Sermons inspire youth to take part in public affairs in Morocco after a wave of protests
Rabat, Morocco (AP) – Worshipers sit outside on the floor of a red mosque in Morocco, listening to a preacher from a raised pulpit, listening to a preacher from a raised pulpi instructing parents to involve their children in public affairs.
The sermon, heard in a mosque on the other side of the Kingdom of Friday, came after Morocco’s move to quickly end the chaos that was born and killed in recent weeks and demanded better social and economic conditions. The sermon did not directly address the protests, but was seen by some as an attempt by the government to send a message to the demonstrators on the move, known as Gen Z 212.
Preachers traditionally choose topics for their sermons that precede congregational prayers. But in recent years, governments in countries including Morocco, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia have limited the content of sermons. Authorities say the law aims to curb positive speech, but critics say it turns sermons into tools to promote the state and support its policies.
In a mosque in the capital of Roarat of Rabat, the Imam, wearing a white robe of Djellaba and speaking through a microphone to hundreds of worshipers from different ages, social and economic, urged the faithful to fulfill their responsibility to the community nation.
“One of the most important things we should care about is raising children to participate in the management of public affairs (…) and to participate in serving the country, loving the country and its strength and stability,” Imam said.
“True citizens are those who serve their nation and do good,” he added verses from the Quran, his voice echoing outside the mosque. Imams in Morocco are civil servants, and sermons are moderated. The same sermon heard in Rabati is delivered by 53,000 mosques and on the walls that live on public television.
The protests arose out of anger at the government’s spending on sports infrastructure for the 2030 World Cup while public services were found to be neglected. They are organized on social media platforms like an anonymous group that rejects any meeting of political parties and asks to loot the Government Viewed as corrupt.
Government authorities have said they are listening to young climate activists and have called on them to join the conversation and discuss with institutions and in the public space. Several new measures, announced at a Cabinet meeting chaired by King Mohammed VI last week, are aimed at increasing youth participation in politics and job opportunities.
It includes a draft bill that would ease election requirements for people younger than 35 and provide financial support for up to 75% of their campaigns. Many observers draw a direct connection between the measure and the content of Friday’s sermon.
The government also said that the draft budget for 2026 will allocate a record $ 15 billion (140 billion dirhams) to health and education, will create 27,000 jobs in these two hospitals, improve the quality of education as a whole.
In Friday’s Sermon, role models who are Imams revealed how Modamed students involve their children in the forums to discuss social issues.
The Imam did not mention the Gen Z protests or the acts of vandalism, death and arrests linked to the demonstrations.
The Moroccan Association of Human Rights said on Friday that more than 1,500 people facing prosecution participated in the meetings. The Court of Appeal in Agadir, a coastal city 496 kilometers (477 miles) from Rabat, sentenced 33 defendants to 260 years in prison for vandalism, local media reported.
“I sincerely hope that the real intention behind these sermons is to support young people’s participation in public affairs, not to direct or limit me,” said 18-year-old college students at a weekend protest in Casablanca. He spoke on condition his last name was not used for fear of extradition.
He said Friday sermons should be supported by real and visible action, but also noted that they can be a powerful way to influence young people to participate in political life.
After the government’s promises and sermons on Friday, the weekend’s protests drew fewer than the participants. There are only a lot of people who meet Casablanca Saturday.
“Friday sermons serve as a tool for politicizing mosques, whether they are defending government positions … or dealing with other issues,” said Dr. Driss El Ganbouri, a researcher in charge of religious issues.
“The state adopts a dual discourse towards the citizens: One religion, the other is expressed through legal decisions,” added El Ganbouri, author of “Muslims between religion and power.” ”
El Ganbouri said many believed that the sermons did not keep pace with Morocco’s political and social issues, noting that preachers who deviated from official messages could be punished or fired.
