KOMPAS.com - Mosque of Paris! or Mosquée de Paris, a house of worship which is said berasitektur Spain and North Africa are finally on the agenda for a family holiday in Paris. And yes, not only beautiful but also shadow felt when he went inside. Azan sound echoes reflected only in the mosque, but the call to prayer, it makes the heart was hit ....
School holidays come. And the city of Paris is our choice for a family vacation to spend before returning to their homeland in Indonesia. It's a deal, will be filled with relaxing holidays and cultural events. Some of the list we wrote the Paris mosque was our primary objective.
This heart also embarrassed, as Muslims, every time they travel to Paris, the mosque was the main goal is always overlooked. But better late than nothing right?
Mosque of Paris and France convened by the Mosquée de Paris, is the largest mosque in the country. Of course there are in the capital. But not the oldest of the oldest in France.
By telling that before my visit to the Mosque of Paris, I spoke a little flashback of why the mosque was built.
In 1856, under pressure from the demand of the Muslims who live in the city of Paris, the French government granted a license for the country to offer in the Paris cemetery Père-Lachaise, which is also a cemetery for Christians. Area of 800 meters is given to Muslims to set up our dead and buried a small mosque as a place to bathe and body worship.
This place, more widely used by the peoples Otoman, of Turkish origin. Land area is only 800 meters, it became smaller with the increase of Muslims to Paris. Muslims prefer to cemetery or elsewhere in their own country. That there were unkempt graves and mosques, for seldom used.
The new project began to flow, such as the renovation and expansion of the mosque, unfortunately, because of the First World War, failed terlaksanakan.
Thanks to a French journalist Paul Boudaire ie, who worked in the newspaper that many problems offensive against the French colonial colonies, Paul proposes to build a proper mosque for Muslims. So Paul Boudaire considered the father of the founding of the Paris mosque project so far stuck to his guns.
Boudaire Paul, the father of the founder of the mosque, which was not a Muslim is with great enthusiasm and passion for the project concerns the creation of the Paris mosque is a sign of respect for the French nation against Muslims that has provided services to the French state during World War I. Indeed, during the First World War, many residents in the French colonies such as Morocco, Algeria and North African countries, who gave his life just for the sake of defending the colonies, France.
So after the First World War, precisely in 1922, laying the foundation stone near to Jardin des Plantes, Paris, who later became the founding place of the mosque as a mark of respect for the 70,000 Muslims who considered the hero of France.
Four years later, exactly on July 16, 1926, house of worship with the inspiration of the mosque of Fez el-Qaraouiyyin in Morocco is one of the oldest mosques in the world, formally established. French President Gaston Doumergue and the Sultan of Morocco Moulay Youssef inaugurated the first of the largest mosques in Paris, which has now a historical site since December 9, 1983.
It's time to tell me how my visit to this house of God. The easiest way to Paris mosque by Metro. Because in the 5th Paris (5EME district) to stop the subway and stop at the Place 7 Morge. When we left the subway, just walk a little 33-meter high minarets visible and white walls surround the entire area of the mosque.
When we arrived, we went straight to the mosque guards. "I'm sorry the visit was almost over, if you want to see come back come later," he said.
"We came for the noon prayer," replied my husband, Kang Dadang.
"Ohh, you Muslim?" He said.
"Yes, our family of Muslims," I replied.
"Thank God, come in, you can look around the mosque for prayer so happy," he said gently.
We went to the mosque. The atmosphere of a beautiful landscape and cool immediately grabbed me. My husband and I never went to the mosque in the town of el-Qaraouiyyin Fes, Morocco, and indeed Mosquée de Paris was deeply influenced architecture there.
The bulk of the Paris Mosque in the middle of a lush garden with beautiful flowers and palm trees. A fountain that flows to different corners of the garden. Then the halls where various purposes. Like the madrasas, andmistrasi, meeting up at the library.
In the second part of the mosque, a row of pillars along the hall with ceramic floor and in the middle is a large open terrace. In the second part of this worship space with a backdrop of the Islamic world together. Paris mosque clean and tidy.
When my husband, Kang Dada aka David and my son are the mosque to pray, I love the little one outside that can not be silent running here and there. Shoes removed my husband and children just outside, as well as several other people, handled directly by the administrator of the mosque, in a shoe. Understandably, some of the mosque in my city, Montpellier, neat and clean with no match in the Paris mosque.
While waiting at the time of the afternoon we went back looking through the mosque. The library could entice us to look at some books, but since no one is to maintain, but our intention to pick up some books and see. Ablution place for women and men are far apart. In women and men were in the garden. The good, the mosque accessible to disabled people who use wheelchairs can enter the mosque without any problem.
I really wanted this meeting with the priest, but unfortunately she was very busy at the moment, plus it must be prepared for a priest to pray in the afternoon to be. So I talked a bit with the local government.
Paris mosque is currently led by the rector Dalil Bouba Cream since 1922. Because of the Mosque of Paris, not only are places of worship, but there are also educational. Even as many tourists visiting the mosque, a restaurant, tea room visit bath hammam (steam) is also there. And apparently, exactly where the most exciting entertainment of tourists and locals to come.
I am curious, ask later, I heard the call to prayer from the tower? "Beautiful indeed huh? But we live in a country that is not based on religion, let alone this is not an Islamic state, then the call to prayer sounded from the mosque is forbidden, of course," said the manager of the mosque .
But, he continued, "But later you will hear the call to prayer, too, which will be heard only in the area of the mosque only".
While chatting with the manager of the mosque, I see some of the tourists had arrived, and the average dress modestly. Suddenly a blonde woman tourist with a man entered the mosque. The problem, women wear short pants, super short! Aliases are only ketutup ass, and shirts with the umbilical cord stump is visible.
Mosque officials quickly became the second pair, politely stating that if the visit was over, and now they are preparing for prayers.
When the woman said she was coming back later, with great care, the board explained that the mosque, the house of God, very modest dress is recommended, as the church. "I think in places of worship of the same written rules," said mosque officials to the sexy woman.
When he returned to continue our conversation, I have studied, or frequent visitor arrivals section? The manager father smiled and said: "yahh name also is a free country, free clothes, too, and I think how our lives to tell of places of worship respect, because if you go to church too, in the same way often? Apparel written polite allowed to enter the church, "he said.
It is true, as I have several churches in several states, a few times I saw the guard refused to a number of visitors in shorts to get into the visit. So yes let the mosque? Who perform worship to the loss of wanitnya cover.
I myself when it comes, not veiled but once went to the mosque, I wear scarves to cover my head straight. But the rest, the other tourists do not have a head, the most important clothing evaluated fairly polite to wear short gloves even enjoy the beauty of the mosque that the original tiles and decorations made from some Islamic countries. For visitors not Muslim, registration fee, because it is considered a tourist.
Let the mosque caretaker is the time to prepare for the noon prayer. My husband also picked up busy looking for information about the mosque, come to me.
"You know what? During the second world war, the mosque was used as a refuge for the Jews! " said my husband akang whites.
"Wahhhh, I do not know, this means that religious tolerance was very fat huh? Imagine Muslims helped Jews in their lives, which I now know to hit on the head, that only a war of conquest the land," said I.
Our conversation was interrupted when the call to prayer sounded. We also carry our intentions for congregation prayers. As in Morocco, some women Muslims pray with their clothes, I wore only a mukena, and the subject of questions in which Muslim women can get mukena like this .....
After the prayer, our goal is to fill the stomach that had been playing the drum! Understandably summer afternoon prayer time shift. Started at 13.30 pm and it was time to see at 14:00. Was predictable course, which the stomach is filled. Especially if it was not a restaurant that is still an area of the mosque.
When I entered the restaurant, the atmosphere is like in Morocco. Decoration to the type of food on offer makes me feel like returning to Morocco. The front of the restaurant is used for tea rooms, and poured mint tea Moroccan style made me eager to taste the dish in this restaurant.
Tajine and couscous in our capabilities. Unfortunately .... beginning of time to wait for the arrival of the food gets to the event lamaaaaa actually use ...! An hour before we could stomach, which sold out in minutes to complete, resist the hunger of the show, he-he-he ...
Matter of taste? Not bad and about the price? Undoubtedly cocoklah with Paris. But the most fun in this restaurant just ngetehnya place for me ... casually sitting under a tree, accompanied with sweet hot tea and cakes Moroccan style. Beginning with the worship as well as relaxing holiday fun too once ... (EARLY Kusmana MASSABUAU)
