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Rabat — The French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM) has criticized the authorities running the Grande Mosquée de Paris, especially for announcing February 18 as the first day of Ramadan.
CFCM, the formerly primary body representing Islam before French authorities, emphasized that certain institutions further weaken the unity and cohesion of Muslims in France.
The council announced recently that the official first day of Ramadan in France was February 19, unlike the Grand Mosque of Paris, which announced February 18 as the fasting date.
CFCM emphasized that it was not the sole institution to determine that Ramadan starts on Thursday and not Wednesday.
“The same decision was made by Hilal France, a young institution dedicated to local moon observation in metropolitan France,” the body says.
The organization stated it was surprised by the decision of the mosque, stressing that the mosque’s announcement was “heavily influenced by Saudi Arabia.”
“The CFCM only applied the criteria it has always transparently presented, fulfilling its duty and role as the representative body of the Muslim faith.”
It recalled a similar 2013 controversy created when the Grande Mosquée de Paris unilaterally changed its position and announced July 10, as the start of Ramadan, even if CFCM announced the first day would fall on July 9.
The Grande Mosquée de Paris responded to CFCM, saying Ramadan “is not the result of an ‘institutional’ or human choice.”
The mosque argued it had the authority to make the announcements for the major moments of the religious calendar.
Several reports have recently suggested that the Grande Mosquée de Paris now sets announcements, including for the start of Ramadan, according to political considerations instead of established Islamic and astronomical criteria.
Last year, news outlet Watan cited a report by local newspaper Sued-Ouest, reflecting the mosque’s delicate position amid France-Algeria’s fragile relations.
The report detailed that the mosque faces additional challenges as it receives dozens of Algerian imams during Ramadan.
“Government sources explained that the ‘consulate has not received any visa applications from Algeria,’” the report said, quoting the mosque’s rector Chams-Eddine Hafiz, who said the situation is “complicated.”
The outlet also shed light on the mosque’s administration, saying it established a “highly profitable monopoly system for halal certification in coordination with Algerian authorities to facilitate the export of European products to Algeria.”
Grand Mosquée of Paris rector Chems-Eddine Hafiz dismissed the allegations, alleging they are “completely false slander.”
