Moroccan King’s Eid Directive Sparks Debate in Spanish Enclaves

"Should Ceuta, as a Spanish city, comply with a decision made by the neighboring country?" wonders Abdelkamil Mohamed, president of the Association of Residents of the Príncipe Alonso neighborhood - a Muslim neighborhood of the city - in an op-ed published in the newspaper El Faro de Ceuta. He continues: "Or should it follow the religious directives set by the Islamic Council and the ulema who directly follow the Mecca calendar?" as the vast majority of Sunni Muslims do. According to him, opinions are very divided in his city. "The debate is not only religious, but also identity-based," he points out. This is what prompts him to ask the following question: "Are the Muslims of Ceuta Moroccan, Spanish or something in between?"

The Halal Consumers Association (Acoha), led in Ceuta by Abdelmalik Mohamed Amar, a local entrepreneur known to be close to the Moroccan authorities. From Acoha, it has been stated that the Moroccan sovereign’s announcement "is addressed to those who claim to be Muslims" and "those in Ceuta are encouraged to ’act accordingly’". "It is not very logical to follow the directives of a country located 6,000 kilometers away [Saudi Arabia] when we have another one just around the corner," the association adds. For the spokespersons of Acoha, "it is also about being in solidarity with the nearby Muslims," such as those in Morocco. The Islamic Commission of Spain, the official representative body of Spanish Muslims, does not follow Morocco. It rather follows the Saudi model.

In a statement, the Muslim Community of Melilla, a minority association led by Mohamed Ahmed, indicated that "the majority of Muslims in Melilla share the vision of the Commander of the Faithful [Mohammed VI, who is also the spiritual leader of Moroccans] and consider the measure to be sensible." Except that when asked whether the representatives in the two cities of the Islamic Commission of Spain, the official body representing Muslims, should follow the call of the Moroccan sovereign, they evade the question. "It is complicated to give an opinion on this subject. It is still too early to pronounce, as there are more than two months before the festival," declared Hamido Mohamed to the local press. His colleague from Melilla, Farid Ben Haddi, remains rather silent on the subject for the time being.