Moroccan Poetry
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Moroccan literature are the written and oral works of Moroccan culture. These works have been produced and shared by people who lived in
Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocc ...
and the historical states that have existed partially or entirely within the geographical area of modern-day Morocco. Apart from the various forms of
oral literature Oral literature, orature, or folk literature is a genre of literature that is spoken or sung in contrast to that which is written, though much oral literature has been transcribed. There is no standard definition, as anthropologists have used v ...
, the written literature of Morocco encompasses various
genre Genre () is any style or form of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other fo ...
s, including poetry, prose, theater, and nonfiction including philosophical and
religious literature {{Commons Literature by genre Literature Literature is any collection of Writing, written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially novels, Play (theatre), plays, and poetry, ...
. Moroccan literature has mainly been written in
Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
and
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
, and to a lesser extent also in
Berber languages The Berber languages, also known as the Amazigh languages or Tamazight, are a branch of the Afroasiatic language family. They comprise a group of closely related but mostly mutually unintelligible languages spoken by Berbers, Berber communities, ...
,
Judeo-Arabic Judeo-Arabic (; ; ) sometimes referred as Sharh, are a group of different ethnolects within the branches of the Arabic language used by jewish communities. Although Jewish use of Arabic, which predates Islam, has been in some ways distinct ...
,
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...
, and after the mid-19th century in English. ages needed/sup> Through translations into English and other languages, Moroccan literature has become accessible to readers worldwide. Most of the literature written by Moroccans was created since the arrival of Islam in the 8th century, before which native
Berber Berber or Berbers may refer to: Ethnic group * Berbers, an ethnic group native to Northern Africa * Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages Places * Berber, Sudan, a town on the Nile People with the surname * Ady Berber (1913–196 ...
communities primarily had oral literary traditions.


Introduction

Early works of Moroccan national literary history sought to affirm the place and contributions of Arabic literature in Morocco within the Arabic literary canon. Abdellah Guennoun's 1937 anthology ''
An-Nubūgh al-Maghribī fī al-Adab al-'Arabī ''An-Nubūgh al-Maghribī fī al-adab al-ʻArabī'' ( ‘Moroccan Ingenuity in Arab Literature’) is an anthology of Moroccan literature compiled by the Moroccan scholar Abdellah Guennoun and published in three volumes in 1937. It has been consi ...
'' ( ''Moroccan Excellence in Arabic Literature'')—generally regarded as the first work on the literary history of Morocco—places the origin of literature in Morocco at the
arrival Arrival(s) or The Arrival(s) may refer to: Film * ''The Arrival'' (1991 film), an American science fiction horror film * ''The Arrival'' (1996 film), an American-Mexican science fiction horror film * ''Arrival'' (film), a 2016 American science ...
time of Arabic and Islam in North Africa. The poet 1929 anthology of Moroccan poets ' had similar aims.'''' 1982 anthology ''al-Wafī fī al-adab al-‘arabī fī al-Maghrib al-aqṣā'' (Compendium of Arabic Literature in Morocco) largely followed the same pattern.'''' In the 1970s, writers such as ʿAbbās al-Jarārī, the first professor of Moroccan literature at a Moroccan university and author of the 1979 ''al-Adab al-maghribī min khilāl ḍawāhirihi wa-qaḍāyāhu'' (Moroccan Literature Through Its Phenomena and Issues), began to discuss the idea of a more geographically defined national 'Moroccan literature' as opposed to the idea of 'Arabic literature in Morocco.'' In addition to affirming the place of Moroccan contributions within Arabic literature, al-Jarārī expanded the scope of literature in Morocco to include oral and popular culture in pre-Islamic Morocco, the culture of
Western Sahara Western Sahara is a territorial dispute, disputed territory in Maghreb, North-western Africa. It has a surface area of . Approximately 30% of the territory () is controlled by the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR); the remaining 70% is ...
, and
Andalusi literature The literature of al-Andalus, also known as Andalusi literature (, ), was produced in al-Andalus, or Islamic Iberia, from the Muslim conquest in 711 to either the Catholic conquest of Granada in 1492 or the expulsion of the Moors ending in 1614. A ...
.'''' The interweaving of Moroccan and Andalusi literary traditions was a point of continuity between early writers such as Guennoun and al-Qabbāj and later writers such as al-Jarārī.'''' Saʿīd Yaqṭīn described Moroccan literature as a “natural extension” (امتداد طبيعي) to Andalusi literature.'''' The term ''Maghrebin'' arose in the 1960s to denote the phenomenon of North African authors writing in French.'''' Among them were Moroccan writers associated with the literary magazine '' Souffles-Anfas'' led by
Abdellatif Laabi Abdellatif Laâbi (; born 1942) is a Moroccan poet, journalist, novelist, playwright, translator and political activist. Laâbi, then teaching French, founded with other poets the artistic journal Souffles, an important literary review in 1966 ...
, including Abdelkebir Khatibi,
Mohammed Berrada Mohammed Berrada (), also transliterated Muhammad Baradah (born 1938 in Rabat) is a Moroccan novelist, literary critic and translator writing in Arabic. He is considered one of Morocco's most important modern authors.Salim Jay, "Dictionnaire des ...
, and others.'''' This trend embraced a more inclusive spirit in the consideration of literature and pushed against monolingualism and the hegemony of the Arab-Islamic national identity promoted by the old intellectual elite associated with the
Moroccan Nationalist Movement The Moroccan Nationalist Movement () was an Arab nationalist and Pan-Arabist political movement in Morocco that opposed the French protectorate. It was nominally led by the Moroccan sultan Mohammed bin Youssef. Most of its leaders were from th ...
.'''' Scholars writing on the idea of Moroccan literature in French include and Abderrahman Tenkoul.'''' By the early 21st century, conceptions of Moroccan literature became more capacious.'''' Literature in
Amazigh Berbers, or the Berber peoples, also known as Amazigh or Imazighen, are a diverse grouping of distinct ethnic groups indigenous to North Africa who predate the arrival of Arabs in the Maghreb. Their main connections are identified by their u ...
and Moroccan vernacular Arabic (Darija), neglected in earlier conceptions of literature in Morocco, started to gain recognition and prominence.'''' The 2001 establishment of the
Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture The Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture ( (IRCAM); (SGSM); ) is an academic institute of the Moroccan government in charge with the promotion of the Berber languages and culture, and of the development of Standard Moroccan Amazigh and its instru ...
(IRCAM) had an important role in the recognition and promotion of Amazigh literature and culture.'''' In the case of Darija, poets such as Ahmed Lemsyeh expounded upon heritage vernacular poetic forms such as ''
zajal ''Zajal'' () is a traditional form of oral Strophic form, strophic poetry declaimed in a colloquial dialect. The earliest recorded zajal poet was Ibn Quzman of al-Andalus who lived from 1078 to 1160. Most scholars see the Andalusi Arabic ''zajal' ...
'' and '' malhun''.'''' Particularly following the
2011 Moroccan constitutional referendum A referendum on constitutional reforms was held in Morocco on 1 July 2011, called by the king in response to a series of protests across Morocco that began on 20 February 2011 when over ten thousand Moroccans participated in demonstrations deman ...
, Sahrawi popular culture—including poetry, music, and folklore in
Hassaniya Arabic Hassaniya Arabic (; also known as , , , , and Maure) is a variety of Maghrebi Arabic spoken by Mauritanian Arabs, Malian Arabs and the Sahrawis. It was spoken by the Beni Ḥassān Bedouin tribes of Yemeni origin who extended their authority o ...
—rose in importance in the construction of Moroccanness.'''' 21st century conceptions of Moroccan literature also include works in various languages, by Moroccan writers living inside the territory of Morocco as well as abroad.'''' ''al-Adab al-maghribī al-muʿāṣir (1926-2007)'' ('Contemporary Moroccan Literature, 1926-2007'), which included works in Amazigh, Spanish, and English in addition to works in Arabic and French, was published by the Ministry or Culture in 2009.''''


Mauro-Andalusi

According to Abdallah Guennoun's anthology '' an-Nubugh ul-Maghrebi'', Moroccan literature in Arabic can be traced back to a Friday
sermon A sermon is a religious discourse or oration by a preacher, usually a member of clergy. Sermons address a scriptural, theological, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present context ...
given by
Tariq ibn Ziyad Tariq ibn Ziyad ( ; ), also known simply as Tarik in English, was an Umayyad commander who initiated the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula (present-day Spain and Portugal) against the Visigothic Kingdom in 711–718 AD. He led an army and ...
at the time of the conquest of Iberia. For part of its history, Moroccan literature and literature in
al-Andalus Al-Andalus () was the Muslim-ruled area of the Iberian Peninsula. The name refers to the different Muslim states that controlled these territories at various times between 711 and 1492. At its greatest geographical extent, it occupied most o ...
can be considered as one, since Morocco and al-Andalus were united under the
Almoravid The Almoravid dynasty () was a Berber Muslim dynasty centered in the territory of present-day Morocco. It established an empire that stretched over the western Maghreb and Al-Andalus, starting in the 1050s and lasting until its fall to the Almo ...
and
Almohad The Almohad Caliphate (; or or from ) or Almohad Empire was a North African Berber Muslim empire founded in the 12th century. At its height, it controlled much of the Iberian Peninsula (Al-Andalus) and North Africa (the Maghreb). The Almohad ...
empires. Additionally, a number of writers from medieval
al-Andalus Al-Andalus () was the Muslim-ruled area of the Iberian Peninsula. The name refers to the different Muslim states that controlled these territories at various times between 711 and 1492. At its greatest geographical extent, it occupied most o ...
migrated to Morocco for different reasons; some, such as
Al-Mu'tamid ibn Abbad al-Muʿtamid Muḥammad ibn ʿAbbād al-Lakhmī (; reigned c. 1069–1091, lived 1040–1095), also known as Abbad III, was the third and last ruler of the Taifa of Seville in Al-Andalus, as well as a renowned poet. He was the final ruler ...
,
Maimonides Moses ben Maimon (1138–1204), commonly known as Maimonides (, ) and also referred to by the Hebrew acronym Rambam (), was a Sephardic rabbi and Jewish philosophy, philosopher who became one of the most prolific and influential Torah schola ...
,
Ibn al-Khatib Lisan ad-Din Ibn al-Khatib (; 16 November 1313 – 1374) was an Arab Andalusi polymath, poet, writer, historian, philosopher, physician and politician from Emirate of Granada. Being one of the most notable poets from Granada, his poems decorate ...
, and
Leo Africanus Johannes Leo Africanus (born al-Ḥasan ibn Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad al-Wazzān al-Zayyātī al-Fasī, ; – ) was an Andalusi diplomat and author who is best known for his 1526 book '' Cosmographia et geographia de Affrica'', later publish ...
were forced to leave, while others, such as
Ibn Rushd Ibn Rushd (14 April 112611 December 1198), archaically Latinized as Averroes, was an Arab Muslim polymath and jurist from Al-Andalus who wrote about many subjects, including philosophy, theology, medicine, astronomy, physics, psychology, math ...
, went in search of opportunity.
Yahya ibn Yahya al-Laythi Abu Muhammad Yahya ibn Yahya ibn Kathir ibn Wislasen ibn Shammal ibn Mangaya al-Laythi () (born: 769 / died: 848), better known as Yahya ibn Yahya, was a prominent Andalusian Muslim scholar. He was responsible for spreading the Maliki school of ...
, a Muslim scholar of
Masmuda The Masmuda (, Berber: ⵉⵎⵙⵎⵓⴷⵏ) is a Berber tribal confederation , one of the largest in the Maghreb, along with the Zenata and the Sanhaja. Today, the Masmuda confederacy largely corresponds to the speakers of the Tashelhit lan ...
Berber Berber or Berbers may refer to: Ethnic group * Berbers, an ethnic group native to Northern Africa * Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages Places * Berber, Sudan, a town on the Nile People with the surname * Ady Berber (1913–196 ...
ancestry and a grandson of one of the conquerors of
al-Andalus Al-Andalus () was the Muslim-ruled area of the Iberian Peninsula. The name refers to the different Muslim states that controlled these territories at various times between 711 and 1492. At its greatest geographical extent, it occupied most o ...
, was responsible for spreading
Maliki The Maliki school or Malikism is one of the four major madhhab, schools of Islamic jurisprudence within Sunni Islam. It was founded by Malik ibn Anas () in the 8th century. In contrast to the Ahl al-Hadith and Ahl al-Ra'y schools of thought, the ...
jurisprudence Jurisprudence, also known as theory of law or philosophy of law, is the examination in a general perspective of what law is and what it ought to be. It investigates issues such as the definition of law; legal validity; legal norms and values ...
in al-Andalus and the Maghreb and is considered the most important transmitter of Malik ibn Anas's ''Muwatta'' (compilation of
Hadith Hadith is the Arabic word for a 'report' or an 'account f an event and refers to the Islamic oral tradition of anecdotes containing the purported words, actions, and the silent approvals of the Islamic prophet Muhammad or his immediate circle ...
).


Idrissid period

Sebta,
Tangier Tangier ( ; , , ) is a city in northwestern Morocco, on the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The city is the capital city, capital of the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region, as well as the Tangier-Assilah Prefecture of Moroc ...
,
Basra Basra () is a port city in Iraq, southern Iraq. It is the capital of the eponymous Basra Governorate, as well as the List of largest cities of Iraq, third largest city in Iraq overall, behind Baghdad and Mosul. Located near the Iran–Iraq bor ...
(a settlement founded by the Idrissids near al-Qasar al-Kebir), and
Asilah Asilah () is a fortified town on the northwest tip of the Atlantic coast of Morocco, about south of Tangier. Its ramparts and gateworks remain fully intact. History The town's history dates back to 1500 B.C., when Phoenicians occupied a site ...
were important cultural centers during the Idrissid period.


Barghwata

Al-Bakri Abū ʿUbayd ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Muḥammad ibn Ayyūb ibn ʿAmr al-Bakrī (), or simply al-Bakrī (c. 1040–1094) was an Arab Andalusian historian and a geographer of the Muslim West. Life Al-Bakri was born in Huelva, the ...
mentions in his
Book of Roads and Kingdoms The ''Book of Roads and Kingdoms'' (, ''Kitāb al-Masālik waʿl-Mamālik'') is a group of Islamic manuscripts composed from the Middle Ages to the early modern period. They emerged from the administrative tradition of listing pilgrim and post st ...
that
Salih ibn Tarif Salih ibn Tarif () was the second king of the Berghouata kingdom, the prophet of a new Abrahamic religion, and the eponymous ancestor of the Oulad Salah tribe of Morocco. He appeared during the caliphate of Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik in 744 AD. The e ...
, king of the
Barghawata The Barghawatas (or Barghwata, Berghouata) were a Berbers, Berber tribal confederation and religious movement that ruled a region of the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast in present-day Morocco between the 8th and 11th centuries. They belonged to the ...
, professed to be a prophet, and claimed that a new
Quran The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...
was revealed to him.
Ibn Khaldun Ibn Khaldun (27 May 1332 – 17 March 1406, 732–808 Hijri year, AH) was an Arabs, Arab Islamic scholar, historian, philosopher and sociologist. He is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest social scientists of the Middle Ages, and cons ...
also mentions the "''Quran of Salih''" in '' Kitāb al-ʿIbar'', writing that it contained "
surah A ''surah'' (; ; ) is an Arabic word meaning 'chapter' in the Quran. There are 114 ''suwar'' in the Quran, each divided into ayah, verses (). The ''suwar'' are of unequal length; the shortest ''surah'' (al-Kawthar) has only three verses, while ...
s" named after prophets such as Adam, Noah, and Moses, as well as after animals such as the rooster, the camel, and the elephant.


University of al-Qarawiyyin

Fatima al-Fihri Fatima bint Muhammad al-Fihriya al-Qurashiyya (), known in shorter form as Fatima al-Fihriya or Fatima al-Fihri, was an Arab woman who is credited with founding the al-Qarawiyyin Mosque in 857–859 CE in Fez, Morocco. She is also known as (" ...
founded al-Qarawiyiin University in
Fes Fez () or Fes (; ) is a city in northern inland Morocco and the capital of the Fez-Meknes administrative region. It is one of the largest cities in Morocco, with a population of 1.256 million, according to the 2024 census. Located to the nort ...
in 859. Particularly from the beginning of the 12th century, this university played an important role in the development of Moroccan literature, welcoming scholars and writers from throughout the Maghreb, al-Andalus, and the Mediterranean Basin. Among the scholars who studied and taught there were
Ibn Khaldoun Ibn Khaldun (27 May 1332 – 17 March 1406, 732–808 AH) was an Arab Islamic scholar, historian, philosopher and sociologist. He is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest social scientists of the Middle Ages, and considered by a number ...
,
Ibn al-Khatib Lisan ad-Din Ibn al-Khatib (; 16 November 1313 – 1374) was an Arab Andalusi polymath, poet, writer, historian, philosopher, physician and politician from Emirate of Granada. Being one of the most notable poets from Granada, his poems decorate ...
, Al-Bannani,
al-Bitruji Nūr al-Dīn ibn Isḥaq al-Biṭrūjī (, died c. 1204), known in the West by the Latinized name of Alpetragius, was an Arab astronomer and qadi in al-Andalus. Al-Biṭrūjī was the first astronomer to present the concentric spheres model as an ...
, Ibn Hirzihim ( Sidi Harazim) and Al-Wazzan (
Leo Africanus Johannes Leo Africanus (born al-Ḥasan ibn Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad al-Wazzān al-Zayyātī al-Fasī, ; – ) was an Andalusi diplomat and author who is best known for his 1526 book '' Cosmographia et geographia de Affrica'', later publish ...
) as well as the Jewish theologian
Maimonides Moses ben Maimon (1138–1204), commonly known as Maimonides (, ) and also referred to by the Hebrew acronym Rambam (), was a Sephardic rabbi and Jewish philosophy, philosopher who became one of the most prolific and influential Torah schola ...
and the Catholic
Pope Sylvester II Pope Sylvester II (; – 12 May 1003), originally known as Gerbert of Aurillac, was a scholar and teacher who served as the bishop of Rome and ruled the Papal States from 999 to his death. He endorsed and promoted study of Science in the medieva ...
. The writings of
Sufi Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...
leaders played an important role in literary and intellectual life in Morocco from this early period (e.g.
Abu-l-Hassan ash-Shadhili Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili () (full name: Abū al-Ḥasan ʿAlī ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-Jabbār al-Ḥasanī wal-Ḥusaynī al-Shādhilī) also known as Sheikh al-Shadhili (593–656 AH) (1196–1258 AD) was an influential Moroccan Islamic ...
and al-Jazouli) until the present (e.g.
Muhammad ibn al-Habib Muhammad ibn al-Habib ibn as-Siddiq al-Amghari al-Idrisi al-Hasani (1876–1972), was a Moroccan Islamic teacher, author, and shaykh of the Darqawi ''tariqa'' in Morocco. Life and education Muhammad Ibn al-Habib was born in Fes in 1876. At t ...
).


Judeo-Moroccan literature

An early example of Judeo-Moroccan literature is the 9th-century ''Risalah'' of
Judah ibn Kuraish Judah ibn Kuraish (, , ), was an Algerian-Jewish grammarian and lexicographer. He was born at Tiaret in Algeria and flourished in the 9th century. While his grammatical works advanced little beyond his predecessors, he was the first to study compa ...
to the Jews of Fes, written in Judeo-Arabic with
Hebrew script The Hebrew alphabet (, ), known variously by scholars as the Ktav Ashuri, Jewish script, square script and block script, is a unicase, unicameral abjad script used in the writing of the Hebrew language and other Jewish languages, most notably ...
.


Almoravid period

The cultural interchange between Morocco and al-Andalusi rapidly accelerated with this political unification and
Almoravid The Almoravid dynasty () was a Berber Muslim dynasty centered in the territory of present-day Morocco. It established an empire that stretched over the western Maghreb and Al-Andalus, starting in the 1050s and lasting until its fall to the Almo ...
sultans stimulated culture in their courts and in the country. This process began when Yusuf Bin Tashfin, upon taking control of al-Andalus after the Battle of az-Zallaqah (Sagrajas), and continued with al-Mu'tamid Bin Abbad, poet king of the
Taifa of Seville The Taifa of Seville ( ''Ta'ifat-u Ishbiliyyah'') was an Arab kingdom which was ruled by the Abbadid dynasty. It was established in 1023 and lasted until 1091, in what is today southern Spain and Portugal. It gained independence from the Calipha ...
, to Tangier and ultimately
Aghmat Aghmat ( Tashelhit: ''Aɣmat'', ''Āghmāt''; pronounced locally ''Ughmat, Uɣmat'') was an important commercial medieval Berber town in Morocco. It is today an archaeological site known as "Joumâa Aghmat". The city is located approximately 30& ...
. The historian
Ibn Hayyan Abū Marwān Ḥayyān ibn Khalaf ibn Ḥusayn ibn Ḥayyān al-Andalusī al-Qurṭubī () (987–1075), usually known as Ibn Hayyan, was an Arab Muslim historian from Al-Andalus Al-Andalus () was the Muslim-ruled area of the Iberian Pen ...
lived the end of his life in the Almoravid empire, as did
Al-Bakri Abū ʿUbayd ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Muḥammad ibn Ayyūb ibn ʿAmr al-Bakrī (), or simply al-Bakrī (c. 1040–1094) was an Arab Andalusian historian and a geographer of the Muslim West. Life Al-Bakri was born in Huelva, the ...
, author of ''Roads and Kingdoms''. In the Almoravid period two writers stand out:
Ayyad ben Moussa Abū al-Faḍl ʿIyāḍ ibn Mūsā ibn ʿIyāḍ ibn ʿAmr ibn Mūsā ibn ʿIyāḍ ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Mūsā ibn ʿIyāḍ al-Yaḥṣubī al-Sabtī (Camilo Gómez-Rivas, Islamic Legal Thought: A Compendium of Muslim Jurists, ...
and Ibn Bajja. Ayyad is known for having authored ''Kitāb al-Shifāʾ bīTaʾrif Ḥuqūq al-Muṣṭafá''. The writings of
Abu Imran al-Fasi Abū ʿImrān Mūsā ibn ʿĪsā ibn Abī 'l-Ḥājj (or Ḥajjāj) al-Fāsī () (also simply known as Abū ʿImrān al-Fāsī; born between 975 and 978, died 8 June 1039) was a Moroccan Maliki ''faqīh'' born at Fez to a Berber or Arab family wh ...
, a Moroccan
Maliki The Maliki school or Malikism is one of the four major madhhab, schools of Islamic jurisprudence within Sunni Islam. It was founded by Malik ibn Anas () in the 8th century. In contrast to the Ahl al-Hadith and Ahl al-Ra'y schools of thought, the ...
scholar, influenced
Yahya Ibn Ibrahim Yahya Ibn Ibrahim () (c. 1048) N. Levtzion and J. F. P. Hopkins, ''Corpus of Early Arabic Sources for West African History'' (Cambridge, 1981) was a leader of the Godala tribe in the Adrar plateau modern day Mauritania. Yahya Ibn Ibrahim's primary ...
and the early Almoravid movement.


''Zajal''

Under the Almoravids, Mauro-Andalusi strophic ''
zajal ''Zajal'' () is a traditional form of oral Strophic form, strophic poetry declaimed in a colloquial dialect. The earliest recorded zajal poet was Ibn Quzman of al-Andalus who lived from 1078 to 1160. Most scholars see the Andalusi Arabic ''zajal' ...
'' poetry flourished. In his ''
Muqaddimah The ''Muqaddimah'' ( "Introduction"), also known as the ''Muqaddimah of Ibn Khaldun'' () or ''Ibn Khaldun's Introduction (writing), Prolegomena'' (), is a book written by the historian Ibn Khaldun in 1377 which presents a view of Universal histo ...
'',
Ibn Khaldun Ibn Khaldun (27 May 1332 – 17 March 1406, 732–808 Hijri year, AH) was an Arabs, Arab Islamic scholar, historian, philosopher and sociologist. He is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest social scientists of the Middle Ages, and cons ...
discusses the development of ''zajal'' in
al-Andalus Al-Andalus () was the Muslim-ruled area of the Iberian Peninsula. The name refers to the different Muslim states that controlled these territories at various times between 711 and 1492. At its greatest geographical extent, it occupied most o ...
under the Almoravids, mentioning
Ibn Quzman Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Isa Abd al-Malik ibn Isa ibn Quzman al-Zuhri (; 1087–1160) was the single most famous poet in the history of Al-Andalus and he is also considered to be one of its most original. One of the characteristics of his poetry was ...
,
Ibn Zuhr Abū Marwān ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Zuhr (), traditionally known by his Latinized name Avenzoar (; 1094–1162), was an Arab physician, surgeon, and poet. He was born at Seville in medieval Andalusia (present-day Spain), was a contemporary of A ...
, and others. Although Andalusi ''zajal'' was originally composed in the local Arabic of Cordoba, Ibn Khaldun also mentions the importance of ''zajal'' in Moroccan cities such as
Fes Fez () or Fes (; ) is a city in northern inland Morocco and the capital of the Fez-Meknes administrative region. It is one of the largest cities in Morocco, with a population of 1.256 million, according to the 2024 census. Located to the nort ...
.


''Muwashah poetry''

A great number of poets from the Almoravid period in al-Andalus, such as the writers of
muwashahat ''Muwashshah'' ( ' ' girdled'; plural '; also ' 'girdling,' pl. ') is a strophic poetic form that developed in al-Andalus in the late 10th and early 11th centuries. The ', embodying the Iberian rhyme revolution, was the major Andalusi innov ...
Al-Tutili,
Ibn Baqi Ibn Baqi () or Abu Bakr Yahya Ibn Muhammad Ibn Abd al-Rahman Ibn Baqi () (died 1145 or 1150) was an Arab poet from Córdoba or Toledo in al-Andalus. Baqi is one of the best-known strophic poets and songwriters of Al-Andalus. He moved between Mo ...
,
Ibn Khafaja Abu Ishaq ibn Ibrahim ibn Abu al-Fath (1058–1138/9), called Ibn Khafajah (إبن خفاجة), a native of Alzira, Valencia, Alzira, was a poet of al-Andalus during the reign of the Almoravids.Samuel G. Armistead, E. Michael Gerli (ed.), ''Medie ...
and Ibn Sahl, are mentioned in anthological works such as ''Kharidat al-Qasr'' (), Ibn Dihya's ''Al Mutrib'' ()'','' and Abū Ṭāhir al-Silafī's ''Mujam as-Sifr'' ().


Almohad period

Under the
Almohad dynasty The Almohad Caliphate (; or or from ) or Almohad Empire was a North African Berber Muslim empire founded in the 12th century. At its height, it controlled much of the Iberian Peninsula (Al-Andalus) and North Africa (the Maghreb). The Almohad ...
(1147–1269) Morocco experienced another period of prosperity and learning. The Imam
Ibn Tumart Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad Ibn Tūmart (, ca. 1080–1130) was a Muslim religion, religious scholar, teacher and political leader, from the Sous in southern present-day Morocco. He founded and served as the spiritual and first military leader ...
, founding leader of the Almohad movement, authored a book entitled '' E'az Ma Yutlab'' ( ''The Most Noble Calling''). The
Almohad The Almohad Caliphate (; or or from ) or Almohad Empire was a North African Berber Muslim empire founded in the 12th century. At its height, it controlled much of the Iberian Peninsula (Al-Andalus) and North Africa (the Maghreb). The Almohad ...
rulers built the
Marrakech Marrakesh or Marrakech (; , ) is the fourth-largest city in Morocco. It is one of the four imperial cities of Morocco and is the capital of the Marrakesh–Safi Regions of Morocco, region. The city lies west of the foothills of the Atlas Mounta ...
Koutoubia Mosque, which accommodated no fewer than 25,000 people, but was also famed for its books, manuscripts, libraries and book shops, which gave it its name. The
Almohad The Almohad Caliphate (; or or from ) or Almohad Empire was a North African Berber Muslim empire founded in the 12th century. At its height, it controlled much of the Iberian Peninsula (Al-Andalus) and North Africa (the Maghreb). The Almohad ...
sultan
Abu Yaqub Yusuf Abu Ya‘qub Yusuf or Yusuf I ( ''Abū Ya‘qūb Yūsuf''; 1135 – 14 October 1184) was the second Almohad ''Amir'' or caliph. He reigned from 1163 until 1184 in Marrakesh. He was responsible for the construction of the Giralda in Seville, whi ...
had a great love for collecting books. ages needed/sup> He founded a great private library, which was eventually moved to the
kasbah A kasbah (, also ; , , Maghrebi Arabic: ), also spelled qasbah, qasba, qasaba, or casbah, is a fortress, most commonly the citadel or fortified quarter of a city. It is also equivalent to the term in Spanish (), which is derived from the same ...
of
Marrakech Marrakesh or Marrakech (; , ) is the fourth-largest city in Morocco. It is one of the four imperial cities of Morocco and is the capital of the Marrakesh–Safi Regions of Morocco, region. The city lies west of the foothills of the Atlas Mounta ...
and turned into a public library. Under the
Almohad The Almohad Caliphate (; or or from ) or Almohad Empire was a North African Berber Muslim empire founded in the 12th century. At its height, it controlled much of the Iberian Peninsula (Al-Andalus) and North Africa (the Maghreb). The Almohad ...
s, the sovereigns encouraged the construction of schools and sponsored scholars of every sort.
Ibn Rushd Ibn Rushd (14 April 112611 December 1198), archaically Latinized as Averroes, was an Arab Muslim polymath and jurist from Al-Andalus who wrote about many subjects, including philosophy, theology, medicine, astronomy, physics, psychology, math ...
(
Averroes Ibn Rushd (14 April 112611 December 1198), archaically Latinization of names, Latinized as Averroes, was an Arab Muslim polymath and Faqīh, jurist from Al-Andalus who wrote about many subjects, including philosophy, theology, medicine, astron ...
),
Ibn Tufail Ibn Ṭufayl ( – 1185) was an Arab Andalusian Muslim polymath: a writer, Islamic philosopher, Islamic theologian, physician, astronomer, and vizier. As a philosopher and novelist, he is most famous for writing the first philosophical nov ...
,
Ibn al-Abbar Ibn al-Abbār (), he was Hāfiẓ Abū Abd Allāh Muḥammad ibn 'Abdullah ibn Abū Bakr al-Qudā'ī al-Balansī () (1199–1260) a secretary to Hafsid dynasty princes, well-known poet, diplomat, jurist and hadith scholar from al ...
, Ibn Amira and many more poets, philosophers and scholars found sanctuary and served the
Almohad The Almohad Caliphate (; or or from ) or Almohad Empire was a North African Berber Muslim empire founded in the 12th century. At its height, it controlled much of the Iberian Peninsula (Al-Andalus) and North Africa (the Maghreb). The Almohad ...
rulers. The female poet
Hafsa bint al-Hajj al-Rukuniyya Ḥafṣa bint al-Ḥājj ar-Rakūniyya (, born c. 1135, died AH 586/1190–91 CE) was a Granadan aristocrat and perhaps one of the most celebrated Andalusian female poets of medieval Arabic literature. Biography We know little about Ḥafṣ ...
settled in at the Almohad court in Marrakesh and taught the sultan's family. Mohamed Jabroun argued that it was under the Almohads that
madrasa Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , ), sometimes Romanization of Arabic, romanized as madrasah or madrassa, is the Arabic word for any Educational institution, type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whet ...
s first appeared in Morocco, starting under the reign of
Abd al-Mu'min Abd al-Mu'min (c. 1094–1163) (; full name: ʿAbd al-Muʾmin ibn ʿAlī ibn ʿAlwī ibn Yaʿlā al-Kūmī Abū Muḥammad) was a prominent member of the Almohad movement. Although the Almohad movement itself was founded by Ibn Tumart, Abd al-Mu' ...
, in order to train those who would take roles in the empire's leadership and administration. In this period,
Ibn Arabi Ibn Arabi (July 1165–November 1240) was an Andalusian Sunni Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest com ...
established himself in Fes and studied under Mohammed ibn Qasim al-Tamimi, author of ''An-Najm al-Mushriqa''.
Abu Ishaq Ibrahim al-Kanemi Abū Isḥāq Ibrāhīm al-Kānemī (; c. 1159 – c. 1212) was a West African poet and grammarian from the Kanem-Bornu Empire of contemporary Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, Libya, and Chad. He was the first to write in Arabic in the central Sudan. I ...
, an Afro-Arab poet from Kanem, wrote panegyric ''
qasida The qaṣīda (also spelled ''qaṣīdah''; plural ''qaṣā’id'') is an ancient Arabic word and form of poetry, often translated as ode. The qasida originated in pre-Islamic Arabic poetry and passed into non-Arabic cultures after the Arab Mus ...
s'' in praise of Caliph
Yaqub al-Mansur Abū Yūsuf Yaʿqūb ibn Yūsuf ibn Abd al-Muʾmin al-Manṣūr (; d. 23 January 1199), commonly known as Yaqub al-Mansur () or Moulay Yacoub (), was the third Almohad caliph. Succeeding his father, al-Mansur reigned from 1184 to 1199. His reig ...
.


Judeo-Moroccan literature in the Middle Ages

Jewish culture experienced a golden age in the medieval Western Islamic world, particularly in literature. Among the most prominent Jewish writers of this period were
Isaac Alfasi Isaac ben Jacob Alfasi (1013–1103) (, ), also known as the Alfasi or by his Hebrew acronym, the Rif (Rabbi Isaac al-Fasi), was a Maghrebi Talmudist and posek (decider in matters of halakha, Jewish law). He is best known for his work of '' ...
,
Joseph ben Judah ibn Aknin Joseph ben Judah ibn Aknin (, ; ) was a Sephardic Jewish writer of numerous treatises, mostly on the ''Mishnah'' and the Talmud. He was born in Barcelona, but settled in Fes, where by his own admission he lived as a crypto-Jew. Though a native ...
, and
Maimonides Moses ben Maimon (1138–1204), commonly known as Maimonides (, ) and also referred to by the Hebrew acronym Rambam (), was a Sephardic rabbi and Jewish philosophy, philosopher who became one of the most prolific and influential Torah schola ...
, author of ''
The Guide for the Perplexed ''The Guide for the Perplexed'' (; ; ) is a work of Jewish theology by Maimonides. It seeks to reconcile Aristotelianism with Rabbinical Jewish theology by finding rational explanations for many events in the text. It was written in Judeo-Arabic ...
''.


Decline of Mauro-Andalusi literature

Lisan ad-Din Ibn al-Khatib Lisan ad-Din Ibn al-Khatib (; 16 November 1313 – 1374) was an Arab Al-Andalus, Andalusi polymath, Arabic poetry, poet, Arabic literature, writer, List of Muslim historians, historian, Islamic philosophy, philosopher, Medicine in medieval Islam, ...
, considered the "last great man of letters" of the Mauro-Andalusi tradition, spent significant periods of his life exiled in Morocco, and was executed in Fes. Hasan ibn Muhammad al-Wazzan, who would later take the name
Leo Africanus Johannes Leo Africanus (born al-Ḥasan ibn Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad al-Wazzān al-Zayyātī al-Fasī, ; – ) was an Andalusi diplomat and author who is best known for his 1526 book '' Cosmographia et geographia de Affrica'', later publish ...
and write the '' Cosmographia et geographia de Affrica'', also lived in Morocco after the
fall of Granada The Granada War was a series of military campaigns between 1482 and 1492 during the reign of the Catholic Monarchs, Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, against the Nasrid dynasty's Emirate of Granada. It ended with the defeat of G ...
in 1492, before travelling to
Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...
and eventually being captured and taken to the
Papal States The Papal States ( ; ; ), officially the State of the Church, were a conglomeration of territories on the Italian peninsula under the direct sovereign rule of the pope from 756 to 1870. They were among the major states of Italy from the 8th c ...
.


Marinid period

Abulbaqaa' ar-Rundi, who was from
Ronda Ronda () is a Municipalities in Spain, municipality of Spain belonging to the province of Málaga, within the autonomous community of Andalusia. Its population is about 35,000. Ronda is known for its cliffside location and a deep canyon that ca ...
and died in
Ceuta Ceuta (, , ; ) is an Autonomous communities of Spain#Autonomous cities, autonomous city of Spain on the North African coast. Bordered by Morocco, it lies along the boundary between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Ceuta is one of th ...
, composed his ''
qasida The qaṣīda (also spelled ''qaṣīdah''; plural ''qaṣā’id'') is an ancient Arabic word and form of poetry, often translated as ode. The qasida originated in pre-Islamic Arabic poetry and passed into non-Arabic cultures after the Arab Mus ...
'' '' nuniyya'' ''
Elegy for al-Andalus ''Rithā’ al-Andalus'' (, variously translated as "An Elegy to al-Andalus" or "Elegy for the fall of al-Andalus"), also known as ''Lament for the Fall of Seville'', is an Arabic '' qaṣīda nūniyya'' which is said to have been written by An ...
'' in the year 1267; this poem is a ''
rithā' Rithā’ () is a genre of Arabic poetry corresponding to elegy or lament A lament or lamentation is a passionate expression of grief, often in music, poetry, or song form. The grief is most often born of regret, or mourning. Laments can als ...
'', or lament, mourning the fall of most major Andalusi cities to the Catholic monarchs in the wake of the Almohad Caliphate's defeat, and also calling the
Marinid Sultanate The Marinid dynasty ( ) was a Berbers, Berber Muslim dynasty that controlled present-day Morocco from the mid-13th to the 15th century and intermittently controlled other parts of North Africa (Algeria and Tunisia) and of the southern Iberian P ...
in Morocco to take up arms in support of Islam in
Iberia The Iberian Peninsula ( ), also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in south-western Europe. Mostly separated from the rest of the European landmass by the Pyrenees, it includes the territories of peninsular Spain and Continental Portugal, compri ...
. Sultans of the
Marinid dynasty The Marinid dynasty ( ) was a Berbers, Berber Muslim dynasty that controlled present-day Morocco from the mid-13th to the 15th century and intermittently controlled other parts of North Africa (Algeria and Tunisia) and of the southern Iberian P ...
(1215–1420) further stimulated learning and literature; Sultan
Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Othman Abu Al-Hasan 'Ali ibn 'Othman ( – 24 May 1351), () was a sultan of the Marinid dynasty who reigned in Morocco between 1331 and 1348. In 1333 he captured Gibraltar from the Castilians, although a later attempt to take Tarifa in 1339 ended in f ...
built a madrasa in Salé and Sultan
Abu Inan Faris Abu Inan Faris (1329 – 10 January 1358) () was a Marinid ruler. He succeeded his father Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Othman in 1348. He extended his rule over Tlemcen and Ifriqiya, which covered the north of what is now Algeria and Tunisia, but wa ...
(r. 1349–1358) built madrasas in
Meknes Meknes (, ) is one of the four Imperial cities of Morocco, located in northern central Morocco and the sixth largest city by population in the kingdom. Founded in the 11th century by the Almoravid dynasty, Almoravids as a military settlement, Mekne ...
and Fes. At his invitation
Ibn Batuta Ibn Battuta (; 24 February 13041368/1369), was a Maghrebis, Maghrebi traveller, explorer and scholar. Over a period of 30 years from 1325 to 1354, he visited much of Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Iberian Peninsula. Near the end of his ...
, the founder of Moroccan
travel literature The genre of travel literature or travelogue encompasses outdoor literature, guide books, nature writing, and travel memoirs. History Early examples of travel literature include the '' Periplus of the Erythraean Sea'' (generally considered a ...
, returned to settle in the city of Fes and write his
Rihla ''Riḥla'' () refers to both a journey and the written account of that journey, or travelogue. It constitutes a genre of Arabic literature. Associated with the medieval Islamic notion of "travel in search of knowledge" (الرحلة في طلب ...
or travelogue , in cooperation with
Ibn Juzayy Muhammad bin Ahmed bin Juzayy Al Gharnati (), better known as Ibn Juzayy () was an Al-Andalus, Andalusian Sunni Muslim scholar of Arab origin. He was a distinguished Maliki Faqih, jurist, Principles of Islamic jurisprudence, legal theoretician, T ...
. The heritage left by the literature of that time that saw the flowering of
Al-Andalus Al-Andalus () was the Muslim-ruled area of the Iberian Peninsula. The name refers to the different Muslim states that controlled these territories at various times between 711 and 1492. At its greatest geographical extent, it occupied most o ...
, and the rise of the three Berber dynasties had its impact on Moroccan literature throughout the following centuries. The first record of a work of literature composed in
Moroccan Darija Moroccan Arabic ( ), also known as Darija ( or ), is the Varieties of Arabic, dialectal, vernacular form or forms of Arabic spoken in Morocco. It is part of the Maghrebi Arabic dialect continuum and as such is mutually intelligible to some ex ...
was Al-Kafif az-Zarhuni's ''al-Mala'ba'', written in the period of Sultan
Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Othman Abu Al-Hasan 'Ali ibn 'Othman ( – 24 May 1351), () was a sultan of the Marinid dynasty who reigned in Morocco between 1331 and 1348. In 1333 he captured Gibraltar from the Castilians, although a later attempt to take Tarifa in 1339 ended in f ...
.
Muhammad al-Jazuli Abū 'Abdullah Muḥammad ibn Sulaymān ibn Abū Bakr al-Jazūli al-Simlālī () (d. 1465AD = 870AH), often known as Imam al-Jazuli or Sheikh Jazuli, was a Moroccan Sufi Saint. He is best known for compiling the '' Dala'il al-Khayrat'', an extr ...
, one of the
Seven Saints of Marrakesh The Seven Saints of Marrakesh or Patron Saints of Marrakesh () are seven historical Muslims, Muslim figures buried in Marrakesh, Morocco. Each of them was a famous qadi, Muslim jurisprudent, scholar or wali (Sufi saint) venerated for their piety o ...
, wrote ''
Dala'il al-Khayrat ''Dalāil al-khayrāt wa-shawāriq al-anwār fī dhikr al-ṣalāt alá al-Nabī al-mukhtār'' (), usually shortened to ''Dala'il al-Khayrat'', is a famous collection of prayers for the Islamic prophet Muhammad, which was written by the Moroccan ...
'', a Sufi prayer book with a wide impact throughout the Islamic world, in the 15th century.


Wattasid period

In 1516, Samuel ibn Ishaq Nedivot and his son Isaac, Andalusi Jewish refugees from
Lisbon Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...
, produced the first printed book on the African continent, the ''Sefer Abudarham'' () in Fes.


Saadi period

The possession of
manuscript A manuscript (abbreviated MS for singular and MSS for plural) was, traditionally, any document written by hand or typewritten, as opposed to mechanically printed or reproduced in some indirect or automated way. More recently, the term has ...
s of famous writers remained the pride of courts and zawiyas throughout the history of Morocco until the modern times. The great Saadian ruler Ahmed al-Mansour (r.1578–1603) was a poet king. Poets of his court were
Ahmad Ibn al-Qadi : ''For the Egyptian encyclopedist see Shihab al-Din abu 'l-Abbas Ahmad ben Ali ben Ahmad Abd Allah al-Qalqashandi.'' Shihab al-Din abu l-‘Abbas Ahmad ibn Mohammed ibn Mohammed ibn Ahmed ibn Ali ibn 'Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abi'l-'Afiyya al-Miknasi ...
, Abd al-Aziz al-Fishtali.
Ahmed Mohammed al-Maqqari Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad al-Maqqarī al-Tilmisānī (or al-Maḳḳarī) (), (1577-1632) was an Algerian scholar, biographer and historian who is best known for his , a compendium of the history of Al-Andalus which provided a basis for the schola ...
lived during the reign of his sons. The Saadi Dynasty contributed greatly to the library of the
Taroudannt Taroudant (, ) is a city in the Sous in southwestern Morocco. It is situated east of Agadir on the road to Ouarzazate and south of Marrakesh. Today, it is a small market town and a tourist destination. History The Almoravid dynasty, Almoravids o ...
. Another library established in time that was that of
Tamegroute Tamegroute (also spelled Tamgrout; Berber: ⵜⴰⵎⴳⵔⵓⵜ , Arabic: تامكروت) is a village located in the Draa River valley in southern Morocco. It historically served as a hub of learning and religion through its famous Sufi zawiya. ...
—part of it remains today. By a strange coincidence the complete library of Sultan Zaydan an-Nasser as-Saadi has also been transmitted to us to the present day. Due to circumstances in a civil war, Sultan Zaydan (r.1603–1627) had his complete collection transferred to a ship, which was commandeered by Spain. The collection was taken to
El Escorial El Escorial, or the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial (), or (), is a historical residence of the king of Spain located in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, up the valley ( road distance) from the town of El Escorial, Madrid, El ...
palace and remains there until the present. '' Tarikh as-Sudan'', of the
Timbuktu Chronicles Timbuktu Chronicles is the collective name for a group of writings created in Timbuktu in the second half of the 17th century. They form a distinct genre of ''Tarikh, taʾrīkh'' (history). There are three surviving works and a probable lost one. * ...
, was composed by Abd ar-Rahman as-Sa’di, a chronicler from
Timbuktu Timbuktu ( ; ; Koyra Chiini: ; ) is an ancient city in Mali, situated north of the Niger River. It is the capital of the Tombouctou Region, one of the eight administrative regions of Mali, having a population of 32,460 in the 2018 census. ...
who served Morocco as governor of
Djenné Djenné (; also known as Djénné, Jenné, and Jenne) is a Songhai people, Songhai town and Communes of Mali, urban commune in the Inland Niger Delta region of central Mali. The town is the administrative centre of the Djenné Cercle, one of the ...
and head administrator of the
Arma Arma, ARMA or variants, may refer to: Places * Arma, Kansas, United States * Arma, Nepal * Arma District, Peru * Arma District, Yemen * Arma Mountains, Afghanistan People * Arma people, an ethnic group of the middle Niger River valley * Arma lan ...
bureaucracy. It is considered the most important primary source document on the
Songhai Empire The Songhai Empire was a state located in the western part of the Sahel during the 15th and 16th centuries. At its peak, it was one of the largest African empires in history. The state is known by its historiographical name, derived from its lar ...
.
Ahmad Baba al-Timbukti Aḥmad Bābā al-Timbuktī (), full name Abū al-Abbās Aḥmad ibn Aḥmad ibn Aḥmad ibn Umar ibn Muhammad Aqit al-Takrūrī Al-Massufi al-Timbuktī (1556 – 1627 CE, 963 – 1036 H), was a Sanhaja Berbers, Berber writer, scholar, an ...
was among the greatest scholars of
Timbuktu Timbuktu ( ; ; Koyra Chiini: ; ) is an ancient city in Mali, situated north of the Niger River. It is the capital of the Tombouctou Region, one of the eight administrative regions of Mali, having a population of 32,460 in the 2018 census. ...
when it was conquered by the
Saadi Sultanate The Saadi Sultanate (), also known as the Sharifian Sultanate (), was a state which ruled present-day Morocco and parts of Northwest Africa in the 16th and 17th centuries. It was led by the Saadi dynasty, an Arab Sharifian dynasty. The dyna ...
, and he continued his scholarly activities after being exiled to Fes. In addition to writing prolifically in law, grammar, fiqh, and literature, he wrote ''The Ladder of Ascent in Obtaining the Procurements of the Sudan'', responding to a Moroccan's questions about
slavery Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...
in the ''Bilad as-Sudan''.
Ahmad ibn Qasim Al-Hajarī Ahmad ibn Qāsim Al-Hajarī () also known as Al-Hajari, Afoukay, Chihab, Afokai () or Afoqai () (c.1570, Andalusia–c.1640, Tunis), was a Muslim Morisco who worked as a translator in Morocco during the reigns of the Saadi sultans, Ahmad al-Mansu ...
known as Afoqai al-Andalusi composed a ''
rihla ''Riḥla'' () refers to both a journey and the written account of that journey, or travelogue. It constitutes a genre of Arabic literature. Associated with the medieval Islamic notion of "travel in search of knowledge" (الرحلة في طلب ...
'' entitled ''Riḥlat al-Shihāb ilá liqāʼ al-aḥbāb''. Famous Moroccan poets of this period were
Abderrahman El Majdoub Sidi Abderrahman el Majdoub (, March 150626May 1568), also transcribed as Mejdub, full name al-Shaykh Abu Zayd Abderrahman al-Majdoub ibn Ayyad ibn Yaacub ibn Salama ibn Khashan al-Sanhaji al-Dukkali, was a Moroccan poet, Sufi and mystic. Many li ...
, Al-Masfiwi, Muhammad Awzal and Hemmou Talb.


Alawi period

In 1737, the Shaykh Muhammad al-Mu’ta bin al-Salih al-Sharqi began his work on ''Dhakhirat al-Muhtaj fi sala ‘ala Sahib al-Liwa wat-taj'', an influential Sufi book on prayer,
dhikr (; ; ) is a form of Islamic worship in which phrases or prayers are repeatedly recited for the purpose of remembering God. It plays a central role in Sufism, and each Sufi order typically adopts a specific ''dhikr'', accompanied by specific ...
, and
repentance Repentance is reviewing one's actions and feeling contrition or regret for past or present wrongdoings, which is accompanied by commitment to and actual actions that show and prove a change for the better. In modern times, it is generally seen ...
. Sidi Hammo was the author of "Fadma" and other poems in
Tashelhit ( ; from its name in Moroccan Arabic, ), now more commonly known as Tashelhiyt or Tachelhit ( ; from the endonym , ), is a Berber language spoken in southwestern Morocco. When referring to the language, anthropologists and historians prefer the ...
. Ahmed at-Tijani, originally from
Aïn Madhi Aïn Madhi is a town and commune in Laghouat Province, Algeria, and the seat of Aïn Madhi District. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 6,263. Aïn Madhi is the birthplace of Ahmad al-Tijani, founder of the Tijaniyyah Sufi orde ...
in
Algeria Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...
, lived in Fes, associated with the North African literary elite, and later established the
Tijaniyyah The Tijjani order () is a Sufi Tariqa, order of Sunni Islam named after Ahmad al-Tijani. It originated in Algeria but now more widespread in Maghreb, West Africa, particularly in Senegal, The Gambia, Gambia, Mauritania, Mali, Guinea, Niger, ...
Sufi order. The Ulama' of the Tijaniyyah order, with Fes as their spiritual capital, were among the most prolific producers of literature in the Maghreb. Mohammed al-Haik's late 18th-century songbook '' Kunnash al-Haik'' is a seminal text of Andalusi music. In the year 1886, the historian Mohammed Akensus al-Murrakushi authored his magnum opus ''al-Jaysh al-ʻaramram al-khumāsī fī dawlat awlād Mawlānā ʻAlī al-Sajilmāsī'' on the reign of Sultan
Mohammed ben Abdallah ''Sidi'' Mohammed ben Abdallah ''al-Khatib'' (), known as Mohammed III (), born in 1710 in Fez, Morocco, Fes and died on 9 April 1790 in Meknes, was the List of rulers of Morocco, Sultan of Morocco from 1757 to 1790 as a member of the 'Alawi dyna ...
. The Rabbi of Tetuan Isaac Ben Walid wrote ''Vayomer Yitzhak'' () chronicling the history of the Jews of Tetuan, a city considered a capital of Sephardic or Andalusi Jews in Morocco following the fall of al-Andalus.


Lithographic press

In 1864, Muhammad Ibn at-Tayib ar-Rudani of
Taroudant Taroudant (, ) is a city in the Sous in southwestern Morocco. It is situated east of Agadir on the road to Ouarzazate and south of Marrakesh. Today, it is a small market town and a tourist destination. History The Almoravids occupied the town ...
brought to Morocco the country's first Arabic printing press from Egypt upon his return from the
Hajj Hajj (; ; also spelled Hadj, Haj or Haji) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for capable Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetim ...
, as well as a servant from Egypt to operate it. This press'','' called ''al-Matba'a as-Sa'ida'' ( ) used
lithography Lithography () is a planographic method of printing originally based on the miscibility, immiscibility of oil and water. The printing is from a stone (lithographic limestone) or a metal plate with a smooth surface. It was invented in 1796 by ...
, which was more amenable to the particularities of Arabic script than
movable type Movable type (US English; moveable type in British English) is the system and technology of printing and typography that uses movable Sort (typesetting), components to reproduce the elements of a document (usually individual alphanumeric charac ...
. Its first publication was an edition of Al-Tirmidhi's '' ash-Shama'il al-Muhammadiyya'' in 1871''.'' In the 1890s, Ahmad ibn Khalid an-Nasiri published the landmark a''l-Istiqsa'', a multivolume history of Morocco with in-text citations including non-Islamic sources. It was the country's first comprehensive national history, covering the period from the
Muslim conquest of the Maghreb The conquest of the Maghreb by the Rashidun and Umayyad Caliphates commenced in 647 and concluded in 709, when the Byzantine Empire lost its last remaining strongholds to Caliph Al-Walid I. The North African campaigns were part of the century ...
to the reign of Sultan Abdelaziz. In the , most of what was published dealt with religious topics such as
sufism Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...
and
jurisprudence Jurisprudence, also known as theory of law or philosophy of law, is the examination in a general perspective of what law is and what it ought to be. It investigates issues such as the definition of law; legal validity; legal norms and values ...
, as well as
travel writing The genre of travel literature or travelogue encompasses outdoor literature, guide books, nature writing, and travel memoirs. History Early examples of travel literature include the '' Periplus of the Erythraean Sea'' (generally considered a ...
about Europe. A popular work of the period was Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar al-Kattānī's 1908 ''Nasihat ahl al-Islam.'' Another was ''al-Mi'yar al-Jadid'', which discussed
Islamic law Sharia, Sharī'ah, Shari'a, or Shariah () is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition based on scriptures of Islam, particularly the Qur'an and hadith. In Islamic terminology ''sharīʿah'' refers to immutable, intan ...
and the social reality of his times.''''


Literature in resistance to colonialism

The Moroccan literary elite was influenced by the ideas of the ''
Nahda The Nahda (, meaning 'the Awakening'), also referred to as the Arab Awakening or Arab Enlightenment, was a cultural movement that flourished in Arabs, Arab-populated regions of the Ottoman Empire, notably in Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, and Tunisia, ...
'' cultural movement in the
Mashriq The Mashriq (; ), also known as the Arab Mashriq (), sometimes spelled Mashreq or Mashrek, is a term used by Arabs to refer to the eastern part of the Arab world, as opposed to the Maghreb (western) region, and located in West Asia and easter ...
.
Jamal ad-Din al-Afghani Sayyid Jamāl al-Dīn al-Afghānī (Pashto/), also known as Jamāl ad-Dīn Asadābādī () and commonly known as Al-Afghani (1838/1839 – 9 March 1897), was an Iranian political activist and Islamic ideologist who travelled throughout the Mus ...
and Muhammad Abduh's Islamic revolutionary journal ''
Al-Urwah al-Wuthqa ''Al-Urwah al-Wuthqa'' (, ) was an Islamic revolutionary journal founded by Muhammad Abduh and Jamāl al-Dīn al-Afghānī. Despite only running from 13 March 1884 to October 1884, it was one of the first and most important publications of the ' ...
'' circulated in Morocco.Miller, Susan Gilson. Muhammad Bin Abdul-Kabir al-Kattani, a poet, man of letters, and shaykh of the Kattaniyya pelling?/sup> Sufi order, employed the written word as an instrument of resistance to French presence in Morocco. He supported the newspaper '' Lissan-ul-Maghreb'' and published ''at-Tā'ūn'', both of which opposed the colonial French newspaper '' Es-Saada''. Religious and political leader Mohamed Mustafa Ma al-'Aynayn wrote his ''Mubṣir al-mutashawwif ʻalá Muntakhab al-Taṣawwuf,'' and his son
Ahmed al-Hiba Ahmed al-Hiba (, also known as The Blue Sultan; 9 September 1877 – 26 June 1919), was a leader of an armed resistance to the French colonial power in Western Sahara, and was Blue Sultan of Morocco. In English texts he is usually named simpl ...
authored ''Sirāj aẓ-ẓulam fī mā yanfaʿu al-muʿallim wa'l-mutaʿallim.''


20th century

Three generations of writers especially shaped 20th-century Moroccan literature. During this century, this literature started to reflect the linguistic and cultural diversity of the country by using different languages, such as
Modern Standard Arabic Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) or Modern Written Arabic (MWA) is the variety of Standard language, standardized, Literary language, literary Arabic that developed in the Arab world in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and in some usages al ...
,
Moroccan Arabic Moroccan Arabic ( ), also known as Darija ( or ), is the dialectal, vernacular form or forms of Arabic spoken in Morocco. It is part of the Maghrebi Arabic dialect continuum and as such is mutually intelligible to some extent with Algerian ...
,
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
, and
Berber languages The Berber languages, also known as the Amazigh languages or Tamazight, are a branch of the Afroasiatic language family. They comprise a group of closely related but mostly mutually unintelligible languages spoken by Berbers, Berber communities, ...
. First was the generation that lived and wrote during the
Protectorate A protectorate, in the context of international relations, is a State (polity), state that is under protection by another state for defence against aggression and other violations of law. It is a dependent territory that enjoys autonomy over ...
(1912–56), and its most important representative was Mohammed Ben Brahim (1897–1955). The second generation became known during the transition to
independence Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state, in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the status of ...
, with writers like
Abdelkrim Ghallab Abdelkrim Ghallab (; December 31, 1919, in Fes – August 14, 2017, in El Jadida) was a Moroccan political journalist, cultural commentator, and novelist. He is an important figure both in the literary and political field (editor of the Istiqla ...
(1919–2006),
Allal al-Fassi Muhammad Allal al-Fassi () (January 10, 1910 – May 13, 1974) was a Moroccan revolutionary, politician, writer, poet, Pan-Arabist and Islamic scholar. Early life and exile He was born in Fes and studied at the University of al-Qarawiyyin. He ...
(1910–1974) and
Mohammed al-Mokhtar Soussi Mohammed al-Mokhtar Soussi (; 1900–1963) was a Moroccan scholar, politician and writer who played an important role in the years before Morocco's independence in 1956. Charles-Olivier Carbonell, "Un historien marocain entre la tradition et la mo ...
(1900–1963). The third generation are writers of the 1960s. Moroccan literature then flourished with writers such as Mohamed Choukri,
Driss Chraïbi Driss Chraïbi (; July 15, 1926 – April 1, 2007) was a Moroccan author whose novels deal with colonialism, culture clashes, generational conflict and the treatment of women and are often perceived as semi-autobiographical. Born in El Jadida ...
,
Mohamed Zafzaf Mohamed Zafzaf (Arabic: ; 1945 – 13 July 2001) was a Moroccan Arabic-language novelist and poet. He played a pivotal role in the development of Moroccan literature in the second half of the 20th century and, due to his contributions, came ...
and Driss El Khouri. Abdelkebir Khatibi, author of '' Le roman maghrébin'' and '' Maghreb pluriel'', was a prominent writer and literary critic writing in French.


Colonial period

The Moroccan literary scene in the early 20th century was marked by exposure to literature from the wider
Arab world The Arab world ( '), formally the Arab homeland ( '), also known as the Arab nation ( '), the Arabsphere, or the Arab states, comprises a large group of countries, mainly located in West Asia and North Africa. While the majority of people in ...
and
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
, while also suffering from colonial censorship.
Abdellah Guennoun Abdellah Guennoun ( ʻAbd Allāh Gannūn; 16 September 1908 – 9 July 1989) was an influential Moroccan writer, historian, essayist, poet, academic, administrator, journalist, and ''faqīh'' who was born in Fes and died in Tangier. He was one of ...
authored ''an-Nubūgh al-Maghribī fī al-adab al-ʻArabī'' on the history of Moroccan literature in three volumes that was censored by the French authorities. During this period, a great number of manuscripts were taken from Morocco or disappeared.


Moroccan novel

Critics differ on when the Moroccan novel first emerged, due to the variety of novel-like texts that appeared in Morocco between 1924, the year of ''ar-Rihla al-Murrakeshiya'' ( ''The Marrakesh Journey''), and 1967, the year of Mohammed Aziz Lahbabi's ''Jīl adh-Dhama ( ''Generation of Thirst''). Some ho?/sup> identify the beginning as Abdelmajid Benjelloun's ''Fi at-Tufula'' ( ''In Childhood'') in 1957, while others point to Tuhami al-Wazzani's az''-Zawiyya'' ( ''The Zawiya'') in 1942. The Moroccan novel in this foundational period conformed with traditional features of early 20th-century Arabic novels: a third-person omniscient narrator, a linear narrative and storyline, direct preaching and lesson-giving, and the author's own explanation of events and commentary on them. , written in 1930 and first published in 1932, is considered the first francophone Moroccan novel.


Literary production from the 1960s to 1990s

After Moroccan independence, a number of writers of Moroccan origin have become well-known abroad, including
Tahar Ben Jelloun Tahar Ben Jelloun (; born 1 December 1944) is a Moroccan writer who rose to fame for his 1985 novel ''L'Enfant de sable'' ('' The Sand Child''). All of his work is written in French although his first language is Darija. He has been nominated f ...
and others in France or
Laila Lalami Laila Lalami (, born 1968) is a Moroccan-American novelist, essayist, and professor. After earning her '' licence ès lettres'' degree in Morocco, she received a fellowship to study in the United Kingdom (UK), where she earned an MA in linguist ...
in the United States. In 1966, a group of Moroccan writers such as
Abdellatif Laabi Abdellatif Laâbi (; born 1942) is a Moroccan poet, journalist, novelist, playwright, translator and political activist. Laâbi, then teaching French, founded with other poets the artistic journal Souffles, an important literary review in 1966 ...
founded a magazine called ''Souffles-Anfas'' ( "Breaths") that was
banned A ban is a formal or informal prohibition of something. Bans are formed for the prohibition of activities within a certain political territory. Some bans in commerce are referred to as embargoes. ''Ban'' is also used as a verb similar in meaning ...
by the government in 1972, but gave impetus to the
poetry Poetry (from the Greek language, Greek word ''poiesis'', "making") is a form of literature, literary art that uses aesthetics, aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meaning (linguistics), meanings in addition to, or in ...
and modern fiction of many Moroccan writers. Female authors also emerged such as Malika el Assimi, who promoted not only the cultural traditions of her country, but also women's rights. Moroccan works of fiction and non-fiction about the "
Years of Lead Years of Lead is a phrase used in several countries to refer to periods of history marked by military repression, political violence or terrorism. Years of lead may refer to: Historical periods * Years of Lead (Brazil), period of state violence ...
" include Fatna El Bouih’s ''Talk of Darkness'',
Malika Oufkir Malika Oufkir () (born April 2, 1953) is a Moroccan Berber writer and former victim of enforced disappearance. She is the daughter of General Mohamed Oufkir and a cousin of fellow Moroccan writer and actress Leila Shenna. Biography Malika Ouf ...
and
Michèle Fitoussi Michèle Fitoussi (born 24 November 1954) is a French writer. She is of History of the Jews in Tunisia, Tunisian-Jewish descent. Biography Fitoussi was born in Tunis, Tunisia. Besides writing fiction and non-fiction, Fitoussi was an editor of Fr ...
’s ''Stolen Lives: Twenty Years in a Desert Jail,'' Mohamed Raiss’s ''From Skhirat to Tazmamart: A Roundtrip Ticket to Hell'',
Ahmed Marzouki Ahmed Marzouki (; born 1947 in Bouajoul, Commune of Sidi Yahya Bni Zeroual, Taounate Province) is a former military Moroccan officer who was forcibly disappeared after the failed coup attempt of 1971. Marzouki was a prisoner in Tazmamart, ...
’s ''Tazmamart: Cell Number 10'', Aziz Binebine’s ''Tazmamart – Eighteen Years in Morocco’s Secret Prison'' and Khadija Marouazi's ''History of Ash''.


English expatriate literature from Tangier

The city of Tangier, administered internationally during the colonial period, became a literary and artistic hub mainly for expatriate writers from the United States. Some Moroccans such as Mohamed Choukri, author of ''For Bread Alone'', and
Mohamed Mrabet Mohammed Mrabet (born March 8, 1936; né Mohammed ben Chaib el Hajam) is a Moroccan author, artist and storyteller of the Ait Ouriaghel tribe in the Rif region. Mrabet, mostly known in the West through his association with Paul Bowles, William B ...
were also active in Tangier. The Americans
Paul Bowles Paul Frederic Bowles (; December 30, 1910November 18, 1999) was an American expatriate composer, author, and translator. He became associated with the Moroccan city of Tangier, where he settled in 1947 and lived for 52 years to the end of his ...
and
William S. Burroughs William Seward Burroughs II (; February 5, 1914 – August 2, 1997) was an American writer and visual artist. He is widely considered a primary figure of the Beat Generation and a major Postmodern literature, postmodern author who influen ...
spent considerable time in Tangier, and other writers associated with the
Beat Generation The Beat Generation was a literary subculture movement started by a group of authors whose work explored and influenced American culture and politics in the post-World War II era. The bulk of their work was published and popularized by members o ...
passed through, including
Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the three ...
,
Brion Gysin Brion Gysin (19 January 1916 – 13 July 1986) was a British-Canadian painter, writer, sound poet, performance artist and inventor of experimental devices. He is best known for his use of the cut-up technique, alongside his close friend, the ...
,
Allen Ginsberg Irwin Allen Ginsberg (; June 3, 1926 – April 5, 1997) was an American poet and writer. As a student at Columbia University in the 1940s, he began friendships with Lucien Carr, William S. Burroughs and Jack Kerouac, forming the core of th ...
and
Jack Kerouac Jean-Louis Lebris de Kérouac (; March 12, 1922 – October 21, 1969), known as Jack Kerouac, was an American novelist and poet who, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, was a pioneer of the Beat Generation. Of French-Canadian ...
. The international literary scene in Tangier also produced translations of works by Moroccans: Paul Bowles edited and translated work by Choukri, Mrabet, Abdeslam Boulaich, Driss Ben Hamed Charhadi, and
Ahmed Yacoubi Ahmed ben Driss el Yacoubi (1928–1985) was a Moroccan painter, playwright, author, and storyteller. He was born in Fez, Morocco. Career Yacoubi met the American composer and writer Paul Bowles in Fez in 1947, and later in Tangier. Yacoubi t ...
.


Literary publishers

Since independence, Moroccan publishers have contributed to Moroccan literature by publishing and promoting works in French and Arabic, as well as later in
Standard Moroccan Amazigh Standard Moroccan Amazigh (; ), also known as Standard Moroccan Tamazight or Standard Moroccan Berber, is a Standard language, standardized language developed by the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture (IRCAM) in Morocco by combining features of ...
. Among others, Layla Chaouni, who founded her publishing company '' Éditions Le Fennec'' in 1987, has become a leading publisher in Morocco. With more than 500 titles of Moroccan fiction and non-fiction in French and Arabic, she has also been supporting
Human Humans (''Homo sapiens'') or modern humans are the most common and widespread species of primate, and the last surviving species of the genus ''Homo''. They are Hominidae, great apes characterized by their Prehistory of nakedness and clothing ...
and
Women's Rights Women's rights are the rights and Entitlement (fair division), entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st c ...
. Nadia Essalmi, founder of the Yomad publishing house, is known for her contributions to the promotion of Moroccan stories for young adults and
children A child () is a human being between the stages of childbirth, birth and puberty, or between the Development of the human body, developmental period of infancy and puberty. The term may also refer to an unborn human being. In English-speaking ...
. Since their beginnings in 1998, Yomad have published about 100 books for children and young readers in
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
,
Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
and the official Berber language
Tamazight The Berber languages, also known as the Amazigh languages or Tamazight, are a branch of the Afroasiatic language family. They comprise a group of closely related but mostly mutually unintelligible languages spoken by Berber communities, who ar ...
at affordable prices. Even though international book fairs have been held in Tangiers and Casablanca for years, publishers such as Abdelkader Retnani (La Croisée des Chemins), Rachid Chraïbi (Editions Marsam) und Layla Chaouni have criticized insufficient support by the government. Moroccan literature has been supported by few subsidies, many bookshops have been closed and there is a lack of reliable statistics about the book market. - Despite the fact that several former Ministers of Culture, such as Mohammed Achaari and
Bensalem Himmich Bensalem Himmich (; born in 1948 in Meknes) is a Moroccan novelist, poet and philosopher with a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Paris, who teaches at the Mohammed V University, Rabat. He served as Minister of Culture from 29 July 2009 to ...
, themselves have been writers.


See also

*
List of Moroccan writers This is a list of writers from Morocco. Twentieth century __NOTOC__ A * Eliette Abécassis (born 1969) * Leila Abouzeid (born 1950) * Mohammed Achaari (born 1951) * Said Achtouk (died 1989) * Issa Aït Belize * Lotfi Akalay (1943–2019) * Ma ...
*
Culture of Morocco The culture of Morocco is a blend of Arabs, Arab, Berbers, Berber, Al-Andalus, Andalusi cultures, with Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean, Hebrews, Hebraic and African influences. It represents and is shaped by a convergence of influences throughou ...
*
Music of Morocco Moroccan music varies greatly between geographic regions and social groups. It is influenced by musical styles including Arabic music, Arab, Berber music, Berber, Andalusian classical music, Andalusi, History of the Mediterranean region, Mediterr ...
*
Pallache family Pallache, also de Palacio(s), Palache, Palaçi, Palachi, Palatsi, Palacci, Palaggi, al-Fallashi, and many other variations, is a prominent, Judaeo-Spanish, Ladino-speaking Sephardi Jews, Sephardic Jewish family from the Iberian Peninsula, who spr ...
(rabbinical writings) *
Modern Arabic literature The instance that marked the shift in Arabic literature towards modern Arabic literature can be attributed to the contact between Arab world and the West during the 19th and early 20th century. This contact resulted in the gradual replacement of ...


References


Further reading

*Otto Zwartjes, Ed de Moor, e.a. (ed.) ''Poetry, Politics and Polemics: Cultural Transfer Between the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa'', Rodopi, 1996, *Monroe, J. T., ''Hispano-Arabic Poetry During the Almoravid Period: Theory and Practice'', Viator 4, 1973, pp. 65–98 *Mohammed Hajji, ''Al-Haraka al-Fikriyya bi-li-Maghrib fi'Ahd al-Saiyyin'' (2 vols; al-Muhammadiya: Matbaat Fadala, 1976 and 1978) *Najala al-Marini, ''Al-Sh'ar al-Maghribi fi 'asr al-Mansur al-Sa'di'', Rabat: Nashurat Kuliat al-Adab wa al-Alum al-Insania, 1999 (Analysis of the work of the main poets of the age of Ahmed al-Mansour) *Kapchan, Deborah. 2020. ''Poetic Justice: An Anthology of Moroccan Contemporary Poetry.'' University of Texas Press. *Lakhdar, ''La vie littéraire au Maroc sous la dynastie alaouite'', Rabat, 1971 *Jacques Berque, "La Littérature Marocaine Et L'Orient Au XVIIe Siècle", in: ''Arabica'', Volume 2, Number 3, 1955, pp. 295–312


External links


Nadia Ghanem, ''180+ Books: A Look at Moroccan Literature Available in English''; In arablit.org (2020)
*Poetry International Web, ''Morocco'
Documentary video about a traditional storyteller in Marrakesh
in
Moroccan Arabic Moroccan Arabic ( ), also known as Darija ( or ), is the dialectal, vernacular form or forms of Arabic spoken in Morocco. It is part of the Maghrebi Arabic dialect continuum and as such is mutually intelligible to some extent with Algerian ...
with German and English subtitles
Abdellatif Akbib, ''Birth and Development of the Moroccan Short Story''
Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Morocco

2005 (Survey) *The Postcolonial Web, National University of Singapore, ''The Literature of Morocco: An Overview'

*M.R. Menocal, R.P. Scheindlin and M. Sells (ed.) ''The Literature of Al-Andalus'', Cambridge University Press (chapter 1), 200

*Said I. Abdelwahed, ''Troubadour Poetry: An Intercultural Experience''

*P. Martinez Montávez
Marruecos (Magrib Al-agsá) VI. Lengua y Literatura.
''Enciclopedia GER'', (in Spanish) {{DEFAULTSORT:Literature Of Morocco Moroccan literature Arabic literature Arab culture