Modern Morocco: Myth of the Maghreb

[Heba E. Husseyn]

I see .. and what about this Muhammad VI of Morocco?  What's his damn scenario, how did his family prop up?

[Zainab_M]

Current Moroccan dynasty is known as the 'Alawi dynasty.  They claim descent from the from the Prophet’s (pbuh) family through Imam Hasan ibn Ali.  This is of course evidence-free and quite certainly a guesswork and false.  Whoever their ancestors were, they supposedly migrated to a region called Tafilalt in southeastern Morocco centered around its largest oasis in the Sahara.  They say they came from the Hejaz region in the 12th or 13th century. This is again their claim with zero evidence.  This dynasty rose to power in the 17th century or 1630s within Tafilalt.  Leaders called themselves ‘sultan of the Tafilalt.’  From mid 1600s to 1800s the country was plunged into periodical disarray because of fights over succession. By 1800s European colonizers began popping in. 

The 'Alawis ruled as sovereign sultans up until early 1900s when the French and stepped in. Alawi rulers were retained as symbolic sultans under colonial rule. When the country regained its independence in 1950s, Mohammed V, the grandfather of the present dictator, resumed as 'Alawi head of state and gave himself the title of “king” not “sultan" any longer.  His son was, Hassan II and grandson Mohammed VI (the current dictator  monarch) who also called / call themselves “king.

[Heba E. Husseyn]

Okay, get it sis.  I thought Alawis are Shiia Muslims.  But these guys in Morocco are not. 

[Zainab_M]

Yes, I thought that too.  However doing some research, with the sectarian culture introduced, they all simply made a hash out of it for political purposes.  The Moroccan Alawites call themselves Sunnis to adapt with the 99% Sunni population of the country. 

In Syria they say Alawites became recognized as Shia community by Shia clerics eager for patronage from Syria's Alawi president Hafez al-Assad.   

In the Levant, Alawite people are an ethno-religious group who are Shiia Muslims.  In Morocco however they become Sunnis.  It's all about political suitability.  No grand principles behind it.

[Heba E. Husseyn]

Thanks a lot Sis and brother.   That helped to fill in a lot of blanks.

[Zainab_M]

Welcome sis Heba.

[N. Truth Seeker]

I was wondering what happened to the Senussi king Idris of Libya after he was booted out.  Where did he go?  Not much said.

[Zainab_M]

I read about him that soon after ouster in 1969 he went to Turkiye for medical treatment. Then he moved to  Greece but probably didn't like it much there.  So he moved again, this time to Egypt to continue his exile where he died in 1983 or perhaps 1984.

[N. Truth Seeker]

Oh, okay .. so that means he had a peaceful end .. or so it seems.  He wasn't too bad a man but he did very little for the country compared to his successor.

[Heba E. Husseyn]

With all these religious denominations introduced in our Faith by people to suit their own interests, I presume Senussi is also one of those denominations, right?

[N. Truth Seeker]

Well yes ... actually Senussi are a Muslim political-religious order founded by Muhammad ibn Ali al-Sanusi, an Algerian Muslim in mid 1800s.  The Senussi are known for their role in resisting the Italian invasion of Libya and French colonizations.  Often seen as a reformist movement that sought to return to the simple faith and life of early Islam.  But they shouldn't be confused with the Wahabis.  Senussi are a different lot, not crazy like Wahabis.  Wahhabism is a distorted religious movement within Sunni Islam started by that 18th-century man, Muhammad ibn Abdal-Wahhab.  Senussi as I mentioned are a Muslim political-religious order of the Sufi branch.  Unlike Wahabis, they are educated, rational and perceptive who don't approve of duplicity and corruption, and value sovereignty.

[Heba E. Husseyn]

Right ... and thank Allah they aren't like the Wahabis.