Boubakeur (R) and Breze agreed to let bygones be bygones at Le Bourget conference.

PARIS, March 27, 2005 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – With a call to reconsider the hijab ban and grant Muslims official holidays on their religious feasts, French Muslim leaders agreed Saturday, March 26, that it was high time they acted in concert and forget about their differences ahead of the re-election of the French Council for Muslim Faith (CFCM) in June.

Brought together by the 22^nd conference of the Union of French Islamic Organizations (UOIF), Paris-le-Bourget, the leaders of the sizable Muslim minority moved to let bygones be bygones and proved that they can speak with one voice.

Mending fences, Dalil Boubakeur, the rector of Paris Grand Mosque, Thami Breze, UOIF president, and Abdullah Al-Safari, the head of the National Confederation, stood shoulder to shoulder to deliver the message of unity.

It is the first time since 1993 that the chairman of Paris Grand Mosque attends the Bourget conference.

Boubakeur has been known for his sting criticism of the UOIF, accusing its leaders of taking a “fundamentalist” line.

His critical remarks peaked when he threatened last year to boycott the CFCM June election, fearing that the UOIF would dominate the grouping.

New Leaf

But the “welfare of the generations to come” was enough to convince Boubakeur of turning a new leaf.

In a speech that heavily quoted Qur'anic verses on the importance of unity, Boubakeur said that the CFCM should remain united irrespective of backgrounds and ideologies.

He further underlined that Islam was no obstacle to France's secularism “which guarantees for all to live in peace.”

The French Muslim leader also warned of rising Islamophobia in France, citing the racist swastika and arson attacks on mosques.

“One shouldn't forget the key role played by French Muslims in releasing the two French reporters [Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot] last year in Iraq and their call to set free French female journalist Florence Aubenas,” held hostage in Iraq since January 5, Boubakeur stressed.

Safari relayed the same message of unity, saying that French Muslims are resolved to act in concert in the days ahead.

He, however, highlighted the daunting challenges facing the CFCM, chiefly the qualification of imams and the future plans of the Foundation for Islamic Works, which was established earlier in the month by prominent Muslim leaders and Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin.

The foundation is aimed at financing the construction of mosques and development of other Islamic activities in the European country.

Breze, for his part, used his speech to counter media accusations to Muslims of being disunited and isolated.

“French Muslims are striking the right balance between their Islamic values and the values of the French republic,” he said.

Hijab

The controversial issue of hijab was also high on the agenda of the second day of the four-day conference.

UOIF Secretary-General Fouad Alaoui said the calm atmosphere now, following the hijab ban in March 2004, allowed a new look at what he said was the compromised state of religious freedom in France, reported Reuters.

“It is compromised because today, in our country, they expel young girls from schools for making the mistake of refusing to show their ears,” he told the gathering.

“I don't think we can teach a real culture of respect for others if we demand that our minorities amputate themselves of their differences,” he said.

France, whose 6 million Muslims make up 8 percent of the population, banned “conspicuous religious signs” in state schools last year.

After the law came into fruition at the beginning of the new school year in September, some 48 hijab-donned students were kicked out of state schools.

Islamic Feasts

Alaoui further called for official recognition of main Islamic feast days so Muslims did not feel “that their religion does not have the same status as the majority Catholic religion.”

He first spoke of two main holidays, referring to Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha feasts following the holy fasting month of Ramadan and hajj.

The Muslim leader later added the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Seven of France's 13 legal holidays are Christian holidays.

The Stasi commission, formed last year by French President Jacques Chirac to recommend on secularism and religion in the European country, suggested adding Islamic holidays, but the National Assembly ignored this and just passed the hijab ban the panel also proposed.

“It would be perfectly normal to end the obligation to work or attend school (on Islamic holy days),” Alaoui said.