Muslim authorities call for solidarity

Faced with the humanitarian disaster in Mayotte, French Muslim authorities are calling for action. On Tuesday, December 17, the Grand Mosque of Paris launched a call for donations from Muslims in France to “help the Mahorais overcome this tragedy”after the devastating passage of Cyclone Chido in Mayotte.

“Mayotte is facing an unprecedented humanitarian emergency situation (…) Faced with this large-scale catastrophe, faced with so much human distress, the Grand Mosque of Paris is mobilizing and launching an urgent appeal for the generosity of all”writes rector Chems-eddine Hafiz in a press release published Tuesday evening.

He prays like this “the Muslims of France and all the mosques” of “contribute to fundraising for organizations working in the field”listing the sites of Civil Protection, Secours populaire, Fondation de France and the Red Cross.

“Generosity, solidarity and help to those in need are Islamic values: let us embody them in all circumstances. (…) Together, we can help the people of Mahor overcome this tragedy and rebuild a happy and more secure future.”he still pleads.

“Dedicate special thought to the victims”

In Mayotte, the provisional toll of the disaster is 22 dead and 1,373 injured, according to figures communicated Tuesday evening by the Ministry of the Interior, but the authorities fear “several hundred” even “a few thousand” deaths in this department, the poorest in France. The count is all the more complicated because Mayotte is a land with a strong Muslim tradition and, according to Islamic rites, the deceased must be buried as quickly as possible. Some “95% of Mahorais are Muslim”indicates the website of the Mayotte prefecture.

The French Council of Muslim Worship (CFCM), for its part, called on Monday, December 16, French Muslims to “mobilize and come to the aid of disaster victims” from Mayotte. Faced with this catastrophe, this body whose objective is to represent French mosques calls on Muslims to “mobilize” and to “come to the aid of disaster victims by supporting actions carried out on the ground by humanitarian NGOs”. “We also invite the mosques of France to devote special thought to the victims and their loved ones, particularly during Friday prayers”concludes the Council in its press release.