,” he wrote.

The report’s purported focus on the Muslim Brotherhood and its alleged influence on millions of French Muslims is, according to Hafiz, a smear tactic based on “claims” rather than facts. He questioned the methodology behind labeling approximately 400 individuals—only 0.005% of France’s estimated 6 to 8 million Muslims—as the hard core of the Brotherhood’s movement, and whether such a minuscule figure justifies extraordinary state surveillance and intervention.

He also criticized the report’s conflation of cultural or religious inspiration with political allegiance, calling it a “false political commitment.” According to Hafiz, the report’s alleged links to the Muslim Brotherhood are often tenuous or ideological presumptions aimed at unjustly accusing individuals or organizations of Brotherhood membership—an accusation he described as “the first major problem.”

The timing of the report further undermines its credibility. Released amid heightened social tensions in France and just weeks after the brutal killing of Aboubakar Cissé, a young Malian Muslim in a French mosque, Hafiz lamented that instead of fostering calm and rebuilding trust, the report only intensifies social divisions. “Rather than promoting reconciliation,” he warned, “this report fuels resentment and deepens the climate of distrust.”

Chamseddine Hafiz’s sharp rebuke echoes a growing chorus of French politicians, experts, and community leaders who view the report as a dangerous politicization of Islam that threatens social cohesion and undermines democratic values.

Translated and adapted from:
https://www.echoroukonline.com/تقرير-روتايو-يغذي-التوتر-عوض-الجنوح-إل

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