On the occasion of the 14th anniversary of the death of the late HM Hassan II, a royal commission handed over royal donations last weekend to the zaouïas of Cheikh Mohamed Mami, Cheikh Mohamed Ben Mohamed Salem in Dakhla, and Cheikh Mohamed Laghdaf ben Cheikh Maa Alainaine in Laâyoune.

The ceremonies for the handing over of these donations took place in the presence of local officials, ulema, as well as disciples of these zaouïas and were marked by the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran, as well as by speeches by representatives of the zaouïas in which they expressed their deep gratitude to HM King Mohammed VI, Amir Al Mouminine, for His High solicitude and the interest He shows in the religious sector.

During these ceremonies, the representatives of these zaouïas also recalled the religious and educational activities of these institutions and their role in authentic religious guidance, based on the Maliki rite, reiterating their feelings of fidelity and loyalty to HM the King, as well as their attachment to the glorious Alaouite Throne. They also renewed their mobilisation behind the Sovereign to defend the territorial integrity of the Kingdom and its sacred values.

During past centuries, the zaouïas based in the Southern provinces of the Kingdom played a considerable role in the defence of this region against foreign colonisation as well as in the preservation of cultural and spiritual heritage and for the strengthening of the unity of the people and its identity.

In these provinces, spiritual and doctrinal ties have always united the inhabitants of this region with the rest of the Kingdom. The various zaouïas of the Sahara have given birth to several scholars who have travelled through the different regions to spread their knowledge and preach religious practices.