10 Facts About French Muslims That Will Surprise You

French Muslims have been living in France for a very long time. Here are 10 interesting facts about the Muslims in France. Have a look!

Facts About French Muslims

1. Muslims living in France came from different countries, mostly from Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and North Africa.
2. The largest number of Muslims in the Western world are mostly located in France. The main reason for this is migration from the Maghreb region in North Africa. However, some also arrived through migration from the Middle Eastern countries, and in total, the Muslims of France make up 8.8 percent of the population.
3. Many Centuries ago, the first Muslims arrived in France. During the Contemporary era, the largest number of Muslims arrived from France. This period is the aftermath of the Colonial Wars of Independence during the years 1954-1962.
4. In the European Union, France is the home to the largest number of Muslims. In Europe, it makes up a third of the Muslim population.
5. The niqab and burka were banned in public during the year 2010. France was the first country to pass legislation for a ban like this. During the year 2004, headscarves, crosses, and France banned Jewish in public schools due to their ground states, which are supposed to be religiously neutral.
6. Not only French people but foreigners are also included in this ban. This ban also applies to foreign tourists visiting France, and this ban is for every public place. If someone is caught violating the rules, they have to pay a fine which is more than 100 Euros.
7. This ban goes against France’s concept of being a secular state, and the ban was due to radicalization. It was a plan to criminalize Muslims, as stated by the Grand Mufti of Paris Mosque. It was testified in parliament by grand Mufti that niqab was not something subscribed in Islam.
8. France has heavily violated human rights, as stated by the UN in 2018. France has not provided the UN with a specific reason for banning the niqab, so the UN addressed this case.
9. Between 2010 till 2016, France welcomed more than half a million Muslim migrants. France welcomed 80,000 refugees, and the majority of these refugees were Muslims.
10. Paris is the city with the highest number of Muslim population, followed by Marseille and Lyon.