Gender Breakthrough in Contemporary Muslim Morocco‪.‬

Recent social developments have pointed at Morocco as a focus of attention for its dating gender initiatives. President George W. Bush has personally welcomed these "important reforms of the family status which will generate progress in the right of women" (1). President Jacques Chirac of France also greeted this "considerable evolution towards democracy which conveys the will of the kingdom of Morocco to move ahead towards a of due process of law and of equal tights between men and women within the respect of religious and cultural traditions of the kingdom" (2). The 'Washington Post' underlined the originalities of the new 'Moudouana' and observed that the new measures "could serve as an example for other third world countries" (3). For its part, the British daily newspaper, the 'Guardian' stressed the possible "contribution of the new amendments to the improvement of the situation of women in Morocco" (4). For a conservative MENA region monarchy, the event is quite significant and is worth exploring, in its peculiarities. The Kingdom of Morocco is located in North Africa. Its geographically diversified landscape (mountains, deserts and fertile plains) is about twice the size of California. Its population of 30 million inhabitants is mainly made of Muslim Arabs and Berbers, peacefully living, for many centuries, with minorities of Jews and Christians. This land of peace and tolerance, and] also of conservatism and moderation, has grown to firmly adopt the "Sunni Madhab" [[TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII.]] as conveyed, since the 8th century, by the Malekite School of Thought. The introduction of this rite in Morocco by Darras Ibn Ismail El Fassi, in the 9th century, found in the newly built "Al Qaraouine" mosque (867 a.c.) [Founded by a woman patron, 'Fatima Al Fihrya'], an ideal cradle for the development and expansion of the teachings of Islam, as based on the "Coran" [[TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]] and "Sunna" [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] (and basically, on the teachings of the Imam of Medine, Malik Ibnou Anass Ibnou Amer El Asbahi, who had compiled all the relevant and authentic "Hadiths" of the Prophet, in his book "Al Moattaa") [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII.]. Malekism, thus, ever served as a factor of religious and legal unity. It was increasingly bound to become more deeply rooted within the local traditions and religious understandings within its interpretation of Islam. All prevailing schools and "Medersas" [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII.] of the region were to further perpetuate such a trend. All legal stipulations ever since, including those which accompanied the modernizing trends of the French Protectorate, have expressly referred to this rite. After the independence of the country in 1956, some enacted laws expressly refer to the "Malekite" rite within their stipulations (5). In 1962, Morocco adopted its first Constitution, which has been modified four times ever since. The presently prevailing one has been approved by popular referendum in 1996.