Roots of Sufism

Vincent J. Cornell's is a rich study of Moroccan Sufism through the fifteenth century, tracing the role of Sufi "saints" in Moroccan society from the time of the Tit 'n Fitr ribat under the Al Moravids through the institutional role of the Jazulite brotherhood under the S'adian dynasty. It's not often that I admit to being unable to fully digest a book on a first reading, but this book could profitably be reread several times.

Cornell's central contrast is between inner holiness or spirituality (wilaya) and public authority and recognition (walaya), both of which he sees as essential to the identity of the Moroccan "saint." The development of spiritual perfection and supernatural power is concomitant with the obligation to succor the poor and to rebuke, or at least correct, the country's rulers. At the same time, the Sultans of Morocco variously regarded Sufi "saints" either as political allies lending spiritual authority to the regime or as political threats whose criticisms were given weight by large numbers of devoted followers.

Cornell sketches the lives and works of a number of Moroccan saints, including Abu Yizza, As Sabti, and Al Jazuli. In addition, he provides quite a bit of incidental insight into Moroccan history of the period, such as his analysis of the effect of the Portuguese takeover of Morocco's ports on the continued viability of Granada, which lost its supply base, and the focus of the Sufi brotherhoods on jihad in an effort to expel the Portuguese invader, which contributed to the rise of the S'adian dynasty.

Radical Islam's Challenge to the Monarchy

Feud With King Tests Freedoms In Morocco

Since ascending the throne in 1999, Mohammed has transformed his country by approving parliamentary elections, a robust press and equal rights for women, giving Moroccans more freedom than most of their Arab neighbors in North Africa and the Middle East. Those changes have also given new life to long-suppressed opposition groups that are demanding more concessions from the king but do not necessarily believe in a Western-style democracy.

The Washington Post has run a major story on the challenge of Islamic radicals to the legitimacy of the monarchy, and the monarchy's subsequent prosecution of Islamist spokeswoman Nadia Yassine. Yassine's prosecution raises the question whether democratic reforms can survive Islamic radicalism, which poses the dual threat of provoking a backlash from the monarchy or taking power and extinguishing liberty.

Missing in Turin

I was disappointed to see that while Algeria is fielding a team at the winter Olympics, there is no team from Morocco.

Bush Defends Press Freedom

Bush Shifts on Muslim Protests

A few hours earlier, at a White House ceremony with Jordan's King Abdullah, President Bush rejected the violence but not the cartoons that incited bloody protests from Afghanistan to Denmark, where the drawings first appeared. "We reject violence as a way to express discontent with what may be printed in a free press," Bush said.

More Speech

Violent protests continue to sweep the Muslim world in reaction to a series of provocative cartoons in a Danish newspaper, one of which depicted the Prophet with a bomb for a turban. Commentary in the blogosphere includes statements by MoorishGirl, Andrew Sullivan, and the View from Fès.

Apparently, while the cartoons have inspired protests in Morocco, the reportage I have seen indicates that they have been happily nonviolent. This is clearly the appropriate response to offensive speech — more speech. However tasteless and offensive the cartoons, the best answer is reasoned criticism, even boycotts, but not death threats and arson.

Mark Twain once quipped that in America we are blessed with freedom of speech and the wisdom not to use it. I absolutely believe that the Danes have a free speech right to publish caricatures of religious figures, including the Prophet, just as the Arab press has a right to publish tasteless and offensive caricatures of Jews and Judaism. That they choose to do so does not necessarily speak well of them.

Bin Laden's Reputed Driver Released

Al Qaeda Detainee's Mysterious Release

During the battle of Tora Bora in December 2001, when al Qaeda leaders were pinned down by U.S. forces, Tabarak sacrificed himself to engineer their escape. He headed toward the Pakistani border while making calls on Osama bin Laden's satellite phone as bin Laden and the others fled in the other direction.

Abdallah Tabarak, an al Qaeda member captured as he fled Afghanistan, was freed from U.S. detention at Guantanamo in August 2004. He still faces minor charges in Morocco.
Abdallah Tabarak, an al Qaeda member captured as he fled Afghanistan, was freed from U.S. detention at Guantanamo in August 2004. He still faces minor charges in Morocco. (By Karim Selmaoui -- Le Journal Hebdomadaire)

Tabarak was captured and taken to the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where he was classified as such a high-value prisoner that the Pentagon repeatedly denied requests by the International Committee of the Red Cross to see him. Then, after spending almost three years at the base, he was suddenly released.

Today, the al Qaeda loyalist known locally as the "emir" of Guantanamo walks the streets of his old neighborhood near Casablanca, more or less a free man.

Andalusian Fantasy

Guy Gavriel Kay's evokes the last days of Al Andalus in a historical novel disguised as a fantasy. Without making any claims to historical accuracy, Kay nevertheless vividly reimagines the refined Al Andalus (Al Rassan) crushed between the Spanish zealots to the North and the North African zealots to the South. Not a book to slake a thirst for knowledge about Al Andalus, but perhaps a book to awaken one.

Eid El Kbeer Mubarak!

Eid El Kbeer (Eid El Adha) marks the high point of the Muslim year with the commemoration of Abraham's near sacrifice of Ishmael before God intervened and commended him to sacrifice a ram instead. (Yes, I am aware that the Biblical version is slightly different.) In commemoration of the event, Muslims throughout the world sacrifice a sheep on this day.

To all my Muslim and Moroccan friends, happy Feast of the Sacrifice!

Bad News

THE VIEW FROM F�S: Moroccan News Briefs

The View from Fes reports that the Moroccan Ministry of Justice has created a "follow up" unit to monitor the press in the country.

Tel Quel magazine's appeal of a libel fine was rejected by the Casablanca Court of Appeals, but the 1 million DH fine was slightly reduced to 800,000 DH. It would appear that the provocative magazine's future is still open to question.

The Paris Club Scene

In the Heart of Paris, an African Beat - New York Times

The Washington Post's review of Moroccan restaurants in Paris has everything to do with wealthy Parisian chic and almost nothing to do with North Africa. No wonder people of North African descent are alienated in Paris.

The Post describes the scene at the restaurant 404 as follows:

"She" is a young woman in black who is celebrating a birthday in official 404 fashion: by gyrating on top of the bar with her shirt halfway raised in an attempt at belly dancing. Throughout the stylish restaurant-lounge - a perennial hot spot done up with casbah-cool d�cor - tables of media and fashion types abandon their bottles of Algerian Ch�teau Tellagh red wine, take out their digital cameras and mount the banquettes.

The "Arabian" scene in Paris sounds like nothing so much as post colonial French self indulgence.

Development on the Irish Model

The Rock Star's Burden - New York Times

Paul Theroux suggests that the history of Ireland is instructive on the path to development in Africa. "Ireland may be the model for an answer. After centuries of wishing themselves onto other countries, the Irish found that education, rational government, people staying put, and simple diligence could turn Ireland from an economic basket case into a prosperous nation." See also Blackprof.com.

Truth Commission Reports

The Washington Post reports that Morocco's Truth Commission announced yesterday the disappearances of 600 people and the deaths of 500 more over the four decades from 1956 to 1999 colloquially referred to as a the "years of lead."