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The Conseil Français du Culte Musulman announced today that it is considering issuing certifications to imams practicing in France.
Anwar Kbibech, the president of the organization, which represents mosques all over France, said that the certifications would ensure a depth of theological knowledge of Islam, as well as an adherence to and respect for the republican values of France, putting the Muslim faith into the larger context of the country’s largely secular society. Kbibech sees the certification as a way to hold mosques that support “preachers of hate,” as Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve puts it, to account. The certifications, like a driver’s license, could be revoked by the issuing organization.
Kbibech said that the group is determined to take charge in bridging a gap between French society and some of its Muslim adherants by taking action to reduce radicalization. He reiterated the group’s condemnation of the “small group” responsible for the November 13th attacks, saying that extremists would never have the support of France’s Muslim population.
