Moroccan Prince Challenges Western Views on Islamic Jihad in University Lectures

According to Prince Moulay Hicham, "Contrary to what many think in the West, jihad is not a holy war. The latter exists in Christian history and thought and is declared by the Pope only because it reflects what they consider to be the ’passage of God on earth’ and the kings."

In reality, H24info explains, for the Prince, jihad in Islam is closer to the notion of a just war. "In Christian thought, it is a purely religious concept, while in Islam, the concept tends more towards the practical principle," he says. To support his argument, he gives as an example "the invasion of Iraq by the American army under the mandate of George W. Bush and his successor, Barack Obama."

Furthermore, according to Moulay Hicham, one fact allows us to understand the emergence of the international Jihadist Al Qaeda. "Jihad has gone from collective responsibility to individual and personal initiatives that have only appeared in recent decades, culminating in Osama Bin Laden," he explains.

It is needless to say that these statements by Prince Moulay Hicham have been the subject of many comments on Facebook. While some Internet users have noted "the lack of relevance of the analysis," others have expressed "the lack of historical and political arguments on a subject that continues to arouse passions," concludes the media.