Morocco’s Female Preachers: Morchidates Teach Islam and Empower Women During Ramadan

In the "Al Aadam" mosque located in the Medina of Rabat, El Korachi, accompanied by two other preachers, receives her students, women of different ages and levels of education, after finishing the noon prayer. The course of that day partly dealt with the commemoration of the "Battle of Badr" which took place in 624 near Mecca. An event of great symbolism for Muslims as it marks the first victory of the Prophet Muhammad.

The preacher gives at least two Quranic courses per week in various mosques in the kingdom, as well as free courses on the hadiths, and answers the questions of the faithful. EL Korachi also gives online courses and supervises people who wish to make the pilgrimage to Mecca. With the "Family Advisory Committee", she and her colleagues try to find solutions to the family or couple problems of women. In this context, the Morchidates work "with a psychologist, a judge and an expert in women’s rights," she explains to EFE.

Holder of a master’s degree in Islamic studies, El Korachi is part of the first batches of women preachers from the Mohammed VI Institute of Imams, Morchidines and Morchidates created in 2015. "Our role is to preserve the religious identity of the faithful in accordance with the values of moderate Islam for which the country is committed, to guarantee their spiritual tranquility and to explain religion to them in simple language," develops the preacher who has a relationship of trust with the faithful of the mosques.

"We try to convey the values of solidarity and spirituality. We support the empowerment of women and their psychological and spiritual balance, so that they can contribute to the development of society. We don’t want women to see themselves as weak," says El Korachi. Beyond preaching, the Morchidates also fight against illiteracy and also intervene in the educational centers and prisons of the kingdom.