King Mohammed VI, in his capacity as Commander of the Faithful, presided over a religious ceremony at the Royal Palace in Rabat on Monday marking Mawlid, the anniversary of the Prophet Mohammed’s birth.
The King was accompanied by Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, Prince Moulay Rachid and Prince Moulay Ahmed. The ceremony included Quranic recitations and performances of religious songs praising the Prophet.
Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs Ahmed Toufiq presented the King with the annual report covering the work of the Higher Council of Ulema and Morocco’s local religious councils.
Toufiq said the councils had organized a yearlong program of religious instruction and devotional gatherings following royal directives issued during the previous Mawlid commemoration. The program marked 15 lunar centuries since the Prophet’s birth.
The minister described Moroccan attachment to the Prophet as having political and emotional dimensions. He linked the political dimension to the country’s institution of the Commander of the Faithful and the oath of allegiance, which he said protects national territory, religious principles and arbitration among different sections of society.
Toufiq connected the emotional dimension to Morocco’s scholarly tradition of writing about the Prophet. He cited Al-Shifa by Qadi Iyad and Al-Durr al-Munazzam by Abu al-Abbas al-Azafi, both associated with Ceuta, as well as Dala’il al-Khayrat by Imam al-Jazuli.
He said Moroccan religious scholars were also implementing the “Tasdid al-Tabligh” program, which seeks to communicate religious teachings in clear language and connect faith with ethical conduct and practical social responsibility.
Toufiq then presented the King with a newly published edition of Dhakhirat al-Muhtaj fi al-Salat ala Sahib al-Liwa wa al-Taj, a major Moroccan work devoted to prayers and blessings upon the Prophet.
The Ministry of Endowments prepared the edition using dozens of manuscripts held in royal, public and private libraries in Morocco and abroad. The publication formed part of the program ordered by the King to commemorate 15 lunar centuries since the Prophet’s birth and revive Moroccan scholarship on the subject. The ministry describes the work as one of the most extensive Moroccan writings dedicated to blessings upon the Prophet.
The ceremony was attended by the head of government, parliamentary leaders, royal advisers, Cabinet members, heads of constitutional institutions, senior military officers, Muslim diplomatic representatives and religious scholars.
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