The Musjid serves as the focal point of any Muslim community and thus are the most important structures to Muslims. In this series we look at some significant Musjids around the world.
The Grande Mosquée de Paris (Great Mosque of Paris) was founded after World War I as a sign of France's gratefulness to Muslim soldiers from the colonies who fought against Germany. The minaret is 33 meters high. Pres Gaston inaugurated it in 1926.
The Islamic Society of Orange County, incorporated in 1976, is one of the largest Muslim centres in the Western Hemisphere, holding 7,000 worshipers. It is in California, USA.
Istiqlal Mosque (Independence Mosque) in Jakarta, Indonesia is the largest Musjid in Southeast Asia. Government built the Musjid in 1975. 120,000 people can congregate at one time. The Musjid also provides facilities for social and cultural activities.
Yavuz-Sultan-Selim Musjid in Mannheim, Germany, named for Selim I an Ottoman Sultan, is the biggest Musjid in Germany, attracting 3,000 Muslims every weekend. It was opened in 1995, and Muslim shops and youth centres have become a magnet for the Muslim community. There are 159 Musjids in Germany with another 184 under construction.
The Mosque of Omar Ibn Al-Khattab in Maicao, La Guajira, Colombia is the second biggest Musjid in Latin America. Built in 1997, it can easily hold over 1,000 people.
