Morocco & Islam

I'm excited about heading off to Morocco for 10 days for my vacation on August the 17th. As is typical of my planning, I'm likely going during the hottest part of the Moroccan year, and I plan to take the train into Marrakech where it should prove even hotter. Some folks may think me loony not only for going in the heat, but also for going to a Muslim country in the first place.

Well, no need to worry. I've checked with the State Department, read up on the history, and not only does the United States have a long-standing and friendly relationship with Morocco, but it continues to be solid to this day. As the State Department says, "Morocco also was among the first Arab and Islamic states to denounce the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States and declare solidarity with the American people in the war against terrorism."

Here, Susan Kostrzewa writes about being in Essaouira, Morocco on 9/11 and how the locals mourned the loss of American lives that day.

For the last three days of our trip, Moroccans shared their sorrow with us. In the markets of Marrakech, merchants famous for their hard sell tactics stopped, sucked in air, and sighed. “This is terrible for the whole world, not just America,” one man said, shaking his head. His focus lost, he found difficulty wheeling and dealing with us, and left us alone to browse.

Another merchant valiantly attempted to describe his fear of anti-Muslim backlash in the little English he knew. “We like America,” he said, a hint of desperation in his voice. He backed away from us, holding his hands out as if in defense, “We want America to like us. If they not like us, “ he laughed nervously, “That’s not good. That’s not good.”

Yes, Morocco is an Islamic country--almost 100% of Moroccans are Muslim. But then there are over one billion Muslims in the world. Islam is the fastest growing, second-largest religion in the world. Most of these Muslims--you'd think one wouldn't need to say it--are not out to get us. That's something we Americans forget when we fret needlessly over the presence of a few Syrian musicians on a plane.

Unlike the Journal's Annie Jacobsen then, Kostrzewa writes that being in Morocco after 9/11 didn't phase her:

We never felt afraid of being in a Muslim country during these days of uncertainty. If anything, we felt uncomfortable to be the focus of attention of so many, whose compassionate expressions and kind words followed us wherever we went. In most cases, it was the somber silence, the locking of eyes, that spoke of the fear and sorrow we all felt, Moroccans and Americans alike.

I found it impossible to equate the devout, charitable ideology of Islam to the terrorist attacks. Throughout our stay in Morocco, we were impressed with the serenity, patience and kindness of the Moroccan people. Beggars in the street were gently handed alms, acknowledged with kind words. Children and the elderly were looked out for by strangers, even in the bustling souks of Fes and Marrakech.

...

When we needed them the most, Moroccans reached out to us. As our guide had said at our parting, friends are “two bodies, but one heart and one mind.” At a time when the world was so unstable, I found neither cultural, nor religious, nor political boundaries in Morocco, just compassion from one person to another.

As the merchants in Marrakech had said, we are all humans. And that should be enough to unite us.

I agree. So I'm trying to learn a little Arabic and French (a very little; languages don't come easy for me), and I'm off to Casablanca, Marrakech and wherever else strikes my fancy. I'm not going because it's a Muslim country. I'm not going to make any sort of point. I'm going . . . because I want to go.

(P.S., I for one don't think Annie Jacobsen's story has been thoroughly enough debunked; I'd encourage you to link to stories which explain the numerous fallacies behind her story, too. You'll note that I've not linked to it in it's original context. You can find it by searching for her name and "Terror in the Skies, Again?" If you blog her story, you may wish to link to the Snopes article or the Salon feature--written by a pilot--which both thoroughly debunk her account.)