In the Kingdom of Morocco, controversy is brewing over the limitations imposed on preachers regarding what they can say about the Middle East war in their sermons. The issue was raised at a meeting in parliament this week, where socialist MP Nabila Mounib expressed concerns about how imams are restricted in their speeches on the situation of the Palestinians and in their call for religious struggle to support their cause.
According to Mounib, no imam can address the Palestinian issue in their sermons. Since the start of the conflict between Israel and Hamas 14 months ago, activists have also expressed concerns about the limits imposed on speeches about the Palestinians. Morocco’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs denied a document circulating on social media purporting to define these limits, saying it was a fake and stressing Morocco’s support for the Palestinian cause.
However, Islamic Affairs Minister Ahmed Toufiq denied Mounib’s claims that preachers cannot address the Israeli-Hamas conflict. He said: “Any imam who speaks about barbarity and injustice and condemns them is welcome.”
But for some pro-Palestinian activists in Morocco, these limitations reflect the tensions between state and society that have emerged since the war began. Ahmed Wehman of the Moroccan Observatory Against Normalization said imams have the right, even the duty, to take a stand and that the government has nothing to do with Moroccan public opinion.
Morocco, home to one of the region’s largest Jewish communities, was one of four Arab countries to normalize relations with Israel in 2020. However, tens of thousands of protesters have regularly taken to the streets of major cities across the country to protest Israel’s actions and call for diplomatic ties to be severed.
The protests have brought together people from across the political spectrum, including members of the Justice and Development Party and Al Adl Wal Ihsane, a banned but tolerated Islamist movement. Some of its members have been arrested and imprisoned for expressing their views on Morocco’s relations with Israel during the war.
The social situation in Morocco has also played a role in the intensification of the protests. With soaring inflation affecting low-income families, particularly with regard to housing in major cities, a strong social protest movement has developed. This movement has coalesced around the Israeli-Palestinian issue, calling into question the partnership between Morocco and Israel..
Interestingly, tensions between the state and the population are also manifested in the questioning of the principle of monarchy, which has been widely supported by the Moroccan population until now. The Israeli-Palestinian issue has opened a new debate, highlighting voices opposed to the monarchy, which is a new situation for the country.
In a context where many countries in the region exercise control over preachers to maintain national stability, Morocco insists on its image as a tolerant and welcoming Muslim country. Preachers must respect precise guidelines and any deviation can lead to their suspension.
This regulation has often pitted the government against activists. In 2017, during anti-government protests in northern Morocco, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs ordered preachers to denounce activists for fueling division among Muslims.
The issue of imams’ freedom of expression in sermons raises complex debates in Morocco, highlighting the tensions between religious and political discourse. At a time when international issues collide with local aspirations, Moroccans seek to express their solidarity with the Palestinians while asserting their sovereignty over their own territory.