And yes. Of course they are brainwashed. Break it down and you’ll find more than 90% of them had religious parents. It borders on child abuse if you ask me.

There’s nothing subjective about condemning the sexist inheritance laws of Morocco or the reigning dictatorship. Arguments against divine legitimacy as basis for power don’t cut it in the modern era because – believe it or not – people can actually use their heads. This is the reason behind all those laws against “shaking the faith of a Muslim” or “attacking the king”. The system knows its basis for power would be ridiculed in an open debate, so it forbids said debate from taking place in the first place.

In my case, I was raised and I still live in Morocco. I went through the regular brainwashing. I know how it works (learning scripture by heart, being smacked around for missing a “sacred” word, etc). I know that women can’t marry a non-Muslim, thus insuring a Muslim-majority. I know how primitive and superstitious the society is. So don’t give me crap about silly relativism.

In my book, alcohol is part of secular society. The need for a Moudawana is part of a secular society. Restricting the rights given to women by Allah is part of a secular society. Having laws that are against Shariah law is part of a secular society.

While it may not be correct according to a dictionary definition or the Moroccan constitution, the above mentioned reasons (among many others) are what constitute a secular society versus a purely Islamic one in my view. I understand how according to your view Morocco is not a secular society, and if it helps I do agree with you that by written law it is not a secular society. My point was that it has elements of a secular that are not compatible with Islam.

It seems to me Morocco wants to have it both ways, and I’ve always argued that it can’t- either it must be a truly Islamic society and follow Shariah law or create an entirely different set of laws that have no basis in Islam.

You may as well be right. But it doesn’t matter. Why? Because all the other major religions have been tamed (by being “too harsh” on the zealots who want to dictate a divinely-justified oppressive public policy). This included ridicule, scorn at irrationality, and tough words. If the author has decided to submit herself and her freedoms, allah y3awoun8a! None of my business. But that she describes my country as “secular” is an abject distortion of reality. I suffered my whole life from countless attacks on my personal freedoms that were all justified by Islam. There’s indeed a tolerance from the state and the society towards alcohol (which, as you point out, does not extend to Ramadan), but the laws forbidding alcohol consumption are still on the books and there’s no will to change that. Besides, a secular society is not one where people get arrested for blasphemy, sodomy and the like. It’s simply preposterous!

There’s nothing I’m saying here that is gratuitously offensive. If anything, I should be the one offended by the author’s misrepresentation of a cruel reality. She can “exalt the name of Allah” all she wants. But her Islamist speech should not be tolerated. I’m certain that she means well, but so do most of the brainwashed people.

the Alcohol issue is, very minor, just like extra/pre-marital intimate relations. And just think about it: Moroccans are quite tolerant towards those who do not prey, and even to the alcoholics, but they go berserk (as you put it) when it’s about Ramadan break-fasting; Let us not confirm Islamists and Conservatives in their beliefs by giving religious shape to a purely social phenomenon. On the other hand, I do agree with your criticism, Morocco is not secular, the backbone of the Monarchy’s legitimacy is religious;

>”Yes, Morocco’s official religion may be Islam, and it may forbid Moroccans of certain activities, but the fact that it allows it for others it why I made the statement about Morocco being a secular society.”

It doesn’t make your statement any less outrageous. So foreigners get a break because the country encourages tourism. Big bloody whoop! Moroccans aren’t even extended the courtesy of choosing their own religion and you talk about a “secular society”?

What’s wrong with you?

> “And, as a Muslim, I actually I wish Morocco didn’t allow such things as alcohol at all,”

I’m perfectly familial with Islam’s standpoint on liberties. Nothing surprising in your position.

> “And, in my view, women have more rights compared to some other Muslim countries”

I agree. But just cause it’s not as oppressive towards women as Saudi Arabia doesn’t mean it’s not an Islamist state.

Frankly, Islam should either reform or disappear. It’s a way too oppressive and totalitarian system for it to be tolerated further. As long as people like you think about banning a substance because the scripture said so, Islam will remain the biggest hurdle in the way of liberal democracy.

You probably don’t care for liberal democracy anyway…

And, in my view, women have more rights compared to some other Muslim countries in terms of the ways in which the current laws allow women to participate in and move about society. Sorry I didn’t check the Gender Equity Index for statistics. My writing is and has always been based on what I see and experience in Morocco. That’s where my insight comes from, selective as it might be- lacking or not I’ve only lived in this country for a little under two years. I am an American, not a Moroccan (a simple pass over the one-liner profile near my name would have told you that) and have been here since mid-2008. So, I’m sorry if I had a few other life changing events to deal with before getting to Moudawana.

Daughter’s receive half of what a son receives in inheritance according to Shariah law. I trust in Allah and his commandments. If that is what he wishes for women, then I accept it as such- He knows best. In Islam, women are allowed to keep every cent of their accumulated wealth and have no obligation to share it with their husband, spend it or give it to any member of their family, while men do not retain such rights as they are expected to use their wealth to care for their wife, children and other family members as needed. So, from that perspective, as a woman, I’m not as concerned (for myself as I am able and capable of a good career) about receiving only half of any inheritance wealth since I have the opportunity to obtain plenty of wealth in other ways. People always look for the negative in things, but I choose to find the positive and good in every thing Allah created and commanded for us.

> “Morocco may call itself a secular society”

I beg to differ.

This is a ludicrous statement that has absolutely no basis in reality. At no level could Morocco, even remotely consider itself “secular”.

You have a very thwarted view of the issue. For every person that would consider Morocco “a secular society”, I’ll find you 20 who’ll vehemently disagree.

Morocco is a Muslim country as per the constitution. Moroccan laws forbids drinking alcohol for all Moroccans (except for the couple of thousand Jews). Moroccan law prosecutes anybody who “insults” Islam. Islamic Education class is mandatory in public schools. Blasphemy laws are in place and enforced. The whole country goes bezerk over the evil MALI movement and their sandwiches.

> “Indeed, Morocco is a fairly progressive country when it comes to women’s rights.”

Once again, I disagree.

Compared to the worldwide median, Morocco is a anything but “a fairly progressive country when it comes to women’s rights”. The Gender Equity Index / GEM can attest to that. In the Global Gender Gap index compiled by the World Economic Forum, Moroccan women score worse than Iranians and Mauritanians.

For Heaven’s sake, daughters are treated like half a son when it comes to inheritance and you dare call the country “progressive”? You are very selective in your assessment of the situation, and I’ll venture that you lack insight into Moroccan society (a Moroccan woman living in Morocco who comes across the Moudawana in the summer of ‘09 more than qualifies!).

I’m quite disappointed at the editors for letting such blatant fabrications through.