In light of the fierce attack launched by the French authorities, with the participation of French President Emmanuel Macron, on Islamic symbols, and their adoption of insulting cartoons of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, the role of the Union of Islamic Organizations in France (known by the abbreviation as UOIF) As an active voice and representative of the Muslim community in France, which is the largest in number in the entire European continent.
The Union of Islamic Organizations in France is a French Islamic union founded in June 1983, with a membership of more than 250 Islamic associations. It supervises the annual meeting of French Muslims, which is the largest of its kind in Europe and which is organized in Paris, and its research is presented in the French language.
The Union is a member of the Union of Islamic Organizations in Europe. He has also been a member of the French Council of the Islamic Religion since the 2003 elections, where he holds the position of Vice-President, and also holds 11 out of 25 seats in the presidency of the Regional Councils of the Islamic Religion, and is headed by Sheikh Ammar Lasfar.
The organization supervises several mosques in major cities in France, and officially the organization does not receive any financial assistance from any country. More than 80% of its funding comes from donations from its members, and about 12% of the funding comes from foreigners from outside France.
General objectives
The Union adopted a reading and perception of Islam that focuses on religious principles, acceptance of difference, tolerance and recognition of the other, regardless of beliefs, according to the following determinants:
– Informed practice: Religious practice depends on intelligence in reading reference texts. Therefore, a good understanding of the references must take into account religious requirements, set priorities and consider the context in which the Muslim community lives in France.
– Recognizing and respecting diversity: Diversity is inherent in human nature. And it is considered UOIF Dialogue is the best way to achieve mutual recognition among members of society. AndUOIF Opposes speeches that advocate hate, xenophobia and Islamophobia.
An ambitious project
The Union aspires to contribute to achieving a number of long-term goals, the most prominent of which is facilitating Muslims’ practice of their religious rituals by helping to build mosques and placing them at the disposal of Islamic associations, by providing loans to them, renting them, or guaranteeing them, providing the necessary buildings for their activities, and presenting and disseminating Islam and its values of openness, tolerance, morals, and etiquette equally between a balanced understanding and an authentic and moderate practice.
The Union also works to provide and enhance religious and spiritual training and education, and work to activate the participation of Muslim citizens in public and political life in France, and to defend human rights and freedom..
In terms of human rights, the Union combats all forms of discrimination, racism, Islamophobia, and incitement to racial hatred, and works to strengthen dialogue with civil society institutions, to enhance social cohesion.
The Union also promotes the establishment of friendly relations and cooperation with French, European and foreign religious and social institutions, establishing, organizing and deepening relations between Islamic associations in France and helping them develop their skills and cooperate with each other.
Management and organization
The union’s management team consists of 19 members, and the list includes Sheikh Ammar Lasfar: President of the Union of Islamic Organizations in France, Boubacar Haj Omar: Vice President in charge of Public Relations, Makhlouf Mamish: Vice President in charge of Special Education, Okasha Ben Ahmed Daho: Secretary General, and Braham Simard: Treasurer.
The list also includes Hajj Thami Breez: member of the Executive Office in charge of education, Izz al-Din Qasi: member of the Executive Office in charge of interfaith dialogue, Maryam Barkan: member of the Executive Office in charge of communication, Moncef al-Zanati: member of the Executive Office in charge of teaching and presenting Islam, and Qutbi Abdel Kabir: member of the Executive Office in charge of regional and local branches.
The organization’s management also includes Hala Khomsi: Member of the Executive Office in charge of the family, Naseer Kahouul: Deputy Secretary-General in charge of events and events, Mahmoud Awad: Regional Delegate – Ile-de-France, Mohamed Tayeb Saghrouni: Regional Delegate – North, Saleh Arbal: Regional Delegate – East, Bashar Sayadi: Regional Delegate – West, Sahnoun Karad: Regional Delegate – South, and Karim Manhouj: Regional delegate – South East, and Hassan Zaoui: Regional delegate – South West.
Activities and events
The Union established several private associations, most notably the Muslim Youth of France, the Muslim Students of France, the French University for Muslim Women, the European Institute for the Human Sciences, the Ibn Sina Medical Association of France, the European Halal Services, and the Charitable Committee for Advocating Palestine.
Since 1984, the Union has organized every year the annual meeting of French Muslims in the suburbs of Paris. It is the largest gathering of Muslims in Europe, and hosts dozens of lecturers and sheikhs from all over the world. It is of a cultural, commercial and religious nature. Every year it hosts about 200,000 visitors. Annual regional meetings are also organized within France, which are much less attended and important than the annual meeting.
Despite the clear global welcome for the outstanding efforts made by the Union for Muslims in Europe, only one country in the world considers the Union a terrorist organization, which is the United Arab Emirates, which added it in November 2014 along with 81 other associations and organizations, most of whom operate legally in several European countries.
