France closed a mosque in Aulnay-sous-Bois, near Paris, and dissolved its association over sermons inciting hatred and violence: its preachers glorified martyrdom, justified October 7 and targeted Jews. They did not have to invent anything. The Quran offers as a model Abraham's "animosity and hatred forever until you believe in Allah alone" (60:4), tells believers to fight the disbelievers near them and "let them find in you harshness" (9:123), and to "strike [their] necks" in battle (47:4). In Sahih al-Bukhari, Muhammad says he was made victorious through terror cast into his enemies' hearts (2977), and that the Hour will not come until a stone cries out: "There is a Jew hiding behind me, so kill him" (2926). Preached as orders for today, these texts need no twisting to incite.
A prayer hall in Aulnay-sous-Bois, north of Paris, was ordered shut for six months, and the association running it has since been dissolved. Its preachers justified the killing of a Quran burner, attacked Jews and nonbelievers, and ranked Shiites below pigs and dogs. The mosque's lawyer suggests France now punishes quoting the Quran. The court disagreed.
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