V24 Exclusive: We spoke with a leading French moderate imam who lives under constant police protection not for hate, but for promoting coexistence.
Stefan Tompson
Jul 9, 2025 - 2:00 PM
Share
For over 15 years, one of France’s most prominent moderate imams, Hassen Chalghoumi, has been under full-time police protection. For the last two years, his wife and children have lived abroad, forced to flee the continent they once called home, the Europe of Voltaire, Molière, and liberty, because it no longer felt like Europe.
In cities like Paris, Brussels, and Berlin, Chalghoumi cannot step outside without wearing a bulletproof vest and being accompanied by six police officers. The threats against his life come not from the far right but from Islamist extremists claiming to speak for his faith.
Extremists Walk Free
In 2024, Chalghoumi says, extremists move freely across Europe, while moderate religious leaders must live under police protection. For him, this captures the essence of where Europe has gone wrong.
He traces the crisis to three core failures: the family, the education system, and political and religious leadership. Fanatics were allowed to take over, social media amplified their voices, and leaders failed to act.
Chalghoumi became a French citizen in 2000 through marriage. From the day he was naturalized, he says, he embraced France — its past, its values, and its future. His wife is French, his children were born in France, and he speaks with pride about joining the national story.
But he sees a painful contrast in many young men of immigrant descent who lack that same sense of belonging. Instead, they are trapped in a victimhood narrative rooted in colonial grievance — a mindset that, he argues, has stunted integration and poisoned a generation. He warns that when a child grows up believing he is a permanent victim, the desire for revenge can take root. Such a child becomes vulnerable to radicalization by groups like ISIS or Al-Qaeda, alienated from the country that raised him, and ultimately dangerous.
Reflecting on how France and Germany, once bitter enemies, reconciled to build a peaceful union, he asks why French-Algerians or French Africans cannot do the same. The answer, he believes, lies in the failure to clearly communicate what it means to be European. Families were never given a clear framework, and parents received little support in helping their children build strong identities grounded in both faith and country.
Adaptation Is Possible
The imam insists Islam is not a monolith. The Islam practiced in the UAE differs from that in Iraq or Afghanistan. Islam can and does adapt, including to life in Europe.
He cites the UAE as a model: a country investing heavily in modern education and religious moderation. Political Islam, especially the Muslim Brotherhood’s ideology, has been banned there. Sermons promote love, peace, and coexistence. All religious groups - Muslims, Jews, and Christians - are free to practice their faith. He believes this is possible in Europe, but only if the West recognizes the danger of unchecked political Islam.
He points out a painful truth: Muslims are the primary victims of Islamism. In countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, and Yemen, they pay the highest price for extremist ideologies. Europe is now seeing the consequences. Over 7,000 European-born Muslims joined ISIS in Syria and Iraq, more than from the Arab world. This didn’t happen in a vacuum; it happened in the schools of the Republic.
Since October 7, antisemitism in Europe has surged beyond levels seen in some Arab states. That day exposed who supports peace and who supports terror, revealing how deep Islamist influence has become in parts of European society.
Speaking Out Despite Threats
Despite the danger, Chalghoumi continues to speak out. He feels morally compelled to respond when people murder in the name of religion, in places like the Bataclan, Charlie Hebdo, or Nice.
The threats against him come not from the far right but from Islamists and their supporters. He is also targeted by segments of the extreme left for defending Israel and openly addressing antisemitism. For over a decade, his wife and children have lived abroad for their safety. He changed their names to protect them. He moves with six armed guards, having lost his freedom while defending liberty.
He urges Europe to stop confusing spiritual Islam with political Islam. One is a religion of peace; the other, a totalitarian ideology. Europe must remain strong and sovereign but avoid the traps of both far left and far right. Neither victimhood politics nor reactionary hate will solve the problem.
France has thousands of mosques and does not ban worship. But sects and radical ideologies must be confronted head-on. There is a clear distinction between faith and fanaticism. He is frustrated that when Europeans think of Islam, they picture Hamas flags, ISIS symbols, and Hezbollah supporters at rallies and on campuses, while the quiet, peaceful Muslim majority - doctors, teachers, workers, and citizens - are nearly invisible.
Defending Europe’s Future
That silence, he says, is partly cultural. Many Muslims are not raised to speak publicly; others fear the consequences. Those who do, like him, often find themselves isolated and threatened.
Despite everything, Chalghoumi still believes in Europe and France. He is convinced Islam and the West can coexist, but only if truth is spoken clearly, without fear. The fanatics may be loud, but they are not the majority. The honest, spiritual Islam is compatible with Europe but it must be defended, and the narrative reclaimed. Europe must not become a monster fighting monsters; it must remain firm, proud, and principled.
He says he would still give his life for the France he loves.
