Keep tabs on the welfare of Morocco’s
street children and find out what you
can do to help at
http://gvnet.com/streetchildren, an
information clearing house on at-risk
youth.To avoid conflict, French Général
Lyautey banned non-Muslims from
mosques in Morocco. Moroccansyou’ll notice, some Moroccan women do and some don’t wear the hijab (headscarf). Some choose to wear it for religious,
cultural, practical or personal reasons, try it for a while to see if it suits them, or alternate, wearing a head covering in the
streets but taking it off at home and work. A full face-covering veil is unusual in cities, and even rarer among rural women
working in the fields.
That said, your choice of attire still may be perceived as a sign of respect (or lack thereof) for yourself, your family and your
hosts. For men and women alike, this means not wearing shorts, sleeveless tops or clingy clothing. If you do, some people will
be embarrassed for you and the family that raised you, and avoid eye contact. So if you don’t want to miss out on some
excellent company – especially among older Moroccans – do make a point of dressing modestly.The modern Moroccan woman’s outlook extends far beyond her front door, and women
visitors will meet Moroccan women eager to chat, compare life experiences and share
perspectives on world events. Men visiting Morocco have less opportunity to befriend Moroccan
women, since male–female interactions are still somewhat stilted by social convention – though
you’ll surely notice couples meeting in parks, at cafes and via webcam. Young Moroccan
women are on the move, commuting to work on motor scooters, taking over sidewalks on arm-
in-arm evening strolls, and running for key government positions.
Social Behaviour
As you will probably notice in your travels through Morocco,
behaviour that is considered unacceptable outdoors, in full
public view – such as drinking alcohol, or making kissy faces at
someone of the opposite sex – is often tolerated in the relative
privacy of a restaurant terrace, riad, or internet cafe. In this
context, Amina’s views on drinking and internet dating are not
so radical, and Driss may stand a chance with his cybercafe
cutie. While there are still laws in Morocco restricting the
consumption of alcohol in view of a mosque, sex outside of marriage and homosexuality,
enforcement of these laws is very rare. With proper discretion, there is plenty of latitude when
it comes to socially acceptable behaviour.
Religion
Like nearly 99% of Moroccans today, Driss, Fatima, Amina and Rashid are Muslim. Christian
and Jewish communities have been established in Morocco for 1700 years or more, but in
recent years their numbers have dwindled ( Click here ).
The Five Pillars of Islam
Soaring minarets, shimmering mosaics, intricate calligraphy, the muezzin’s mesmerising call to
prayer: much of what thrills visitors in Morocco today is inspired by Moroccans’ deep and
abiding faith in Islam. Based on the teachings of the Old and New Testaments, Islam is built on
five pillars: shahada , the affirmation of faith in God and God’s word entrusted to the Prophet
Mohammed; salat , or prayer, ideally performed five times daily; zakat , or charity, a moral
obligation to give to those in need; sawm , the daytime fasting practised during the month of
Ramadan; and haj , the pilgrimage to Mecca that is the culmination of lifelong faith for Muslims.
Shiites & Sunnis
While all Muslims agree on these basic tenets received by the
Prophet Mohammed, some doctrinal disagreements ensued