Moroccan Minister Clarifies Controversial Secularism Comments

In a speech on Wednesday at the House of Advisors, Ahmed Toufiq said he was "the victim of an injustice". The minister regrets that his remarks were misinterpreted. Referring last week to his exchange with the French Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, Toufiq said he had told the latter that "we, Moroccans, are secular". These remarks sparked a flood of reactions on social media, particularly from Islamists and conservatives.

The minister returned to his remarks, explaining that he had told Bruno Retailleau that the model of secularism adopted by France "is based on four pillars: freedom, reason, values, good conduct and meaning". Toufiq added that he had told the French minister that the French model of secularism is flawed in terms of "meaning": "You have made a separation between the State and religion, as a result you are no longer able to provide an official answer to the question of deliverance. You do not respond to the spiritual needs of citizens."

Morocco, on the other hand, has adopted a more encompassing model, Toufiq said, referring to the "baia", that is to say, allegiance. "Citizens cede legitimacy to the ruler. Who interacts with them by implementing commitments that can be found in all the constitutions of countries around the world. That is to say, the preservation of religion, the guarantee of security, the promotion of reason or what Muslims call "public order", the preservation of property (which refers to development) and human dignity," he developed.

Ahmed Toufiq said he had also explained to the French minister that "we have the same conception of the issues of values and freedom, in the sense that we believe that there should be no constraint in religion. This makes no sense, since religion is a matter of commitment between each person and God. And in Morocco, everyone practices religion as they wish. No one forces anyone to go to the mosque and pray. Despite this, Moroccans are attached to their religion, to prayer, to fasting and to the other precepts of Islam."