Islam is a growing religion in Europe especially France. Of the 15 million Muslims population in entire Europe, 5 million (over 30%) live in France, a demographic reality that the French people find it difficult to deal with. There are countless discussions, every now and then, on various forums citing Muslims as an “issue” or a “problem”. The famous notion of “clash of Civilizations” is especially applicable to Islam according to the western version. They equate Islam with terror and violence.
Muslims have always been considered a ‘threat’ and a ‘problem’ by the French people. Recently, the issue of the French ban on hijab stirred a lot of controversy and confusion across the globe. Another issue is the construction of mosques and loud call for prayer which is considered one of the greatest examples of the “clash of civilizations” by the French citizens. As of now, only five mosques stand in France for the entire five million Mulims, who live in Paris, Mantes la Jolie, Evry, Lille, and Lyon. The French citizens strongly put hurdles in efforts to build more. While the town mayors routinely and regularly ignore petitions to construct more mosques. To live peacefully in the country, the Muslims are pressurized to merge and defuse their identity.
France is as secular country as it can be. They applied the rule of “distance between church and state” in 1905 by banning any kind of ostentatious display of religious symbols in public schools. Although this was promulgated initially to root out the Catholic Christians, same law is now applicable to Muslims. The infamous Act “banning the veil in public space” is a clear proof of what they actually want. It is not just the government but society and white French people generally sneer at religion, and give such disturbing looks towards covered Muslim women suspecting them as a sign of violence. The underlying principle behind these laws and attitude is the historical commitment to secularism in France.
Second and third generation of Muslims suffer from an identity crisis. In France, they are immigrants, facing discrimination and unemployment, and in their ‘home’ country they are bound to live as foreigners. The Muslim population is alienated and excluded in all sorts, be it finding work, house to live or social mingling. The largest numbers of immigrants are living in areas which are ‘zones of economic and social exclusion” and have become synonymous with immigrants, extremism, rigidity and violence.
The tension between Muslims and the other French citizens is rising, and there is no effective steps being taken at the governmental level to stop this go. The recent issue of the ban on headscarf has increased the rift. Muslims are being oppressed to live according to their religion; are deprived of their due share of peaceful living and working conditions. The future of France and the Muslims in France hangs on the balance of whether the French people will allow Muslims to become a part of them. Islam is a reality; its here and Muslims should be recognized as a definite religious minority with rights and identity. It’s time for France to represent its love for human rights by taking away such unnecessary impositions, and barriers that are impeding the Muslim ideology.
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