Dr Mohammed Bechari, born in Morocco, is a leading prolific and dynamic public figure in the landscape of European Islam. He heads a variety of organisations that seek to better repÂresent French and European Muslims in the wider society as well as working to empower their own communities.
Birth: 16 April 1967 (Age: 56)
Source of Influence: Political
Influence: Political, Administration of Religious Affairs
School of Thought: Sunni
Status: Featured in current year
Dr Mohammed Bechari, born in Morocco, is a leading prolific and dynamic public figure in the landscape of European Islam. He heads a variety of organisations that seek to better repÂresent French and European Muslims in the wider society as well as working to empower their own communities.
Head of Organisations:Â He is the Secretary GenÂeral of the UAE-based World Muslim Communities Council, president of the French National FederaÂtion of Muslims, one of the leading entities organisÂing Islam in France. He is also the secretary general of the Islamic European Conference, a Europe-wide umbrella organisation that seeks to be a single entity representing European Muslims at the European levÂel. Bechari is the founder of the Avicenna Institute in Lille and member of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Center for Interreligious and InterculÂtural Dialogue (KAICIID) in Vienna.
Scholar and Awards:Â Bechari has written many books and taken up visiting professor posts at several international universities. He was awarded the King Abdullah II Award for Excellence of the First Class as well as The Medal of Sciences and Arts of the First Class from the Arab Republic of Egypt.
Outspoken: Bechari has been outspoken against those who would incite hatred and violence. He has included not only daâish in this category but also any imams who preach hatred in French mosques. He has been keen to win Islam back from the distorted imÂage portrayed by terrorists. He has voiced his beliefs against daâish and Al-Qaeda who promote terrorism and have distorted the image of Islam worldwide. During an interview on Dubai TV in 2016, he went as far as saying that imams who incite and âpreach hatred in the mosquesâ should be deported.