Pious Marrakech

So, the day I returned to Morocco from Jordan, I had guests visiting from America. We went around and partook of some of the rich spritual history of Fes and even ventured in a chartered taxi to visit the shrine of Moulay Idriss I, the descendant of the Prophet Muhammad who fled to Morocco 1,200 years ago, and whose idea it was to build Fes. It was a great visit, we caught the singing of the Burda at the shrine, and were invited to lunch by a friend of mine who we ran into there.

A few days into their visit we headed south and took the 8 hour train to Marrakech, a city i must admit I have avoided since I arrived in Morocco this last time. Just too touristy and too much of what i have come to Morocco to avoid. But Praise God we "lucked out" and were able to get a view of Marrakech few Western tourists see (or probably even care to see) . We took the amazing Sacred Sites Tour (I have a link to their website under the "Other Places I'd Visit" section).

Sometimes it is possible to get lost in the confusion of modern times, in the plastic souvenirs and traditional dances only put on for tourists and forget that at one time Morocco was an powerhouse of religious intelecutuals from whom many people still benefit from today. Once again during this tour I felt as if i was being awaken to things I already knew in a way, oh but how beautiful the details are.

The Sacred Sites Tour focuses on the 7 Saints, or Awliya of Marrakech. The word "Saint" can be a bit of a misnomer for Muslims, we do not think they wre infallible, only that they were of high spiritual caliber due to the extent by which they " held themselves to account" in all matters and the success God, Exalted is He, gave them.

The first site we visited was the tomb of Yusuf bin Ali, a Yemeni who had come to Morocco to spread Islamic knowledge. He had many students and followers. He was a lepor and was grateful for his leprosy because he said that through it, God revealed for him many things from the Unseen world. We were actually able to crawl down into the actual place where his body is buried. It was a strong overpowering moment and I commented to my friends as we drove away from his tomb, that it is not often one gets to walk out of a grave.

Next we went to the grave of Qadi Ayad ( d.1149 c.e.) Those of you who are familiar with Islamic texts should know him as the author of the book Kitab Ash-shifa bi ta'rif huquq al-Mustafa, (Healing by the Recognition of the Rights of the Chosen one [Prophet Muhammad]. Although he spent most of his life in Andalusia (Muslim Spain), politics led to him being buried in Marrakech . His resting place is truly peaceful and well kept. I wish the same for that of one of his servants whose resting place is near his, she was described to me as a woman who used to make his bread and was known to be of a good spritual station herself.

Abu Abbas as-Sebti (12th century), was the next tomb/shrine we visited. The walk up to it is lined with poor and sick people and people selling candles. As-Sebti (which means he was from Sebta, the Northern Moroccan town that Spain now colonizes) interpreted a certain verse of the Quran that related to being just and righteous in terms of his material possessions and began a process of giving away half of everything he owned or came his way. As the years went on, he increased the amount he gave away gradually until eventually he would give away 9/10ths of his possessions. During his lifetime the poor and sick sought his charity and even today, groups of blind men sit inside and outside of his shrine complex, awaiting donations by those who come to visit the tomb.

Once you give them the money, one of the men makes a long prayer for you and all of the other blind men there answer after his every supplication for you , "Ameen!" They all split whatever is donated equally between themselves.

We left As Sebti's tomb to head towards the one that I must admit i was looking forward to the most, and that is the resting place of Imam al-Jazuli. I often walk past the dorm where Imam al-Jazuli lived while a student in Fes at the Qarawiyin and am in awe of him every time I read from his book , Dala'il al Khayrat, the Guide to Blessings. ( For more info, look at this article about the book) He was so beloved that his grave was actually moved from the coastal town of As-safi to Marrakech because the people there wanted to have him close to them. Al Jazuli is also credited with having revived the Shadhili tariqa here in Morocco.

This was our last stop before lunch and then an awe inspiring visit to the the Madrasa of Ben Yousef. I think i have gone on long enough now however and will save the Madrasa and the other shrines we visited for another post God willing.

Keep Hope Alive