Gathering in front of Saint Priest mosque in Lyon
(ANSAMed) - PARIS, JULY 25 - France has 2,200 active mosques totaling 300,000 square meters, but given that each worshiper needs at least one square meter of space, that number should double in order to adequately serve all the faithful, according to the French Council of the Muslim Faith, which represents the French Muslims before the national government.
About 200 new mosques are currently being built in France with funding from worshipers, Muslim countries, an the World Islamic League, a Saudi Arabia-based NGO that covers missing construction expenses, according to Le Monde daily's website.
France has been criticized in past years because of Muslims worshiping in the streets, especially in multi-ethnic neighborhoods. (ANSAMed).
