The Grand Mosque of Paris is a century-old Islamic religious, scientific and cultural beacon, and an Andalusian-style architectural masterpiece in the heart of Paris, the capital of light.
The mosque is considered one of the oldest and largest mosques in France and Europe, and it was built by the French state between 1922 and 1926, in honor of the Muslim soldiers who fought with the French forces during the First World War (1914-1918).
The idea of establishing an Islamic institution in Paris dates back to the middle of the nineteenth century, and continued in the twentieth century, before the French government decided, after extensive consultations, discussions and study, to adopt the project on its own in December 1916, when it was established "Al-Hbous and Islamic Holy Places Association" In February 1917, that is, about 5 years before the construction of the mosque, and the implementation of works was approved "The Great Mosque of Paris" Later, the association, which was established for the first time with the aim of organizing the pilgrimage for French Muslims, continues to run the mosque to this day.
In its session on June 29, 1920, the French Chamber of Deputies voted unanimously on the Government Bill "Establishing an Islamic institute in Paris"The state allocated a budget of 500,000 francs for the construction, while the Paris municipality donated the place. The bill came on the heels of a report prepared by Edouard Herriot, deputy mayor of Lyon, in which one of its paragraphs says: "If the war has put an end to the Franco-Muslim brotherhood on the battlefields, and if more than 100,000 of our Muslim subjects and followers have died in the service of a common country now, then they must be honored as soon as possible by deeds, confession, and remembrance.".
On October 19, 1922, at two o’clock in the afternoon, the first foundation stone of the Great Mosque in Paris was officially laid, and within four years 450 craftsmen and artists contributed to the construction of this religious landmark and architectural masterpiece in the Andalusian-Maghreb style.
The Grand Mosque of Paris was inaugurated and inaugurated on July 15, 1926 in the presence of former French President Gaston Domergue, and since that date the mosque has strengthened the link between France and Islam, and declared France’s recognition of hundreds of thousands of Muslims who came to defend it from various Islamic countries, and sacrificed their lives during the First World War. For her.
The Grand Mosque of Paris is a religious, scientific and cultural beacon, including educational and cultural institutions and humanitarian associations that fall under its management. More than 70 local and regional associations are active within the mosque, in addition to 166 imams and preachers who contribute to spreading the teachings and values of the Islamic religion. The mosque also includes a library and a restaurant. a tea room, and a hammam.
The mosque was built on an area of 7,500 square meters in the Latin Quarter, with a budget of about 4 million euros, and it is characterized by a wonderful architectural design in the Andalusian-Maghreb style.
At its entrance, there is a beautiful garden of 3,500 square meters, in the middle of which is a group of fountains, which reminds of the gardens of the Alhambra Palace in Granada. The mosque also contains a courtyard surrounded by carved arcades and marble columns on which Quranic verses and the names of God are inscribed.
As for the prayer room, it was elaborated in its exquisite inscriptions and decoration by craftsmen who were brought at that time from the Maghreb specifically for this artistic and architectural task, while the mosque’s mihrab was a gift from King Fouad I of Egypt.
In the center of the prayer hall is a huge chandelier hanging from a dome decorated with Kufic Arabic letters, and Quranic verses reminding worshipers and visitors of the greatness of the Creator and the greatness of the Islamic religion, and the richness of the architecture of the Arab-Islamic civilization.
Shams El-Din Hafeez, Dean of the Grand Mosque of Paris, said in a statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the mosque laid its foundation stone 100 years ago in honor of the Muslim soldiers who fought for France in the First World War, pointing out that there was a real intellectual enthusiasm for Islam and the Arab-Islamic culture. .
added: "Today we remember this date when the Grand Mosque was born in the heart of Paris from the conscience of the people and the French state because Islam was and still is a religion that does not contradict their principles and values.".
In the seventies of the last century, the mosque was at the heart of the process of renewing Islamic studies in Europe, by bringing together religious, cultural and academic initiatives. The French translation of the Holy Qur’an in 1972 by the Fiard Publications House in Paris.
In 1993, the then rector of the mosque, Dalil Boubakeur, established the Ghazali Institute for Islamic Sharia Sciences, a religious institute to train imams, and one year later, former French Interior Minister Charles Pascua granted the mosque the authority to certify halal meat.
One of the important roles played by the mosque is introducing the history, depth and culture of the Arab-Islamic civilization, and in this context, the current Brigadier Shams El-Din Hafeez, since his appointment at the head of this institution in 2020, has established the Supreme Council for Science and Culture in the Grand Mosque, and has also established a forum for dialogue under the title Knowledge Wednesday, in which every first Wednesday an important meeting is presented monthly with one of the thinkers, professors, historians, clerics, writers, or great scholars.
In addition to its legitimate religious and cultural role, the Great Mosque of Paris had a great humanitarian role throughout its history, including that during the German occupation of Paris (1940-1944), it served as a refuge for resistance fighters from North Africa.
The Grand Mosque of Paris is located in the heart of the Parisian fifth arrondissement, steps away from prestigious scientific, university, cultural and political institutions such as: the ancient Sorbonne University, the Museum of Natural History, the Institute of the Arab World, and the French Senate, which gives it double importance and carries great symbolism in introducing the Islamic religion and civilization. Islamic Arabic in France.
In this context, Shams El-Din Hafeez indicated that the Grand Mosque of Paris is the oldest mosque in France, and this year the centenary of its founding was celebrated, noting that this scientific, religious and cultural landmark has a prominent role in building the status of Islam and its recognition in France and Europe, through The way Islam is transmitted here, but also the way it is viewed by non-Muslims.
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