HM the King, Commander of the Faithful, Chairs Friday in Casablanca Fifth Religious Lecture of Ramadan
Rabat - HM King Mohammed VI, Commander of the Faithful, accompanied by HRH Prince Moulay Rachid and HH Prince Moulay Ismail, chaired, Friday at Casablanca's Royal Palace, the fifth religious lecture of the holy month of Ramadan.
The lecture was given by Safya Abderrahim Tayeb Mohammad, former minister, professor at Omdurman University and member of the Sudanese section of the Mohammed VI Foundation for African Ulema, on the theme "Constants of the Islamic identity in Africa and the challenges related to its preservation", drawing on Surate Al Hujurat, verse 13: "O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is knowing and acquainted."
At the beginning of the lecture, the speaker stressed that Islam is considered as one of the foundations of the identity of the African continent where it has been anchored over the centuries with Morocco as a starting point, through the intermediary of ulema and masters of Sufism who has numerous followers in Africa.
Africans embrace several religions, led by Islam, which remains the faith of 45% of the continent's population, compared to 40% for Christianity, Safya Abderrahim noted, adding that the Sunni rite remains the dominant doctrine although the situation began to change relatively in some countries after 1980.
This is why, she went on, the presence of the Kingdom of Morocco in Africa remains highly solicited to prevent an identity crisis, as well as its role on the political and cooperation fronts.
In this regard, the speaker highlighted the creation of the Mohammed VI Foundation for African Ulema, noting that it is a pilot project at the level of the continent.
According to her, it is up to Africa to draw on the Islamic religion to face two types of challenges, internal and external. With regard to internal challenges, she said, they include five aspects relating to identity, nationalism, language, illiteracy and Ijtihad. External challenges concern the concepts of liberalism, globalization, secularism and terrorism.
Regarding the challenge of identity, she said that African Muslims share a well constituted religious identity, a source of peace and serenity. So much so that Islam offers a model allowing the individual to live in harmony within the tribe, the people and the nation whether it is the country or the continent, the only criterion of reference being the takwa (fear of God), she added.
Concerning language, the speaker noted that linguistic diversity cannot be a source of problems or disagreement in Africa or elsewhere. She mentioned the studies of researcher Hassan Gambo on the language map in Africa, where he showed that the colonizer introduced changes in the continent's language system, which is currently marginalizing local languages.
Referring to the issue of illiteracy, she wondered how illiterates can make the most of Islamic values, saying that this is a growing scourge in Muslim societies. She considered it necessary to develop approaches and solutions that took into account the specificities and limited means of the countries concerned.
In terms of Ijtihad, the speaker noted that the multitude of misinterpretations about religion and its teachings as well as the ignorance among some of its followers are among the greatest challenges to Muslim identity in Africa.
The speaker also tackled the concept of nationalism, explaining that some seek to minimize Muslim identity, or even almost eliminate it, arguing that there are necessarily antagonisms between ethnicity and Islam as a religion. On the other hand, those attached to religion affirm that such an identity gives meaning to its existence in its spiritual and moral meanings.
With regard to the challenge of liberalism, she pointed out that we are not talking here about liberalism in its economic meaning, but about the normative and moral system that goes beyond the rules of Sharia and different practices specific to Muslims.
This concept of liberalism, she went on to say, has a more global dimension here and refers to positive coexistence marked by mutual respect, far from any degrading treatment or attack on the dignity of the other.
On the challenge of globalization, the speaker noted that this concept does not mean any tendency to promote a uniform world, but to enhance the emergence of a system where several peoples and cultures can coexist in a kind of interdependence. African Muslims, she said, are invited to take advantage of such a dynamic and not confuse globalization and domination because Islam simply does not encourage any form of isolation.
On the issue of secularism, she said that this concept had emerged in Western civilization in the context of rivalries between religious institutions, which had spread to different parts of the world. She noted that some predominantly Muslim African states have stated secularism in their constitutions, leaving the management of areas such as mosques and schools to private initiative.
However, it appears that such a practice can entail dangers, to the point that States are now trying to fill the gaps observed by appointing officials in charge of Islamic Affairs.
Regarding the terrorist peril, she said Africa faces three types of ethnic, religious and doctrinal conflicts. To transcend these civilisational conflicts, she suggested, it is necessary to fight the extremism that is eating away at the continent because of the weak religious framework. There is a need to reconcile a security approach with religious awareness, while promoting education and justice, fighting corruption and encouraging economic integration among the countries of the region.
In order to face all these challenges, the African ulema and imams are called upon to lead a march of great Jihad while showing wisdom and flexibility with a view to immunizing African Muslims against deviations, she concluded.
At the end of this fifth religious lecture, HM the King, Commander of the Faithful, was greeted by Mohamed El Medeni Mountagha Tall, member of the Association of Ulema of Islam in Senegal, Hassan Bin Mohamed Safar, professor at King Abdelaziz University in Saudi Arabia, Mahmoud Abdou Zobeir, chargé de mission at the office of the President of the Republic of Mali and president of the branch of the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Ulema in Mali, Sheikh Aboubacar Fofana, president of the Higher Council of Imams and president of the branch of the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Ulema in Côte d'Ivoire, Farhan Nizami, director of the Centre for Islamic Studies in Oxford (Great Britain), Ibrahim Ahmad, deputy Mufti of Maldives and deputy minister of Islamic Affairs in the Republic of Maldives, and Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Radoui, president of the Association of Sri Lankan Ulema.
The Sovereign was also greeted by Amine-eddin Mohamed, president of the Islamic Council of Mozambique, Koutob Moustapha Sano, an Alem from Guinea, Omaro Camara Aboubacar, president of the National Islamic Council of Liberia and president of the branch of the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Ulema in Liberia, Abdelouadoud Haroun, member of the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Ulema in Ghana, Tchirnoa Mbalo, president of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and secretary general of the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Ulema in Guinea Bissau, Omar Seck, president of the Court of Appeal and supervisor of the Courts of The Gambia and member of the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Ulema (The Gambia), Houcine Mohamed Adam, an Ethiopian Alem and member of the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Ulema in Ethiopia.
The lecture was given by Safya Abderrahim Tayeb Mohammad, former minister, professor at Omdurman University and member of the Sudanese section of the Mohammed VI Foundation for African Ulema, on the theme "Constants of the Islamic identity in Africa and the challenges related to its preservation", drawing on Surate Al Hujurat, verse 13: "O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is knowing and acquainted."
At the beginning of the lecture, the speaker stressed that Islam is considered as one of the foundations of the identity of the African continent where it has been anchored over the centuries with Morocco as a starting point, through the intermediary of ulema and masters of Sufism who has numerous followers in Africa.
Africans embrace several religions, led by Islam, which remains the faith of 45% of the continent's population, compared to 40% for Christianity, Safya Abderrahim noted, adding that the Sunni rite remains the dominant doctrine although the situation began to change relatively in some countries after 1980.
This is why, she went on, the presence of the Kingdom of Morocco in Africa remains highly solicited to prevent an identity crisis, as well as its role on the political and cooperation fronts.
In this regard, the speaker highlighted the creation of the Mohammed VI Foundation for African Ulema, noting that it is a pilot project at the level of the continent.
According to her, it is up to Africa to draw on the Islamic religion to face two types of challenges, internal and external. With regard to internal challenges, she said, they include five aspects relating to identity, nationalism, language, illiteracy and Ijtihad. External challenges concern the concepts of liberalism, globalization, secularism and terrorism.
Regarding the challenge of identity, she said that African Muslims share a well constituted religious identity, a source of peace and serenity. So much so that Islam offers a model allowing the individual to live in harmony within the tribe, the people and the nation whether it is the country or the continent, the only criterion of reference being the takwa (fear of God), she added.
Concerning language, the speaker noted that linguistic diversity cannot be a source of problems or disagreement in Africa or elsewhere. She mentioned the studies of researcher Hassan Gambo on the language map in Africa, where he showed that the colonizer introduced changes in the continent's language system, which is currently marginalizing local languages.
Referring to the issue of illiteracy, she wondered how illiterates can make the most of Islamic values, saying that this is a growing scourge in Muslim societies. She considered it necessary to develop approaches and solutions that took into account the specificities and limited means of the countries concerned.
In terms of Ijtihad, the speaker noted that the multitude of misinterpretations about religion and its teachings as well as the ignorance among some of its followers are among the greatest challenges to Muslim identity in Africa.
The speaker also tackled the concept of nationalism, explaining that some seek to minimize Muslim identity, or even almost eliminate it, arguing that there are necessarily antagonisms between ethnicity and Islam as a religion. On the other hand, those attached to religion affirm that such an identity gives meaning to its existence in its spiritual and moral meanings.
With regard to the challenge of liberalism, she pointed out that we are not talking here about liberalism in its economic meaning, but about the normative and moral system that goes beyond the rules of Sharia and different practices specific to Muslims.
This concept of liberalism, she went on to say, has a more global dimension here and refers to positive coexistence marked by mutual respect, far from any degrading treatment or attack on the dignity of the other.
On the challenge of globalization, the speaker noted that this concept does not mean any tendency to promote a uniform world, but to enhance the emergence of a system where several peoples and cultures can coexist in a kind of interdependence. African Muslims, she said, are invited to take advantage of such a dynamic and not confuse globalization and domination because Islam simply does not encourage any form of isolation.
On the issue of secularism, she said that this concept had emerged in Western civilization in the context of rivalries between religious institutions, which had spread to different parts of the world. She noted that some predominantly Muslim African states have stated secularism in their constitutions, leaving the management of areas such as mosques and schools to private initiative.
However, it appears that such a practice can entail dangers, to the point that States are now trying to fill the gaps observed by appointing officials in charge of Islamic Affairs.
Regarding the terrorist peril, she said Africa faces three types of ethnic, religious and doctrinal conflicts. To transcend these civilisational conflicts, she suggested, it is necessary to fight the extremism that is eating away at the continent because of the weak religious framework. There is a need to reconcile a security approach with religious awareness, while promoting education and justice, fighting corruption and encouraging economic integration among the countries of the region.
In order to face all these challenges, the African ulema and imams are called upon to lead a march of great Jihad while showing wisdom and flexibility with a view to immunizing African Muslims against deviations, she concluded.
At the end of this fifth religious lecture, HM the King, Commander of the Faithful, was greeted by Mohamed El Medeni Mountagha Tall, member of the Association of Ulema of Islam in Senegal, Hassan Bin Mohamed Safar, professor at King Abdelaziz University in Saudi Arabia, Mahmoud Abdou Zobeir, chargé de mission at the office of the President of the Republic of Mali and president of the branch of the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Ulema in Mali, Sheikh Aboubacar Fofana, president of the Higher Council of Imams and president of the branch of the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Ulema in Côte d'Ivoire, Farhan Nizami, director of the Centre for Islamic Studies in Oxford (Great Britain), Ibrahim Ahmad, deputy Mufti of Maldives and deputy minister of Islamic Affairs in the Republic of Maldives, and Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Radoui, president of the Association of Sri Lankan Ulema.
The Sovereign was also greeted by Amine-eddin Mohamed, president of the Islamic Council of Mozambique, Koutob Moustapha Sano, an Alem from Guinea, Omaro Camara Aboubacar, president of the National Islamic Council of Liberia and president of the branch of the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Ulema in Liberia, Abdelouadoud Haroun, member of the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Ulema in Ghana, Tchirnoa Mbalo, president of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and secretary general of the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Ulema in Guinea Bissau, Omar Seck, president of the Court of Appeal and supervisor of the Courts of The Gambia and member of the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Ulema (The Gambia), Houcine Mohamed Adam, an Ethiopian Alem and member of the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Ulema in Ethiopia.
Source : https://www.emouaten.com/english/HM-the-King-Comma...