The Power of Islam in Morocco, NEW! hard cover

This latest volume by Routledge follows the development of Islam in Morocco as a social phenomenon over the last five centuries. During this period the nature of North African societies and political systems was profoundly changed and shaped by the emergence of a new form of Islamic religiosity based on the glorification of Prophet Muhammad and the veneration of popularly acclaimed saints. Far from being a purely religious phenomenon, the devotion shown to the Prophet and his lineage turned into a major principle legitimacy, both in the religious and political fields. This development generated an intense rivalry between the spiritual and temporal authorities, a rivalry the articulations of which are key to the understanding of the Moroccan polity.