Shi’ism in Morocco: historical heritage and modernity

The article is devoted to the socio-political stance of the Shiite minority of Morocco, as well as the involvement of Moroccan Shiites in transnational Shiite politics caused by the aggravation of the situation around Iran due to the United States withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action for the Iranian Nuclear Program (2015) in 2018, the escalation of the struggle for regional leadership between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which involves other regional participants and affects conflicts in Iraq, Syria and Yemen.

The author reveals influence of the Shiite “heritage” on modern Morocco, as well as the role of external factors in the politicization of the Shiite minority in the Kingdom. Comparing the activity of Moroccan Shiites living at home and abroad, the author explains the reasons for the higher social activity of Moroccan Shiites living in Western Europe: unlimited religious freedom guaranteed to Belgians, lack of obstacles to religious pilgrimage, including Shiite shrines, wide access to sources of information about Shi’ism, the most valuable of which are Shiites from Iran, Iraq and Lebanon, who live in Belgium next to Moroccans. The author also cites studies that analyze the phenomenon of the transition of Belgian Moroccan Sunnis to Shi’ism.

To sum up, the author concludes that Moroccan authorities fear not “individual” Shi’ism, but consolidated Shiite movement because its loyalty may belong not to the Moroccan monarchy, but to foreign governments, for example, Iran or the Lebanese Hezbollah.

Keywords

Morocco, Shi’ism, Sherifian tradition of power transfer, spiritual security, transnational Shiite policy, religious diaspora policy, Belgium, Iran

Publication date

23.06.2020

Number of characters

32686

Cite

GOST	Chikrizova O., Morozova N. Shi’ism in Morocco: historical heritage and modernity // Asia and Africa Today – 2020. – Issue 5 C. 28-35 [Electronic resource]. URL: https://asaf-today.ru/S032150750009547-3-1 (circulation date: 23.03.2025). DOI: 10.31857/S032150750009547-3
MLA	Chikrizova, Olga S., Morozova, Nadezhda N. "Shi’ism in Morocco: historical heritage and modernity." Asia and Africa Today 5 (2020):28-35. DOI: 10.31857/S032150750009547-3
APA	Chikrizova O., Morozova N. (2020). Shi’ism in Morocco: historical heritage and modernity. Asia and Africa Today (5), pp.28-35 DOI: 10.31857/S032150750009547-3

100 rub.

When subscribing to an article or issue, the user can download PDF, evaluate the publication or contact the author. Need to register.

Number of purchasers: 0, views: 1447

Readers community rating: votes 0

1. Morocco Population Census. UN Data. http://data.un.org/Data.aspx?d=POP&f=tableCode%3a1 (accessed 24.01.2020)

2. Mapping the Global Muslim Population. Pew Research Center. October 7, 2009. https://www.pewforum.org/2009/10/07/mapping-the-global-muslim-population/ (accessed 26.01.2020)

3. Morocco. UN Data. http://data.un.org/en/iso/ma.html (accessed 26.01.2020)

4. Morocco 2018 International Religious Freedom Report. https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/ MOROCCO-2018-INTERNATIONAL-RELIGIOUS-FREEDOM-REPORT.pdf (accessed 08.02.2020)

5. Zweiri M., Kцnig C. 2008. Are Shias Rising in the Western Part of the Arab World? The Case of Morocco. The Journal of North African Studies. Vol. 13, № 4, pp. 513-529. DOI: 10.1080/13629380802343632

6. Guenfoudi M. Despite the Media Controversy Surrounding the Question of Moroccan Shiites, Their Political Influence Remains Limited. Moroccan Institute for Policy Analysis. February 5, 2019. https://mipa.institute/6438 (accessed 03.02.2020)

7. Bruce B. 2019. Governing Islam Abroad: Turkish and Moroccan Muslims in Western Europe. Palgrave Macmillan.

8. Akdim Y.A. 2013. Attentats de Casablanca: Le 16 mai 2003, un ’11 septembre marocain’. Jeune Afrique. May 16. http://www.jeuneafrique.com/Article/JA2729p052.xml0/ (accessed 12.02.2020)

9. Lechkar I. 2017. Being a “True” Shi’ite: The Poetics of Emotions among Belgian-Moroccan Shiites. Journal of Muslims in Europe. № 6, pp. 241-259. DOI: 10.1163/22117954-12341349

10. Jaabouk M. 2019. Le chiisme au Maroc entre Idriss I, Hassan II et Mohammed VI. Yabiladi. Join 03. https://www.yabiladi.com/articles/details/43055/histoire-chiisme-maroc-entre-idriss.html accessed 30.01.2020)

11. Chikrizova O.S. 2019. Saudi Model of Development for the Islamic World: Peculiarities and Limits. Vestnik RUDN. International Relations. No. 4 (In Russ.)

12. Pargeter A. 2005. The Islamist Movement in Morocco. Terrorism Monitor. Vol. 3, № 10. https://jamestown.org/program/the-islamist-movement-in-morocco/ (accessed 10.02.2020)

13. Constitution of the Kingdom of Morocco. Adopted on September 13, 1996 (In Russ.). https://worldconstitutions.ru/?p=68 (accessed 05.02.2020)

14. Morocco 2004 International Religious Freedom Report. https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2004/35504.htm (accessed 04.02.2020)

15. Morocco Cuts Diplomatic Ties with Iran over Western Sahara Feud. Al-Jazeera. May 1, 2018. https://www.aljazeera. com/news/2018/05/morocco-cuts-diplomatic-ties-iran-western-sahara-feud-180501173229190.html (accessed 28.01.2020)

16. What We Want? Ressali Line. (In Arab.). http://www.ressali.com/what_we_want?language=arabic (accessed 01.02.2020)

17. Moroccan Migration in Belgium. More than 50 Years of Settlement / Ed. by C.Timmerman, N.Fadil, I.Goddeeris, N.Clycq, K.Ettourki. Leuven University Press, 2017.