The Muslim religion is one of the 3 great monotheistic religions with Christianity and Judaism. Founded in the heart of Mecca in the year 609, it is today the most practiced religion in the world with its 1,322,000,000 followers, or almost 20% of the population.
France, land of melting pot, has been able to perfectly integrate them on its soil. In 2018, there were 6,556 places of worship for 95 departments. They come in 2 forms: prayer rooms and mosques.
In 40 years, the number of mosques has multiplied by 30 and continues to grow. A dynamism that does not intend to stop there, since 400 new projects are currently underway.
Summary
The mosque, place of worship, exchange and sharing
It is under the responsibility ofCultural Association of Muslims of Brest and in particular its president and chaplain Slimane Harrega 60-year-old Moroccan.
Founded in the early 90s, it takes up residence in downtown Brest. However, after a few years of existence, it had to consider moving following a threat of collapse. Thanks to an agreement with the municipality, it has made its arrangements in the former premises of the Red Cross nursing school. Today, the exterior of the building remains unchanged. Only internal adjustments have been made. Thus, the cultural center blends completely into the decor.
With its 1,200 m², the mosque has enough to offer its faithful a pleasant space to organize their worship as well as all kinds of events and activities.
There are 3 prayer rooms for men on the ground floor and a room on the 2nd floor for women.
It is of course possible to perform the 5 daily prayers there. Every Friday, the sermon accompanying the prayer is in French. Twice a year, on the occasion of the 2 major festivals of Eid, believers go there in large numbers.
This mosque also welcomes grieving families to accompany them in the performance of the funeral prayer.
Several rooms are dedicated to learning Islamic civilization and theology. It is also possible to learn arabic language. This is aimed at a beginner or confirmed audience, for children, as well as for adults.
Members can also benefit from tutoring and one-off financial aid.
Following recent tragic events that have damaged the image of this community, the leaders have decided to participate in open days. Accompanied by their followers, they share their vision of the world in a fraternal way around oriental pastries and mint tea.
Various activities are also organized there, in particular the study of calligraphy.
Practicing, non-practicing or just curious, everyone is welcome.
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Further information
What is a surah?
If you wonder what is a surah, we will try to explain it to you in a simple and clear way. A surah is a passage from the Koran, the most important book of Muslims. It contains the messages of Allah.
There are 114 surahs in the Quran in total. Each surah is divided into verses. They are called Aya and talk about Allah, prophets and angels.
The longest suras are almost all at the front of the Quran, the shortest at the back. Each sura has its own name. The first surah is called « Al-Fātiha ». It’s Arabic and it means the first. It is pronounced in all prayers and is prayed on many occasions. The last two suras of the Quran are protective suras. Muslims often pray to them when asking for Allah’s protection.
In the Quran, 113 suras begin with the words « Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim ». It means « In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate ». This is called the Basmala. Many Muslims speak it before starting something, praying or working. Sura 9 is an exception, as it was only revealed late. Scholars were unsure if it belonged to sura 8 or if it was a standalone sura. Today, it is considered a sura in its own right.
Practical information
It is located exactly at 46 rue Jules Guesde in the St Marc district, north of boulevard Gambetta and south of rue Saint-Marc. By car, from the train station, you will need 5 minutes, against 15 minutes from the airport. To access the building, you can take the tram, bus and cable car. Public transport lines stopping near the premises are line 8, 11 and 14.
The mosque opens every day, at times devoted to the performance of prayers. It will be necessary to inform you beforehand, because these change gradually in the year.
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