The Women Preachers of Morocco, a step in the right direction
A contribution to this debate from Giovanni Cascone, our correspondent in Rabat Changes in women’s status and gender roles usually form part of broader social and political changes, planned or unplanned. Observers of the recent turmoil in the Arab world are optimistic that some of the reforms instituted in Morocco may help to keep it above the regional turmoil.
One of these reforms is the establishment by the King of Morocco, Mohammed VI of women preachers or mourchidates .The mourchidates demonstrate a particular Moroccan specificity within the Muslim and Arab world that is characterized by an inclusive approach. With regard to these preachers “the Moroccan model has proved its effectiveness in managing religious issues and in responding to the related demands of the society” to quote one of them who visited Belgium last year. Since the launch of this programme in 2005 Morocco has 250 certified mourchidates and H.M. the King will in February 2011 preside over the graduation ceremony for the new group of mourchidates who attended the 2010 training course.
The legal status of “mourchidates” and the background to their establishment lies within the new context of the Family Code reform and the State’s position on the compatibility between the universal truth of women’s rights and Islam; women have been given a stronger but still symbolic role in the religious sphere so as to promote Islamic arguments for gender equality.
In his role as the Amir al Moumimine (Commander of the Faithful) the King has been involving female religious Faithful) the King has been involving female religious scholars and directing their interest to women’s issues. Furthermore in the aftermath of the Casablanca terrorist attacks and under the supervision of the King, the Ministry of Islamic affairs embarked upon a widespread project of reform in which women were involved as part of the State’s attempt to lay the foundations of and revive a “Moroccan Islam.”
The expectation is that these female theologians will play a major role in promoting moderate Islam (manhag al-wastia). It is interesting that the same words, spoken by the Prophet, were used in 2004, by King Mohamed VI to justify the introduction of the idea of gender equality in reforming Family Law: “only an honourable man will honour women; and only a despicable man will degrade them.” The reform undertaken by King Mohamed VI is part of broader changes in general policies concerning women, based on “Islam’s egalitarian spirit and universal human principles.”
Thus the establishment of the mourchidates is consistent with and promotes the reform of Family Law which embodies gender equality ideals, and at the same time represents a response to growing Islamic fundamentalism.
However, the new responsibilities given to women in no case establish equality of status between men and women or equality of access to holy places, such as mosques. The King of Morocco has stated that his objectives are as follows: “We wish to see women who are experts in the religious studies participate in these Councils (of ulemas or theologians), because we hope to achieve greater equality for them as well as equality between men and women.”
In 2003 King Mohammed VI invited Rajae Najji Mekaoui, a law professor from Mohammed V University in Rabat, to be the first woman to give a lecture in Dorous Hassania (a series of lectures) at the Royal Palace mosque. The Hassania lectures are a series of lectures presided over by the King every Ramadan, and attended by the highest civil and military officials and religious authorities from all over the Muslim world. Since then, other women have given lectures in the same series.
The annual training of fifty mourchidates (female preachers) is intended primarily to prepare them to play a role in religious organisation, information and sensitisation. Their training includes Islamic studies, courses in psychology, sociology, IT, law and languages. This training which is identical to that provided for Imams, includes an additional course in fiqh anisae (Muslim Law for Women). Fatima Bouselama, who obtained her doctorate in 2004, was also appointed a religious council theologian in Casablanca three months after her graduation. Her task consists of training preachers and dawa (preaching Islam) servants, which means providing believers with guidance on religious issues. She believes that women will contribute on an equal basis with men to bringing to an end the isolation of religious councillors from their social environment. She then adds that women religious scholars tend mostly to be interested in women’s issues and therefore they have better knowledge than their male colleagues of the fiqh anissae (Muslim Law for women).
Since their establishment there has been a growing international interest around these new religious figures. Indeed a delegation of mourchidates visited Brussels in June 2010. During their stay they met members of the Moroccan community in Belgium and also the President of the Delegation for relations with the Maghreb countries at the European Parliament, Mr. Pier Antonio Panzeri. They also met members of the European and Belgian Parliaments, and some Belgian politicians.
During these meetings the four mourchidates presented the outlines of the religious reform in Morocco, and the greater involvement of women within the religious establishment. They stressed that this innovative experience has been very much welcomed by Moroccan society at large.
The preachers highlighted that the reform in the religious domain has given equal responsibilities and opportunities to women consistent with the Moroccan tradition.
The mourchidates described their role as preachers within the mosques, and also their activities in the hospitals, prisons and schools. Leila Farés, one of the first mourchidates in the country stated that her goal is to modernise the religious field and to keep the youth away from radicalism. She said that the effectiveness of their efforts derives from the fact that their contact with the society is direct, and this is in fact diametrically different from the role of the imams who remain in the mosque and have little ‘pastoral’ function. The mourchidates on the other hand are called to go towards and amongst the people.
She also highlighted the importance of the fact that during their training they have acquired skills and tools for teaching the values of moderation, tolerance and respect among youth, women and men.
From their side, the Belgian and European officers welcomed the reforms initiated by H.M. Mohammed VI, especially with regard to enhancing of the role of women in the society.
They showed great interest in the religious reforms as opening the way for serious engagements of the Islamic communities in Europe, which can be shared and supported by European institutions.
A delegation of mourchidates also travelled, in summer 2009 to the U.S., to highlight this “revolutionary” training and certification programme begun three years earlier. During their stay, the mourchidates participated in interfaith roundtables with American Jewish, Christian, and Muslim leaders to discuss their experiences and the role of women religious leaders and faith-based community partnerships in strengthening families and interfaith understanding. They also met with UN and U.S. Administration officials, Members of Congress, and attended religious services at mosques, synagogues, and churches.
This growing interest is also accompanied by a recurrent question such as: does this phenomenon revolutionary approach within Islamic society? revolutionary approach within Islamic society?
Not really, is the answer coming from an interview with the Minister of Islamic Affairs Ahmed Taoufiq said that mourchidates are part of the State’s strategy for the moral protection of citizens. This is an attempt to revive Sufi Islam’s tolerance and moderation in Morocco. It is this Islam that prevailed in North Africa between the 7th and the 13th centuries. This is the version of Islam that Taoufiq would like to revive in Morocco by sponsoring the mourchidates. . As a matter of fact it is believed that at the time of the Prophet there was no separation between men and women in the mosques.
A call for the revival of this tradition was already made by H.M. Mohamed VI during his speech of the 30th of April 2004 addressed to the members of the Superior Council and Provincial Councils of oulemas. On that occasion he called for an action at the level of institutions, management and education, which seemed to reconcile Morocco with this ancient Islamic tradition. «In an Islamic society women can be religious leaders for both men and women».
The first course for mourchidates subsequently started in 2006 with the aim of preserving religious unity, and social cohesion. They can teach the Koran and give literacy courses aimed mainly at youth and women.
It has to be stressed that the experience of mourchidates programme is very much peculiar to Morocco and other countries, namely Turkey and Egypt, have only recently shown some interest in this Moroccan experience.
Last but not the least, it shall be recalled that the “mourchidates” are willing to play other important social role. In fact the “League for the fight against HIV/AIDS” has involved the mourchidates since 2008 in their activity. “This is the better mean for reaching people and sensitizing them- Mr. Abdelhak Sekkat, president of the association, says- We rely very much on them to inform vast segment of the population, mainly the women who are the most exposed to the infections. I do believe that their role in fighting the pandemic is undeniable.”