اخبار قطر اليوم – وطن نيوز
اخر اخبار قطر – اخبار قطر العاجلة
W6nnews.com ==== وطن === تاريخ النشر – 2026-02-22 11:38:00
A number of representatives of the Islamic community and heads of mosques and charities in France confirmed that the holy month of Ramadan allows the Muslim community in France to show solidarity, do good, and enhance the values of volunteerism, religiosity, and tolerance. They explained, in special statements to Qatar News Agency (QNA), that the holy month is a good occasion for mosques and charities to intensify volunteer activities and work, and provide social assistance to the Islamic community. They noted the remarkable turnout from the youth of the Muslim community in France on mosques, Tarawih prayers, and delving into religion, customs, and the heritage of their fathers and grandfathers. For his part, Sheikh Hassan Belmajzoub, President of the Peace Association and President of the Regional Council for the Islamic Religion in Bordeaux, explained that the Peace Mosque and the Islamic Center in Bordeaux represent the heart of the religious and cultural life of the Muslim community in the Gironde region, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France, where the region includes 16 mosques and associations under the supervision of the Regional Council. He pointed out that the Peace Mosque was founded In 2006, it belongs to the Mirnak Muslim Association, and this year celebrates the 20th anniversary of its founding. It was built on an area of 4,000 square meters distributed over three floors according to Arab-Islamic architecture, while a similar space was recently added to meet the growing needs of worshipers and visitors, especially in the holy month. He added that the main prayer hall in the mosque is the largest of its kind in the region, as it can accommodate about 3,000 worshippers, which reflects the interest in providing a comfortable environment for practicing… Religious rituals, especially during the month of Ramadan, which witnesses great demand, especially during the last ten days and Tarawih prayers. Sheikh Bel Majzoub explained that the educational and cultural activities in the mosque and the Islamic Center vary to include a school that teaches the Arabic language in eight classes that receives about 600 students, in addition to an institute for Islamic studies for French speakers, where intensive programs in hadith, jurisprudence, and Islamic law are offered for three years, which contributes to the formation of new generations of scholars and imams. Specialists. He added that the mosque’s Ramadan activities are characterized by diversity and comprehensiveness, as jurisprudence lessons are organized daily after noon and afternoon prayers, in addition to providing religious consultations and guidance before evening prayers, with an elite group of jurists and imams being brought in from several Arab countries to enrich the scientific and religious content during the holy month. These efforts culminate in the last ten days of honoring outstanding memorizers of the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet and granting them awards and certificates. Regarding activities. Charitable and social affairs, Sheikh Bel Majzoub confirmed that the mosque pays great attention to providing support to needy groups, by distributing “Ramadan baskets” daily to the poor, students, the homeless, and prisoners, as the number of baskets ranges between 300 and 400 baskets per day, in addition to organizing weekly and group Iftar tables that benefit large numbers of students, passers-by, and the needy, which reflects the mosque’s commitment to the principle of social solidarity and enhancing the spirit of cooperation among members of society, as well as The mosque is keen to distribute Zakat al-Fitr to those who deserve it, including the needy, orphans, needy families, and people of determination, according to precise lists prepared before the end of the month. In his exclusive statements to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Sheikh Bel Majzoub indicated that the mosque’s role is not limited only to the local side, but also seeks to promote religious and cultural dialogue, as it organizes group iftars for French officials and representatives of various religions in the region, providing opportunities for cultural exchange. And introducing society to the great human values of Islam. He also pointed out that one of the most prominent annual social initiatives is the “White March” organized by the Regional Council for the Islamic Religion with the participation of about 2,000 people from different religions and cultures, in a clear message of tolerance, cooperation and peaceful coexistence. He stressed that there is a remarkable phenomenon that began after the Corona virus, which is the return of people and members of the Muslim community to the Islamic religion, and their great demand for various mosques in the region, as well as the conversion of many French people to the Islamic religion, especially in the month of Holy Ramadan. Sheikh Hassan Belmajzoub concluded his statements to QNA by pointing out that in the last ten days of Ramadan, during Laylat al-Qadr, and during Eid prayers, Al-Salam Mosque witnesses an unprecedented attendance exceeding 10,000 worshipers every night, which reflects the attachment of the Arab and Islamic community in France to its religion and its adherence to the spiritual and social values of the holy month of Ramadan. In turn, Mohamed Heneish, who is responsible for the Grand Mosque of Pantin and head of the Union of Mosques and Islamic Associations in the Siné-Saint-Department, confirmed that In Paris, he said that the month of Ramadan constitutes a central station during which religious, humanitarian and social initiatives are intensified, aiming to serve the Muslim community and enhance its positive presence within French society. Heniche explained in similar statements to QNA that the Union’s activities during the holy month include organizing iftar tables inside mosques, in addition to preparing ready-made meals to be distributed to those wishing to eat breakfast at their homes or with their children, in addition to distributing dates, milk and water to the worshipers daily. He also pointed to organizing iftars. “Private” to which representatives of local authorities and leaders of other religions are invited, in a move aimed at highlighting the moral values and civilized behavior of Muslims during Ramadan. Henisch said: “Like most mosques in France, the Grand Mosque of Pantin radically changes its organization during the month of Ramadan, as during the year the mosque opens its doors 15 minutes before prayer and closes 15 minutes after the end of prayer, but during the month of Ramadan, the mosque remains open throughout the day, and represents the main charitable activity during The holy month is a group breakfast in the mosque, where a large number of fasting people break their fast every day in the mosque. This requires a team of volunteers to manage the organization and services, and a large budget. Charitable aid also includes the “Ramadan Basket” that benefits more than 120 families. He pointed out that during the last ten days of the month, the Union counts the families in need in preparation for distributing the Zakat al-Fitr that is collected inside the mosques, according to precise standards that ensure it reaches those who deserve it, as it benefits from this. Zakat is about 600 families. He also confirmed the keenness of the Bantan Mosque on the day of Eid al-Fitr, to bring joy to the hearts of children by purchasing toys to be distributed to them as they come with their families to perform Eid prayers. This is an initiative that comes within a series of charitable and humanitarian activities carried out by the mosque and the union throughout the holy month to enhance the values of solidarity and solidarity within society. Mohamed Henish, responsible for the Grand Mosque of Pantin and head of the Union of Mosques and Islamic Associations in the Seine-Saint-Denis region in Paris, added that the union, which includes more than 100 mosques in the Seine-Saint-Denis region, is developing an integrated religious program that includes sermons, jurisprudence lessons, and awareness lectures, in addition to organizing the five daily prayers, Tarawih prayers, and Tahajjud prayers during the last ten days. He pointed out that the region includes, according to official statistics for the year 2025, about 1.7 million people, including one million Muslims, which in his view constitutes a challenge and an opportunity at the same time to intensify charitable volunteer work. He also noted that 80 percent of mosques’ funding throughout the year comes from donations during the month of Ramadan, which reflects the amount of trust these institutions enjoy and their pivotal role in serving society. The president of the Union of Mosques and Islamic Associations in the Seine-Saint-Denis region in Paris stressed that the union has recently allocated several evenings to collect donations for the benefit of the Arab-Islamic peoples. affected areas, especially in Palestine, Sudan, and some African countries, where these funds are transferred to humanitarian organizations concerned with providing aid, digging wells, and building schools. Heneish added that support efforts have doubled since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, in cooperation with associations active on the ground in Palestine, with the aim of providing urgent aid and alleviating the suffering of the population. He concluded his statements to QNA by stressing that the budget for these Ramadan activities amounts to about half a million euros throughout the month. Al-Fadil, which highlights the extent of the responsibility placed on the shoulders of the Union of Mosques and Islamic Associations in the Seine-Saint-Denis region in Paris, and its prominent role in consolidating the values of interdependence and solidarity. For his part, Khaled Belkhedir, who is responsible for the Grand Mosque of “Peace” in the city of Carpentras in southeastern France, within the Vaucluse (84) region, which is part of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, and head of the Regional Council for Islamic Worship, explained that the month of Ramadan Al-Mubarak represents the peak of the spiritual and social activity of the mosque, as all religious, cultural and charitable activities increase throughout the month, and the demand for the mosque increases significantly, especially in the last ten days and Tarawih prayers, which witness an unparalleled presence of worshipers. Belkhdir indicated in a statement to QNA that the mosque, which extends over a wide area of about 1,700 square meters and includes two floors, seeks to provide a suitable environment for practicing religious rituals comfortably, as The prayer hall can accommodate approximately 1,500 worshippers, and this capacity allows it to receive large numbers of worshipers at crowded times during Ramadan. He added that the primary goal of this capacity and preparation is to create an atmosphere of spirituality and religious discipline, which reflects the Muslim community’s commitment to the spiritual and social values of Islam. Belkhdir explained that religious and cultural activities vary between jurisprudential and legal lessons, and religious consultations provided by the imam before the evening prayer, as well as training programs for new imams, which aim to refine Their skills in leading prayer and managing religious activity in society. The mosque is also keen to organize competitions and prizes in memorizing the Holy Qur’an, the Sunnah of the Prophet, and the teachings of Islamic law. These activities conclude and prizes are distributed on Laylat al-Qadr, to be the culmination of the celebration of science and knowledge during the holy month. As for the charitable and social aspect, Belkhdir stressed that the mosque pays great attention to needy groups, as during Ramadan the “Ramadan Basket” is distributed to needy families, In addition to providing food and material assistance to the homeless, passers-by, and students, as well as distributing zakat to the needy on Eid al-Fitr, the scope of support is also being expanded to include some prisons in the region. With the aim of bringing joy and tranquility to the prisoners during the holy month. Belkhdir pointed out that the mosque also organizes collective iftar tables in which those who are fasting participate, while being careful to direct part of the efforts to beneficiaries who cannot attend the mosque themselves, to ensure the comprehensiveness of charitable work. He stressed that these efforts reflect the mosque’s commitment to the highest human values in Islam, and contribute to enhancing social solidarity and the spirit of cooperation between members of the Muslim community and those around it. Belkhdir concluded his statements to QNA by emphasizing that The month of Ramadan represents an exceptional opportunity to intensify charitable and religious work, and that the mosque seeks, through these initiatives, to deepen ties with the local community, and to introduce society to the tolerant values of Islam, through activities that combine worship, learning, and charitable work, making Ramadan an occasion to celebrate spirituality and giving alike. It is worth noting that the latest statistics and estimates for the year 2025 indicate that there are 2,670 mosques in France, including 462 mosques in Paris and its environs, while the figures of the French Council of the Islamic Faith (CFCM) for the year 2024 show that about 460 imams are active in the mosques of France, in addition to the visiting imams who are brought in specifically for Islamic religious occasions, especially in the holy month of Ramadan. The latest figures and demographic estimates estimate that about 5.7 to 6.7 million Muslims will live in France in 2025, which is equivalent to approximately 8 to 8 million Muslims. 10 percent of the total population.
