Mosques in Morocco: The war over front-row seats rages during Ramadan

During Ramadan and Friday prayers, a growing phenomenon is taking hold: the placement of carpets or Qurans to "block" seats before the time. This habit disrupts the traditional organization of the rows and questions the spirit of equality that should normally reign in these places of worship.

While arriving early is a virtue unanimously recognized, reservation without physical presence is strongly contested. Many believers believe that the rows should remain open according to the priority of the first to arrive, arguing that physical absence unjustly deprives others of the possibility of settling in the front row.

Although some perceive this gesture as a simple service rendered to a loved one, jurists and sheikhs recall that "the basic principle is that the person be physically present". The mosque remains a public space based on absolute humility and equity among all Muslims.