The Arab presence in Morocco began with the Islamic conquests in the 7th and 8th centuries. Arab tribes, driven by the spread of Islam, migrated from the Arabian Peninsula to North Africa. In 670, Umayyads of Damascus completed the first Islamic conquest of the North African coastal plain, settling in what is now Morocco. Arab migrations in North Africa were not merely military campaigns; they were accompanied by waves of settlers who brought their language, customs and Islamic religious practices. Over time, these Arab settlers intermingled with the indigenous Berber (Amazigh) populations, leading to a cultural and ethnic fusion that laid the foundation for modern Moroccan society.
A deep-rooted Arab heritage permeates various aspects of Moroccan life. The demographic dominance of Moroccan Arabs is evident in the widespread use of the Arabic language, which serves as one of the official languages of the country and is integral to education, media and government affairs.
Traditional Moroccan Arab values have been altered by modernization. This can be attributed to the pressure to urbanize, industrialize and de-tribalize. Today, few modern Arabs live as desert shepherds in Morocco. They are much more likely to live in cities and towns. This has caused traditional family and tribal ties to be broken down. Arab women as well as men now have greater educational and employment opportunities in Morocco than they had 50 years ago. These and other changes have created a new "middle class" within Moroccan Arab society.
Because of an increasing variety of job opportunities among poor living conditions have improved. However, it has also weakened their traditional family ties. Among urban Arabs there is greater freedom for women to leave the home, fewer arranged marriages, and less social pressure to conform to traditional religious practices than there were in the past.
Some things remain the same with Arabs no matter what country they are from. Arabs are trying to preserve cultural traditions such as the naming of children. It is customary for an Arab child's name to reflect the three dominant elements of Arab life: kin, home and religion. Thus, a boy might have a name such as "Mohammad ibn Ibrahim al Hamza." "Mohammad" represents his religious name. "Ibn Ibrahim" is his father's name. "Al Hamza" means that he is from the village of Hamza. Girls are given similar names, which they keep even after marriage. This reflects the Muslim Arab tradition that even though women are subservient to men, they retain their identities, separate legal rights, and family ties. Circumcision for boys continues to be a universal practice among Arabs. This ritual is performed around the seventh year and they celebrate it as the formal initiation of the boy into the Islamic religious community.
It was early in the seventh century that Mohammed first preached the tenets of Islam to the Arabs. His successors quickly spread the word of Allah far and wide. Wherever Arabs went, they left elements of their Arab culture, including their Islamic religion. Thus, Islam is an important part of Arab identity.
Arabic speaking Moroccans believe that Allah, spoke through his prophet, Mohammed, and taught mankind how to live a righteous life through the Koran and the Hadith. To live a righteous life, they must utter the Shahada (a statement of faith), pray five times each day facing Mecca, fast from sunup to sundown during the Month of Ramadan, give alms to the poor, and make a pilgrimage to Mecca. Muslims are prohibited from drinking alcohol, eating pork, gambling, stealing, slandering, and making idols. They gather for corporate prayer on Friday afternoons at a mosque, their place of worship.
Most North African Muslims retain ancient beliefs in the spirit world that conflict with orthodox Sunni Islam. Most believe in the evil eye; a curse someone might put on another because of jealousy.
As Morocco continues to evolve, the interplay between its Arab majority and Berber minority will remain a defining feature of its national identity. The government’s commitment to promoting cultural diversity and social cohesion is crucial in navigating the complexities of a multi-ethnic society. The dominant Arab influence will undoubtedly continue to shape Morocco’s cultural, social, and political landscapes, while the contributions of the Berber population will enrich the national tapestry.
Pray the Holy Spirit would work powerfully through the many people witnessing to the Moroccan Arabs.
Pray Moroccan Arab believers would become effective and fruitful in sowing God's word among their families and communities to fuel a movement of God's blessing, spreading from household to household.
Pray a strong movement to Jesus would bring whole Moroccan Arab families and communities into a rich experience of God's blessing.
Scripture Prayers for the Arab, Moroccan in Morocco.
https://webapps.ilo.org/surveyLib/index.php/catalog/8549/variable/FA_MAR_CENSUS_2014_FULL/VA21?name=educma
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moroccans
| Profile Source: Joshua Project |
