Boubakeur wants to double the number of mosques – BBC

The President of the French Council of the Muslim Faith, Dalil Boubaker, on Saturday called for doubling the number of mosques in two years to address the lack of places of worship for the millions of French Muslims.

“We have 2,200 mosques. It takes twice in two years, “wished Mr. Boubaker, who is also rector of the Paris Mosque, during the annual gathering of Muslims in France, organized by the Union of Islamic Organisations of France (UOIF) Le Bourget.

For “7 million Muslims” in France, current mosques “are not enough,” said the president of the CFCM. Estimates of the number of Muslims in France vary from 4 to 5 million.

“7 million Muslims”

“There are many rooms prayers, unfinished mosques, and there are many mosques that are not built, I think we should double the mosques, “he insisted.

The president of the CFCM has not specified how these constructions could be funded, a sensitive issue as the government seeks to avoid financing by foreign states.

“It is necessary that the number of mosques reflects the number of Muslims (…) We have the right to build mosques, (right) that mayors do not oppose it,” said his host, President UOIF Amar Lasfar.

“There are fewer and fewer of mayors who systematically oppose the construction of mosques,” was it but glad.

Mr. Boubaker also stressed the need for training of imams, announcing he was hopeful of reaching an agreement soon with “certain Parisian universities” for the non-religious component of this training.

These courses would aim “to impart knowledge of France, the law, the French traditions of our imams, so they have a full training, religious and republican,” he added.

“We need a strong religious training, accepted and recognized and we must do everything so that our imams are peace models are models that drive our mosques, which are places of peace,” said President of . the body that represents the Muslim faith in France

These remarks provoked strong reactions on toile.Le vice president of the National Front Florian Philippot was quick to denounce about “extravagant”: