Press Release
Receiving Marie Le Pen in Dar Al-Fatwa
A New Scene of Shame and Disgrace
(Translated)

We've warned yesterday of receiving this right-wing extremist who is hostile to Islam and its people by the Dar Al-Fatwa and we stated, “Whereas, the political wickedness lies in that the one who will receive her tomorrow, is the one who deafen our ears with the "moderation", of a right-wing extremist "non-moderate" personality such as Le Pen...” and we wondered deploringly “so is that a Fiqh "bravery" or is it a "renewal and modernity."”.. Did the prime minister and the Dar Al-Fatwa become a ride for the French presidential candidates? And on those who claim to represent Muslims only to obey those who showed hostility to them?!!. But it is not just the eyes that are blinded but it is the hearts in the chests.

The first scene of humiliation: Le Pen's refusal to enter Dar al-Fatwa to meet with Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian after she declined a request to wear the headscarf, but the media office at the Dar Al-Fatwa announced “... that the media office had informed the presidential candidate through one of her assistants of the need to cover her head at a meeting with his eminence, as adopted in the Dar Al-Fatwa’s Protocol, and at her arrival to Dar Al-Fatwa those concerned were surprised of her refusal to conform ...” However... after those concerned insisted on her and gave her the head cover to wear she refused and went out without completing meeting with his eminence.

The second scene of this humiliation: that Le Pen says, stating without hesitation, she says what she believes “... when I met with Sheikh Al-Azhar I did not wear the head scarf, I will not wear it now.”

Then the third scene of humiliation: came in the statement by Dar Al-Fatwa: “Dar Al-Fatwa regrets this inappropriate behaviour in such meetings.”

Here, we say, rather we shout in the faces of these people:

Was putting on the headscarf on her head that hardly covers anything from her hair, the issue for you? Or was the issue supposed to be not to receive this hateful person against Islam and its people, who actually believes this and practices it in word and deed, and you have seen it with your own eyes, but this malevolent person did not hesitate to turn her back to you in respect of her belief and disregard to what you believe ... What more disgrace is there after this?

Was it the case that you were going to receive her to invite her to Islam as it is your duty, and you were sorry for missing this “golden” opportunity, or what would have been the content of the meeting, if it happened, apart from giving your stance against "terrorism" and being with "moderation" and being for "modernity and renewal"? !!!

Those terms that only represent the West and has nothing to do with Islam at all ... Le Pen deprived you even of this opportunity rather she increased her insult to you, she did not cover her head when she was with someone who is your senior, Sheikh Al-Azhar, so was she going to that for you -as in her mentioned statement above-?

Is this the reaction required from you – that is if we assume that is was right to receive her - the regret, or there should have been at least a statement that will stun this malevolent woman and her country and embassy parked on a wide swath of your land, and to take the necessary stances that reflect you as "representative of the majority of Muslims in Lebanon”, as you claim, or is this too much for you?! This is why you only expressed the regret (for not having what you hoped for).

And to the Muslims in Lebanon we say: Are you represented by them? Do you accept so much humiliation?! Are you represented by the one who received her yesterday, the Prime Minister?! Is it not time that we take the position that pleases Allah (swt), to renounce them and their followers and to support our Deen and to preserve our Muslim identity?

Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Wilayah Lebanon