French Prisons Welcome More Imams

The French prison population stands at more than 63,000 and more than half are thought be practicing Muslims.

But Imams are few and far between.

Imam Moulay El-Hassan El-Alaoui Talibi operates at Sequedin prison near Lille.

The French government wants more of his kind introduced into the country's 200 prisons to make up a shortfall.

[Moulay El-Hassan El-Alaoui Talibi, Imam]:
"Today the number of Muslim imams is 147. And the total number of chaplains in French prisons is about 1160. The French government has shown a political will to introduce the imams in the majority of prisons."

Human rights groups say French prisons as dirty and overcrowded.

El-Alaloui Talibi says in these difficult conditions access to their faith offers an important framework in the lives of Muslim inmates.

[Moulay El-Hassan El-Alaoui Talibi, Imam]:
"The role of the religion in prison is important. It gives the prisoner guidelines. Guidelines in life, because the human being does not have markers. These guidelines give him the opportunity to respect himself and to respect others."

El-Alaloui Talibi, became the first Muslim prison chaplain-general in 2005.

He is in charge of nominating regional and local Muslim imams and mediating between the imams and prison officials.

His efforts in getting recognition for the Muslim faith behind bars are appreciated by the prisoners.

[Muslim Prisoner, Sequedin Prison]:
"Here the guards and all the staff respect that. When we are praying the guards don't enter the cells, first they look through the window. Outside there are so many temptations, here we get closer to our creator and we pray on time."

Each day that El-Alaloui Talibi leaves the prison, he hopes his message of moderate Islam, makes life more bearable for those that must stay behind.

Category:

News & Politics

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• stands
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• Muslims
• Imam
• Moulay
• El-Hassan
• El-Alaoui
• Talibi

[massacrelord]

makes life more bearable for those that stay behind wtf. They are prisoners not victims they killed raped broken families up they don't deserve shit

[pyramidesign]

Yes why not? I really appreciate the moslems work. Try to not be a victim of media

[PR13STG0RD0]

Religion is the worst guidelines one can have.  Why give them the very thing that makes them crazy?

[ShilgenVens]

While I don't like religions in general myself I do think this is great news.