Editing Khalil el-Moumni (section)

==Biography==
He was born in [[Bni Mansour]]. In [[Morocco]] he was banned several times for speaking about "injustice" in society.<ref>[[Algemeen Dagblad]], [http://www.ad.nl/rotterdam/stad/article444856.ece ’Hier is echte vrijheid van meningsuiting’]</ref>

On 3 May 2001, he appeared on the Dutch television program ''Nova'' to discuss the rising incidence of [[Anti-homosexualism|anti-homosexual]] violence by Moroccan youths. He said that "if the sickness of homosexuality spreads itself, everyone can become infected".  "That's what we are afraid of... Who will still make children if men marry among themselves and women too?".<ref>[[Dutch language]]: "[dat] als de ziekte van de homoseksualiteit zich verspreidt, iedereen besmet kan raken."  "Daar zijn wij bang voor" "Wie maken nog kinderen als mannen onderling trouwen en vrouwen ook?", [http://www.novatv.nl/index.cfm?ln=nl&fuseaction=artikelen.details&achtergrond_id=39 NOVA]</ref>

Later, various sources reported statements from sermons of his that were published in [[Arabic language|Arabic]] in 1998.  He said: "The western civilisation is a civilisation without morals. In the [[Same-sex marriage in the Netherlands|Netherlands it is permitted for homosexuals to marry each other]]. The Europeans stand lower than dogs and pigs".<ref>[[Trouw]], [http://archief.trouw.nl/artikel?REC=5c5c839cecd2e0960134690503418c79 Van Boxtel: Imam heeft gelogen], 15 juni 2001</ref>

Forty-nine individuals and organizations filed official complaints about his statements on the Nova program, under Dutch anti-discrimination laws.  However a drawn-out period of reconciliation followed, involving supporters of el-Moumni, Dutch politicians, homosexuals and religious groups, in which he was gradually moved to apologize.  He said that some of the Arabic statements were mistranslated.

In December 2001, the justice ministry decided to prosecute him anyway.  On 4 April 2002 a court in Rotterdam announced its verdict: although in principle his statements had been discriminatory against homosexuals, they were permitted on grounds of freedom of religious expression, since they were based on the [[Qur'an]] and other Muslim documents. The justice ministry appealed the decision but lost again on 18 November 2002.

Just before reaching the age of 65, el-Moumni ended his 46-year career with a last service in the An-Nasr [[Mosque]] on 23 June 2006. In this service el-Moumni called on believers to use the mosque not only for prayer, but also for civil activities.<ref>Interkerkelijke Omroep Nederland (IKON), [http://www.ikonrtv.nl/kerknieuws/nieuws.asp?lStrAction=&oId=9137 Iman El-Moumni stopt met preken]</ref>

On 21 November 2020, el-Moumni died from [[COVID-19]] at the age of 79.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ad.nl/rotterdam/bekende-imam-khalil-el-moumni-79-overleden-aan-corona~ad5879ef/ |title=Bekende imam Khalil el Moumni (79) overleden aan corona |website=ad.nl |language=nl |date=21 November 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Rotterdamse imam El Moumni (79) overleden aan corona  |url=https://www.rijnmond.nl/nieuws/201376/Rotterdamse-imam-El-Moumni-79-overleden-aan-corona |website=Rijnmond |date=22 November 2020 |access-date=22 November 2020 |language=nl}}</ref>