French Court Upholds Six-Month Closure of Chanteloup Mosque Near Paris

The Montreuil Administrative Court rejected a request to suspend a July order that shut the Chanteloup mosque in Aulnay-sous-Bois for six months, extending the closure until January. The ruling was based in part on sermons that quoted seven passages from the Quran and referenced classic Islamic works such as *The Garden of the Righteous* and *The Forty Hadiths*, as well as on references to “hell” and “punishments of the grave” directed at “unbelievers.”

Middle East Eye

Rafik Chekkat, a human-rights lawyer representing the mosque, questioned whether French imams can still quote the Quran during preaching. He announced plans to appeal the decision before the Council of State, arguing that the ruling undermines religious freedom, freedom of expression, and the principle of secularism. Chekkat described the judgment as “totally against religious freedom” and expressed disappointment with the court’s reasoning.

Middle East Eye

The case follows years of heightened state scrutiny of Muslim institutions in France, where secularism (laïcité) is enforced through administrative orders that can close places of worship deemed to violate public order. Critics note that similar theological content appears in Christian sermons without triggering comparable sanctions, raising questions about consistent application of the law.

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French authorities maintain that the closure is justified by the content of the sermons, which they say incite hatred toward non-believers. The prefect’s office has not issued a new public comment since the court’s ruling.

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• “In France, can an imam still quote the Quran in the mosque where he preaches?” — Chekkat. Chekkat

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• “We are very disappointed by the decision and very surprised by its content. We will obviously go before the Council of State,” — January. Rafik Chekkat

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