PARIS, June 28 (IslamOnline.net) – Amid a string of attacks and arsons on mosques in France, a new French book has been published highlighting the history of mosques in the northern Alsace area, the scene of recent racist acts by Neo-Nazis and right-wing extremists.

Titled "Histoires de Mosquees", the book calls for an open dialogue on the conditions of mosques in the western European country.

Running in four chapters, the book takes the readers back to the early stage of construction of mosques in France in 1960s with quotes from some Muslim figures in the country.

The book is published by Kalmia and authored by Mathilde Chever, Karim Abdoun, Asma Al-Atyaoui and Abdelaziz Faik.

"This book is born from the recollections of Alsace Muslims," reads the introduction.

"The stories of mosques were narrated by the grandfathers to the younger generations."

The authors cast a harsh light on the negligence of successive French authorities of the Alsace mosques, used to be vaults in apartment blocs and factories.

Though they can be hardly called mosques, the book’s title wanted to leave indelible marks in the memories of the generations to come about the existence of mosques on the French soil.

The book gives voice to the counts of many Muslims who lived in Alsace area in 1960-70s.

Mostafa San narrates how he used to go all the way to the city of Bishwiller, 30km from Strasburg, along with two friends to attend Ramadan Iftars and Tarawih Prayers at the two-storey building of a Turk.

"This was the first time I attended a congregational prayer since I came to France. I used to pray alone in my room," Mostafa said.

Maimon Al-Halawi has a similar story about the two rooms at the colleges district in the city of Stockfield in Alsace.

"The two rooms were pocket-size and always chock-full with worshippers, so we always had to pray at the corridors, especially on Friday prayers," Halawi recalled.

The book also did not forget to tell the story of the first prayers performed by Muslims in Alsace, thanks to a small room set aside by a Protestant church called Saint Mattieu in Strasburg.

"Muslims were allowed to cover crucifixes with cloth and performed their prayers. From then on, the prayer room was dubbed the ‘mosque of Saint Mattieu," according to some Muslim counts.

According to latest statistics, there are now 20 mosques in Alsace.

Mosques and Muslim graves in two cemeteries have been defaced with swastikas and Neo-Nazi slogans this month, while gunshots were fired at one of the mosques, in northern France.

On Saturday, June 27, racist slogans have been sprayed on the wall of a mosque near Paris in the latest of a string of recent acts targeting France's mosques, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The mosque in Nanterre, a suburb west of Paris, was sprayed with three giant inscriptions, telling Muslims to "go home" and extolling the policies of Jean-Marie Le Pen, leader of the xenophobic far-right National Front party.