Known as France's first environmentally friendly mosque, the Great Mosque of Massy stands out with its energy savings and effective use of natural resources, as it is poised to be the first environmentally friendly mosque in France all through following the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad.
The mosque, which was built in Massy, a southern suburb of Paris, draws attention with its glass dome, mostly glass minaret and floor-to-ceiling windows.
With double-wall insulation, an underfloor heating system, and LED lights, it ensures efficient use of resources.
The mosque, which was inaugurated in 2019, uses the rainwater stored in the mosque for the cleaning and watering of the surrounding green area.
The roof of the mosque has a vegetative coating that prevents energy and heat loss and produces oxygen.
The mosque cost 4.5 million euros ($4.74 million) in total and it was built with the donations of Muslims in Massy and elsewhere in France.
Mahmoud Ismail, the chairperson of the Council of Muslims in Massy, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that they built the mosque based on the teachings of Prophet Muhammad 1,400 years ago and the principles of ecology in the Quran.
"Prophet Muhammad encouraged the protection of plants and animals, and to prevent waste," Ismail said, adding that Islam made "great contributions" to world civilization in terms of ecology.
Calling on Muslims in Europe, he said, "We need well-respected places of worship in Europe."
Although the mosque represents a first for France, it certainly is not the first environmentally friendly mosque in Europe as that honor goes to the Cambridge Central Mosque in the British city of Cambridge, which was inaugurated in 2019 by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
That project had first begun back in 2008. Timothy Winter, also known as Shaikh Abdal Hakim Murad, who is the dean of the Cambridge Muslim College, was instrumental in acquiring the land for the mosque.
More than 10,000 people and groups donated money for the landmark purchase, with Turkish groups donating most generously. The Qatar National Fund was also among the donors.
Rain, a frequent weather occurrence in Britain, does not go to waste as it is stored and utilized by its rainwater system at the mosque, and the mosque's roof also features solar panels.
