French Muslims wanting a place to pray often find a lack of designated prayer spaces a problem.
But a group of five friends from different backgounds decided to do something about this common problem they face every day, AP has reported.
They came up with the idea of an online community - Salatsurfing. It's an app and a website where followers of Islam needing a space to pray are linked up with people willing to donate a place for them to do so.
Salatsurfing lists about 150 different spaces throughout France. So far around 2,500 people have signed up since the service launched in September.
Sofiane Benabdallah, one of the founders, says the idea is like that of Airbnb or Uber, but with two important differences: There's no money involved and the space is donated.
"By no means do we want to replace mosques. The mosque's role is clearly identified in Islam's precepts," said Yosra Farrouj, another of the founders. "Salatsurfing is really an alternative in the way we allow someone to pray when a mosque is closed or there is no mosque around."
Otmane Aziz, who volunteered his meeting room as a prayer space on the online community, said it was natural to donate it as a prayer space.
"It's a question of brotherhood, solidarity. To me, it seems right," Aziz said.
