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Marrakech – The Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Endowments has issued a clarification statement regarding its decision to dismiss the head of the local religious council of Figuig, responding to the controversy surrounding the matter.
In its statement, the Ministry declared that the decision followed clear legal and institutional procedures, calling some reactions to the decision “either malicious or hasty.”
Grounds for dismissal
Dismissals from responsibilities within religious councils may occur for various reasons, including disciplinary decisions or performance evaluation reports, it added.
The statement further spelled out that “dismissal from regulatory positions is based either on a court ruling or a disciplinary council report, or dismissal from non-regulatory assignments which is the responsibility of whoever bears the responsibility of appointment.”
In the case of the Figuig council president, the Ministry revealed that the dismissal came after successive reports from the regional religious council and the Supreme Religious Council. These reports documented “repeated absence” by the individual concerned, which he himself admitted.
Those who question the rigor of the institutions involved in the decision are “either suspicious or doubtful,” the Ministry claimed, asserting that appointment and assignment responsibilities in such positions demand full accountability.
Mohamed Benali, the dismissed head of the local religious council of Figuig, confirmed in a Facebook post that he was informed of the decision on August 1.
“This morning, our sheikh, mentor, and scholar Dr. Mustapha Benhamza received me at the regional religious council and handed me the decision of my dismissal from the presidency of the local religious council of Figuig,” Benali wrote.
Critics unpersuaded by official reason
He directly acknowledged his attendance issues as the official reason for his dismissal. Banali stated clearly: “The reason the committee that visited the council about two months ago focused on was my irregular attendance at the council.” He then explicitly confirmed this fact, adding: “I do not deny this truth.”
Benali described his dismissal as “only a transition from a movement restricted by the regulations of the Supreme Religious Council and the Ministry of Endowments to a movement without restrictions.”
Some sources have suggested that Benali’s dismissal might also be related to his controversial religious persona and his strong positions on various societal and political issues expressed through his Facebook posts.
One of his recent controversial stances was about the situation in Gaza. “We are all complicit in the genocide in Gaza,” he said in a post, holding scholars more responsible than rulers and people for remaining silent about events in Gaza.
The Ministry concluded its statement by affirming its respect for religious institutions and their independence, noting that “the end of matters is up to God.”
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