Discreet but active solidarity

This year again, during Ramadan, at the Great Mosque of Lyon, nearly 400 to 500 meals should be distributed each evening to the most needy when breaking the fast, thanks to volunteering but also to the donations of the Muslim faithful, who acquit Zakat al-Maal, compulsory alms, third of the five pillars of Islam.

“We have been organizing Ramadan meals for thirty years at the mosque, explains Kamel Kabtane, rector of the Great Mosque of Lyon. But for fifteen or twenty years, I have seen more and more solidarity initiatives develop in Muslims, who consider solidarity as an imperative guided by their faith. »»

Visible in the field, this solidarity nevertheless goes largely under media radars. No doubt because the Muslim charitable spectrum has few large known associative actors. “A certain number of Muslim associations, such as Human Appeal, are emanations of NGOs created in England and which have since autonomized”, Observes Jean Buyssens, doctoral student who works on the political ethnography of charity. Like Human Appeal, or Muslim Hands, or Ummah Charity, a number of these actors essentially officiate on international solidarity projects, with more reduced activities in France.

SIF, the biggest structure of Muslim inspiration in France

In this landscape is distinguished by Islamic France help. Founded in 1991 by emanation of Islamic Relief Worldwide, which he emancipated in 2006, SIF “Who was initially mainly turned towards international emergencies has made the choice since 2008 to get more and more involved on the national territory”, explains Léo André, development manager.

Installed in Paris, Massy and Saint-Denis, where he created a social grocery store, emergency accommodation and day care, and being located in Lyon, Marseille and Bordeaux, the help is probably today , with 80 million euros of budget, the largest structure of Muslim inspiration in France. And undoubtedly the closest to conventional associations. “What differentiates us from other Muslim associations is perhaps that we make little reference to Islam in our activities and in our communication”, specifies Léo André.

Meal or marauding distributions

But beyond these constituted associations, “We also see developing a whole bunch of collectives or groups of friends, especially young people, who decide to meet to distribute meals or make marauds for the homeless, at the time of Ramadan, but also Throughout the year for some ”, Observe Kamel Kabtane.

“It is often the result of collectives who have neither premises nor employees, specifies Jean Buyssens. This solidarity spontaneously turns to the most needy, especially the homeless, and takes forms which are relatively easy to organize such as the distribution of meals or blankets, in a fixed point or in marauding. “During the covid, add the researcher, The authorities have sometimes requested these structures to go to the population of the neighborhoods. But there remains a certain reluctance and it is rare that they call on them for a more substantial project. »» As a result, these Muslim associations live more donations than subsidies.