Thoughts on Islam in Morocco and the Role of its King as the Leader of the Faithful

Found this short note going through old grad school notes when I happened to be studying Islam in Morocco.  Perhaps I will expand upon it in the future.

In a system of belief, one of whose pillars is submission to God (two other pillars include, making the journey  and charity),  can one man climb atop the shoulders of this belief –a belief that burns like hot coal in the heart of a nation—and effectively own the course of Islam in that nation?  

Can a political party?  

Can the fact of a man’s ancestors lift him above the beggars’ heads in Marrakesh? 

Surely charity lies in the heart

In the community of believers

Surely submission to God

Lies in the prostrate spirits

Surely making the hajj

Lies in the believers’ humble feet.

CRS Report (R20962 ): Western Sahara by Alexis Arieff (April 2013)

CRS Report (R20962): Western Sahara by Alexis Arieff

Great summary on the current US-Morocco controversy centered on the Western Sahara.  

Link to Report.

LINK:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4BE1_xKfeEUYlo2T0lHQS1SN2s/edit?usp=sharing

At the Service of Islam: The Islamists' Role in Morocco's Democratic Islamic Monarchy

BONUS LINK:  My entire (so far) grad school notes collection can be found here. 

Below is a paper I wrote that takes a slightly different tack on Islamism in Morocco (a shorter take).  

Excerpt:

"The monarchy’s survival strategy has always hinged on their assumption as the final arbiter and authority for all Islam in Morocco. King Muhammad VI continues to view his role as “commander of the faithful” as giving him all necessary legitimacy to interact with, guide and disenfranchise the Islamic parties when needed. In Morocco especially one sees a certain distinction between Islam and Islamism. Because the monarchy pulls Islam under its purview and ownership on one hand and pulls its main religious opponent, the Islamists, into the secular political arena—Islam never has had a chance to become Islamism in the traditional sense."

At the Service of Islam: The Islamists' Role in Morocco's Democratic Islamic Monarchy

Notes Islamism in Morocco by Zeghal Malika

Below are my notes on Malika's book.  I used these for a few papers (links here in a little bit) and I pretty much already paraphrased all the notes.

Islamism in Morocco, Zeghal Malika, 2008, Markus Wiener Publishers
Malika Zeghal, Islamism in Morocco, Markus Wiener Publishers (2008)