Tribute to Rayane: A life lost, a community in mourning

He smiled at the life he had ahead of him and announced himself under the best auspices, the promising destiny of the young dental surgeon, Rayane Lammouchi, 25, was struck down on May 20, victim of the murderous fury of a group of individuals.

This terrible and unthinkable tragedy, which caused astonishment in the department of Seine-Saint-Denis where it took place, cruelly struck a sunny young man full of future, at the dawn of his existence and his career. She also plunged into deep despair her family, so painfully tried today, and beyond that, the entire Muslim community.

While his assassins are still running around in the wild and we do not know, to this day, what motivated their heinous crime (hate or a gratuitous act, without motive), the deafening silence of the media and the regrettable absence of representatives of the French authorities, the Consulate of Algeria in Paris and certain Muslim officials at his heartbreaking funeral, added incomprehension and spite to an absolute human drama.

In memory of the late Dr. Rayane Lammouchi, who passed away prematurely in appalling circumstances, we are posting the poignant tribute paid to him by Nabil Mati, doctoral student at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, and faithful contributor to our site.

The Oumma team shares the immense pain of his parents and loved ones, and wishes to offer them its most sincere condolences. May he rest in peace with the Most High. Allah y rahmo.

Nabil Mati’s tribute

A poignant silence enveloped the Nanterre mosque this morning, where nearly a hundred people gathered for the funeral prayer (Salat al-Janazah), in tribute to Rayane Lammouchi.

This 25-year-old young man, who graduated in dental surgery in 2022, was tragically stabbed during a knife attack in Les Lilas on Saturday May 20, perpetrated by a group of individuals.

In this atmosphere of sadness, the bereaved family, loved ones and members of the local community came together to participate in this Islamic ritual and pay their last respects to Rayane. Rayane’s body will be repatriated to Algeria tonight at 6 p.m., marking the start of his final journey.

In this atmosphere of sadness, we met Rayane’s mother, a woman barely fifty years old, a psychiatrist.

His eyes were hidden behind dark glasses, trying in vain to hide his tears. Dressed in a veil over her head, she walked slowly, her heart torn, surrounded by close women who had come to support her. Unable to understand why her child was brutally torn from life, she learned this terrible news while staying in Algeria, in Skikda, east of Algiers, with her husband Chawki for a few days. Their stay was tragically interrupted by this unthinkable tragedy.

As for the father, an emergency doctor, he was both calm and deeply marked by sadness, as evidenced by his face. He was also resigned, standing alongside his eldest son to perform the funeral prayer (Salat al-Janazah).

After the prayer, which took place in an atmosphere of absolute serenity, the coffin was placed in front of the faithful. A viewing window was open, allowing loved ones and worshipers to take one last look at the face of the deceased, a silent farewell for the last time, before the coffin was closed. Tears flooded the faces of the adults, children and women present, who were standing on the first floor. Their overflowing emotion overwhelmed them, preventing them from holding back their sobs.

” My son was killed for free, someone passed by and stabbed him without saying a word exclaimed her tearful father, devastated by the loss of his child. He describes his son as a young man full of hope, endowed with great generosity and always ready to help others. He was actively involved in the vaccination campaign during the pandemic, going to all fronts to administer vaccines. The testimonies collected all converge in this direction, describing Rayane as someone calm and generous. According to one of her friends, Rayane was simply trying to lead a normal, low-key life.

Even in such difficult times, Rayane’s father showed exemplary courage, providing advice to parents. He urges them not to abandon their children to themselves and to take care of their well-being, because he is aware that the consequences of a bad education can be serious. As Nounou, a parent of five, points out: “ bad parenting is very contagious “. It thus highlights the importance of providing children with an environment conducive to their development and well-being, in order to prevent harmful behaviour.

France as a whole, as well as the Muslim community, mourns the loss of this promising young man, whose commitment and benevolence will remain forever etched in our memories. Rayane was raised in a wealthy family and benefited from an environment favorable to his development. He was an accomplished sportsman, always ready to surpass himself, and his kindness and generosity were widely recognized by those around him.

The investigation is still ongoing and, for the moment, Rayane’s father claims to have no precise information on the people responsible for this tragic attack. The mother said they were well received at the police station and provided the necessary information, including their son’s biography, to help with the investigation. The current priority is to organize the burial in Algeria, where Rayane can rest in peace.

The absence of certain actors, such as the media, the French authorities, the Algerian consul and leaders of the Muslim community, during this ceremony did not go unnoticed.

The support of all, in these trying times, is of particular importance. But as one person on the ground pointed out bitterly, during our discussion of the flagrant absence of the authorities, Rayane is sadly seen as “one death among others”, thus implying that it does not receive the same attention and importance. This situation raises questions about the role of these bodies and their awareness of such tragedies.

Nevertheless, the council of the Order of dental surgeons of this department of Seine Saint Denis, chaired by Martine LEPONT-KORDYL and composed of departmental advisers, took the initiative to send an email to all the colleagues in order to to inform them of the tragic death of their colleague, Rayane. This message is full of compassion for the bereaved family, thus expressing their support and solidarity in this difficult ordeal.

Mohamed, a committed community activist, calls for a silent march in several neighborhoods in the French suburbs. The objective of this march is to mobilize the authorities, parents and young people in order to strengthen their commitment against the violence that is rampant. Mohamed hopes that this collective mobilization will contribute to putting in place more rigorous measures and an appropriate action plan to fight against this violence.

Youssef, imam and funeral director, highlights the important work carried out by many people around him, in particular imams and elders, to remedy the situation in certain neighborhoods of the department of Seine-Saint-Denis. However, he recognizes that despite these efforts, the results are still very limited.

This is why Youssef insists, for his part, on the urgency of an action plan drawn up by the State in collaboration with other actors to deal with these criminal attacks, which lead to human tragedies. absolute. The preacher also expressed his deep sadness at the high number of young people who have lost their lives in the past two years, leaving behind grieving families. This reality further reinforces the urgency of implementing concrete measures aimed at preventing such tragic losses and protecting the youth of our society.

At the time of writing this article, the information collected does not make it possible to determine with precision whether the criminal attack of which the late Rayane was the victim resulted from a random act or motivated by hatred. However, what we can say is that the family has faced irreparable loss and no words or gestures can fill the void left by Rayane’s disappearance.

Rayane’s mother expressed a wish to specifically share the photo above, which is filled with love and hope, and captures the very essence of Rayane, a solar being.

Her desire is to preserve a beautiful image of her son in our memories and thoughts. This photo is a testament to the love, joy and generosity he embodied, with his mother hoping she will continue to inspire and touch the hearts of those who watch her. In these difficult times, we would like to express our full support and deepest condolences to the bereaved family. May your soul rest in peace, Dr. Lammouchi Rayane.