King Mohammed VI's Quiet Revolution

Moroccan King Mohammed VI is using a tolerant interpretation of the Koran in an attempt to modernize his country. Will it become a model state for a democratic version of Islam? This is a question being asked both inside and outside Morocco. Sadly there are few good pieces of analytical journalism addressing the issue. However, the German Der Spiegel is running a fine article by Helen Zuber ; Morocco's King Aims To Build a Modern Islamic Democracy

In the article, Zuber says ... "Morocco's 42-year-old King Mohammed VI has discovered religion as a means of modernizing his society -- and progress through piety seems to be the order of the day. By granting new rights to women and strengthening civil liberties, the ruler of this country of 30 million on Africa's northern edge, which is 99 percent Muslim, plans to democratize Morocco through a tolerant interpretation of the Koran"


Zuber also goes on to look at the role of women in Moroccan society and the impact of the new Family Law provisions, the Mudawwana... "Despite the popularity of the new family law, the monarch had to step in himself after the parliament failed to ratify the new legislation. Mohammed told the members of both houses of parliament, to whom -- in another unprecedented move -- he presented the law for ratification. The new version of the "Mudawwana" was then unanimously approved. The law is an historic compromise, one that is compatible with both the International Bill of Human Rights and Sharia."

Zuber concludes that the Moroccan King is on the right track and that so is the country. She also makes the point that even the Islamists see the value in attracting tourists to a liberal Islamic country... "If the king has his way, Moroccans will liberate themselves from the slogans and handouts of radical Islamist preachers. Although they may represent a threat to Mohammed VI's reform policies, the only Islamist party seen as capable of succeeding in next year's parliamentary election is the Justice and Development Party.

The party's young leaders are using the Turkish ruling party, AKP, and the German Christian Democrats as their model. In the eight cities controlled by the Islamists, they have already dispensed with prohibitions on serving alcohol, Western films and provocative swimwear -- knowing full well that Morocco's economy depends on tourism."
(Translated from the German by Christopher Sultan)

Read the full article here: Der Spiegel

Tags: Morocco, Fès, Maghreb, news