HM King Mohammed VI, Commander of the Faithful, accompanied by HRH Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, HRH Prince Moulay Rachid, and HH Prince Moulay Ismail, chaired, Thursday at the Royal Palace in Rabat, the first religious lecture of the holy month of Ramadan.
The lecture was given by Minister of Habous and Islamic Affairs, Ahmed Toufiq, under the theme “The patriotism of Moroccans” in light of the Quranic verse “Those who, if We give them authority in the land, establish prayer and give zakat and enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. And to Allah belongs the outcome of [all] matters”.
The speaker said patriotism is not a mere slogan chanted, but is rather backed by historical facts that, in the case of Morocco, have forged the Moroccan national identity in the political, social and cultural fields, and which helped promote cultural interaction of people with their own surrounding.
He said the feeling of patriotism among Moroccans has been shown through several events including opposition to foreign invasion, the fight against domestic threats to national sovereignty, identity, security and stability, as well as joint action to serve the homeland and the common good.
The lecturer, who explained the concept of patriotism in the European context, approached the subject from the Islamic perspective, noting that the concept, which is part of human nature, is fully embodied in the central verse of the lecture, as it includes some elements related to patriotism and the belonging to the nation.
Within this concept, which has been developed in Morocco, the notion of gratitude and recognition of divine blessings is fundamental and should be reflected in a view in which prayer, Zakat and the need to preach good deeds and discourage evil play a central role, said the speaker.
At the end of this lecture, His Majesty the King was greeted by Professor Rafi Attayf Arrifai Al Aali, Mufti of Iraq and Secretary General of the highest Iraqi court of Al Iftaa, Mokhliss Mohamed Hanafi, Director of the center of Koranic studies (Indonesia ), Adil Haj Karim, Vice President of China Islamic Association and Vice President of the Islamic Institute of Chinese Studies, Professor Taleb Akhyar Ben Sheikh Mamina, member of the fatwa Supreme Council (Mauritania) Dr. Wassim Abdeljalil Achouli, Professor of Hadith at the Faculty of Islamic preaching (Palestine).
HM the King was also greeted by Sheikh Tyrno Hadi Amr Thiam, President of the Federal National Council of Tarika Tijania (Mali), Professor Al Fadi Ouankra, teacher, preacher and Imam of the Mosque of Tombouctou and a disciple of Tarika Kadirya (Mali), Professor Mohamed Zine Al Hadi Al Haj Ali, Dean of the Faculty of Islamic preaching and member of the Oulema organization of Sudan, Professor Ouali Akhtar, University Professor of Arabic (India), Sheikh Bennoufi Hamdou Mhamdou, theologian from Cameroon, and the Sheikh Mohamed Al Addaawa, theologian (Cameroon).
On this occasion, the Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs presented to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Commander of the Faithful, a calligraphy painting of “Al Moshaf Al Mohammedi Al Sharif.” It is a handwritten work of the entire Holy Book in Warsh script consisting of 120 tablets by Moroccan calligrapher, Mohamed Lemaâlmine.
