13/06/05
Have you managed to read your way through the latest Nadia Yassine scandal without feeling a little bit lost? Check for answers in Malika Zeghal's latest essay on the relation between Morocco's Monarchy and the Islamists.....
Last week saw both the announcement that Nadia Yassine, the daughter of the Justice and Charity party leader, was going to be tried for her declarations, and the royal decision to allow a second Islamist party into Morocco's political life ("Al Badil al Hadari").
All this means one thing: time to leave aside the media buzz and delve into some (not so) dry academic work for a better understanding of the stakes.
Zeghal's book is a detailed study of the evolution of Morocco's religious scene throughout the 20th century. It explains, among other things, how the Monarchy became the most popular religious authority in Morocco after most ‘ulamas defected to the colonising powers.
However, the bulk of this book is centred on the birth and development of Islamism in Morocco, providing a detailed analysis of current parties and movements, especially in the light of political earthquakes such as the new family code or the Casablanca bombings.
Readers will be particularly attracted to the author's portrayal of Islamist leaders such as Cheikh Yassine (Justice and Charity party) or Abdellilah Benkirane (Justice and Development party).
Despite the use of rather long sentences that require a good command of the French language, this book remains attractive thanks to its well ordered structure. In addition, its index, bibliography and glossary make it useful including to both ordinary readers and researchers unfamiliar with the Moroccan religious context.