Union of Islamic Organisations of France

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The Union des organizations islamiques de France (UOIF, Union of Islamic Organisations of France) is a leading Muslim umbrella organization, and the French chapter of the Union of Islamic Organizations of Europe. Its integration by then Interior Ministry Nicolas Sarkozy in the Conseil Français du Culte Musulman has been criticized by left- and right-wing members.

The UOIF was founded in 1983 in Meurthe-et-Moselle by two foreign student, Abdallah Ben Mansour (Tunisia) and Mahmoud Zouheir (Iraq) as a federation of about 15 organisations; as of 2005, it covers around 200 organisations. As objectives, the UOIF cites "to respond to religious, cultural, educational, social and humanitarian needs of the Muslims of France. It takes part in the individual and collective understanding of the need for a responsible and positive integration". [1]. The UOIF owns around 30 mosque and directs around 200 others; cult is done in French.

The UOIF is close to the Muslim Brotherhood. It is the French chapter of the Union of Islamic Organizations of Europe, which is partly funded by Saudi funds, and whose aim is to promote and enlightened Islam adapted to the European context. The UOIE is directed from London by Sheik Ahmed al-Rawi, assisted by the European Council of Research and Fatwa, which studies and edicts "collective fatwas to answer Muslim of Europe and solve their problems, in accordance to the rules and aims of the sharia".

On November 7, 2005, the UOIF have issued a rather ineffective fatwa condemning the ongoing civil unrests, saying that "it is strictly forbidden for any Muslim [...] to take part in any action that strikes blindly at private or public property or that could threaten the lives of others".