appreciated the privacy so much that
they ousted the French from Morocco,
and kept the ban.Farida ben Lyzaid’s film A Door to the
Sky tells the story of an émigré’s
return to Morocco, and her delicate
balancing act between activism and
tradition.Morocco,
1980–
2010
» » Life expectancy
increased by 14 years
» » Expected years of
schooling increased by
after his death. The Umayyads challenged his son-in-law Ali’s
claim to the title of caliph, or leader of the faithful. Some
Muslims continued to recognise only successors of Ali; today
they are known as Shiites. But in sheer numbers of followers,
the Umayyad caliphate’s Sunni Muslim practice is more mainstream today.
The Maliki School
Like many Muslim countries, Morocco is mostly Sunni. There are four main schools of thought
among the Sunnis emphasising different aspects of doctrine, and today the one most commonly
followed in Morocco is the Maliki school. Historically this school has been less strict, with Maliki
qaids (judges) applying the sharia, or religious code, according to local custom instead of
absolutist rule of law.
Marabouts & Zawiyas
One local tradition to emerge over centuries of Islamic practice in Morocco is the custom of
venerating marabouts, or saints. Marabouts are devout Muslims whose acts of devotion and
professions of faith were so profound, their very presence is considered to confer baraka , or
grace, even after their death. Moroccans go out of their way to visit marabouts ’ mausoleums
and zawiyas (shrines) – and many claim that for believers, the right zawiya can fix anything
from a broken heart to arthritis.
This practice of honouring marabout s is more in line with
ancient Berber beliefs and Sufi mysticism than orthodox Islam,
which generally discourages anything resembling idol worship.
Visits to zawiyas are side trips for the many devout Moroccans
who – like Fatima – spend a lifetime preparing and planning for
the haj . Moroccans do not necessarily see a conflict between
baraka and belief, or local customs and universal
understanding.Prospects for the Future
Economic Mobility
Fatima, Driss and Amina would be considered very fortunate in Morocco, where steady income
is a rarity and 35% of the average Moroccan income covers basic foodstuffs. Only 10% of
Moroccans can afford imported foods at the supermarket, let alone eating at restaurants
occasionally like Amina. While the gap between rich and poor is growing in Morocco, Driss and
Fatima represent an emerging middle class – though on average, Moroccans make much less
in a day than Europeans do in an hour.
Career Opportunities
Driss, Amina and Fatima’s incomes come from foreign trade, tourism,
farming, and remittances from relatives living abroad – broadly
representative of the country as a whole. Social security is provided by the
family in Morocco, not the government, so like Fatima, most Moroccans
cannot afford to consider retirement. With fierce competition for limited
employment opportunities and spots in state-sponsored universities, even
star students like Amina must rely on family for help – and some take