THE ROSE OF THE GRANDE MOSQUEE DE PARIS

Paris, Friday 10 August 2018

As I was heading to the Great Mosque of Paris I heard Gospel music coming from across the road and so I hopped by and interviewed two cute guys who volunteered at the Gay Games of 2018, held in Paris. My question was: is Paris the city of love ?

After the interview I headed on the road to the Mosque again. Along the way I met two ladies of respectively Algerian and Moroccan descent. The Algerian one led me to the washroom to wash my feet, face and arms. While I was doing this I talked to a deaf girl who had someone of the ladies translate her language for me. She was enthusiastic about the new washing devices at an other mosque, that seemed to more equipped with the newest devices then this one. Here we had to work with the old traditional tool: a bucket filled with water. After washing I went out and headed for the prayer room, outside the many beggars (most of them women) waited patiently.

A perfumed rose blooming inside the garden of the Grande Musquée of Paris

This ancient mosque in Paris was built almost a hundred years ago by Moroccan artisans that were initially sponsored by the late Moroccan King Mohammed V.  A gift from the French Republic to honor the Muslim soldiers from all the french colonies who had fought for the liberty of France during WWI. It was built in the mudéjar style which is the architectural decoration style in Christian Iberia that was strongly influenced by Moorish taste. A great way to express a collaboration of Christian vision with Muslim taste!

Last Friday I headed to this mosque for the prayer and to meet with the leadership of the mosque to present to them my project for the girls of Sierra Leone.
The prayer hall of the womens' quarter was quite neglected. The roof had partially been broken down, there was no ventilation, so it got very hot and there were no windows in sight that could be opened for some fresh air.
Through the microphone the sermon began. Topic was the sacred Islamic month of Hadj in which we are now. During this time those who can afford it can go to Mecca and Medina to perform a pilgrimage. Those who can't stay at home and do good deeds, because according to tradition every good deed you do in this month has a value that is thousandfold. So for those who like the idea of getting a good deal in interest for their investment, this month is a happy-hour ;)

Islamic decorations at the women' quarter

After the Sermon the female imam started hers and while the male imam shared his ideas to the womens' quarter, what is said by the female imams remains a mystery to the male part of the congregation.
Basically the female imam delivered a more intimate sermon. Not only did she talk about the benefits of doing good deeds during this month, she also gave examples and offered personal blessings to those who were in need of special prayers.
After the sermon I asked the female imam for her phone number. She was in a hurry, I could call her later.
Inside the mosque other female leaders were active in the field of social assistance. They were without a hijab and dressed in a stylish French way with the compulsory red lipstick. They gave me their emails. (I am impatiently waiting for their response.)

My most memorable moment at the mosque happened outside:
I bought Saudi Arabian dates and started distributing them to the poor Muslim women that were sitting outside. The dates from 'the holy land' were gone very fast, so I headed to buy some more. I promised to come back and to bring them a pink prayer book containing the Quranic verse of Maria. They all wanted one. So I entered the Islamic shop and bought a handful of pink prayer books, a handful of pink glasses with perfumed candles carved in the shape of a rose. And another box of dates from the holy land. When I wanted to pay, the guy at the counter told me that a lady already paid them for me. She saw what I was doing and wanted to make a donation. I was touched by this token of love for the poor. She was another proof that Paris is the city of love!

I went outside and started distributing and blessing the ladies. In return everybody started blessing me and each other. there was a rush of love that was making everybody smile and give out free hugs. An elderly poor lady at the other side started yelling that she had nothing and couldn't walk. I promised to come to her after I buy the third batch of Maria books. All the other ladies helped her out and told me they had enough and I should go to her. So I did, and gave her the complete pack of dates. She complained that she had no children and lived alone. She worked all her life, but after her knees gave up and diabetes kicked in, her income dropped to 300 euro. ''300 euro is just enough to pay for the electricity bill!"-she sighed. So now on her old age she has started to beg on the street to keep living. She was a fierce, strong Moroccan-French lady, who lived in the heart of Europe, but her circumstances weren't hopeful. The situation seemed American to me. Only the fittest survive and bloom, the rest is left to their fate, it seems. Still the event with the ladies outside the Great mosque will forever stay in my memories. The vivid Image of rose shaped candles held by veiled women and dates and pink booklets about Mother Mary being enthusiastically received was for me a joie de vivre that was encapsulated by the blooming rose of the Grande Mosquée de Paris.

A card pinned on a board at the entrance of the Grand Mosquée de Paris with the saying: Love is the source of all life.