The report said two to three people visit the Islamic council in Evry, L'Essonne, on a weekly basis to embrace Islam

By Hadi Yahmid, IOL Correspondent

PARIS, October 8 (IslamOnline.net) – Some 50,000 French have accepted Islam since the 1950s, a French intelligence report revealed, saying that most of the converters were heathens "who embraced Islam to fill their spiritual vacuum."

The report, parts of which published by the daily Le Figaro Tuesday, October 8, said converting to Islam "has become a phenomenon (in France) that needs to be followed up closely."

The "top-secret" report, as described by the daily, warned that Salafi groups might be behind the rising number of Muslim converters in France.

It said that L'Essonne, 17 miles (27km) southeast of Paris, has the largest number of those who accepted Islam, with 1000 to 2000 out of a total of 50,000 converters in 53 years' time.

The intelligence report said from two to three people are visiting the Islamic council in Evry, a department of L'Essonne, on a weekly basis to embrace Islam.

Though it said most of the converters were originally non-believers, some of them came from Christian backgrounds, "which did not live up to their aspirations."

Competition

The classified report further said the Pakistani Al-Da'wah and Tabligh group (inviting people to Islam and spreading the religion) plays a pivotal role in encouraging French youths to embrace Islam.

It said the group is heavily represented in L'Essonne with 400 members and devotees, adding it promoted a "spiritual discourse competing with the dominant worldly pleasures."

The report argued that the group and Salafi groups are competing, noting that the Salafis have gained more ground over the past two years.

It warned of the ideologies adopted by Salafi groups, recalling that one of the Casablanca bombings convicts was a French Muslim, who was sentenced to life imprisonment.

At least 41 people were killed and scores more wounded in a string of bomb blasts that rocked Morocco's largest city Casablanca on May 16.

In an interview with Le Figaro, a French, who converted to Islam ten years ago, said his reading of the Qur'an has changed previous stereotypes that Islam was "an intolerant religion that provided no room for dialogue."

Ezzudin, whose name was Oleve, told the paper that there was no contradiction whatsoever between Islam and science, contrary to Christianity.

He said that he succeeded in convincing his Christian parents to change their views on Islam, asserting that it was not a religion of war but peace.

On the future of Islam in France, Ezzudin said that despite the problems facing Muslims in France, they are integrating with the French society, adding that the hijab issue was only "an incidental problem."

The issue of hijab has recently sparked much controversy in France, especially after repeated calls for a new law banning it in schools.

French Premier Jean-Pierre Raffarin did not rule out passing a law banning hijab to allow secularism restore its strength in the European country.

President Chirac set up a secularity commission in July to rule on whether new legislation was needed to handle a growing debate over religion in schools, particularly Muslim schoolgirls wearing hijab.

It is expected to submit its report to Chirac by the end of this year after questioning ministers and representatives of French non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and various syndicates.