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French Muslims constitute about 5 to 10 percent of the country’s population. This will include Muslims who are born into the religion and also converts. Though there were Muslims in France as early as the 1920s, it was only during the Second World War that many Muslims migrated to France. There was a shortage of laborers, and migrants from Algeria and other North African colonies fit the bill. The French still do not know correctly what the term Muslim means. They associate it with a certain culture and sometimes to certain religious practices. Most o f the time, the French government does not interfere with religions of the State.
But there was an initiative taken in 2002, to form an organization for the French Muslims. Nicolas Sarkozy, the then Interior Minister and the current President of France took part in initiating “French Council of the Muslim faith”. This organization is not recognized by the government, and is a private non-profit organization in France. All deeds bring criticism, and so it was with Nicolas Sarkozy. He was accused of being partial to the French Muslims in these councils.
It is to be noted here that Muslims who migrated to France during the Second World War, belong to the first generation of Muslims in France. They were involved extensively in construction labor. Over the years these French Muslims, maintained their ties with their country of origin. Several others lost their ties with their homeland and families. The ones who maintained their ties, were allowed to bring their families to settle down in France. This was allowed since the year 1974. Most of the Muslims who wanted to stay in France obtained French nationalities.
The others who retired from the construction labor, were allowed to stay in the housing projects. The second generation of Muslims in France include all the Muslim children born to the Muslim immigrants. They were automatically given nationality of France till the year 1992. From then on, all the second generation French Muslims had to request for French nationality after reaching adulthood. Most of the working classes of this Muslim community lives on the outskirts of cities. The first generation Muslims strongly protect their ties of origin.
Being Muslim is only one aspect. They consider the fact that they originated from Algerians, Moroccans, Turks etc. These first generation French Muslims protect their ethnic origin. Most of the first generation Muslim buildings in France are of architecture belonging to Turks and Moroccans. The second generation is taking cue from their previous generation.
There is a lot of difference in opinion when it comes to the training of imams in France. Most of them believe that they should be trained in Muslim countries. The others vote for them being trained in France where the standard of education is different. In spite of all the problems they had in the past though, French Muslims thrive in the country nowadays. |
