Blog Post #2: Religion in Morocco

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 I have read multiple articles on religion in Morocco, and it is clear that Sunni Muslim is the dominant religion in Morocco. According to this International Religious Freedom Report for 2019, more than 99% of the population in Morocco is Sunni Muslim (U.S. Department of State, 2020). Even more interesting is that Casablanca was named the place with the highest religious diversity multiple times. Compared to the United States, this is very isolated diversity. I grew up in the southeast part of the United States, where Christianity is the dominant religion. However, I was often exposed to other religions; even in my household, one of my parents was Christian while the other was Muslim. I never felt pressured to choose a religion or act religious at all, but my parents allowed me to explore all religions.

The freedom of religion expressed in the US is often without the pressures of society. It is common to have people in the same community who openly practice different religions. From my readings on religion in Morocco, this is not the case. Though freedom of religion is in the constitution, societal pressures favor the major religious group. I am interested to see how the social and political landscape changes with the growing religious diversity in the country.


Reference:

U.S. Department of State. (2020, December 1). Morocco - United States Department of State. U.S. Department of State. Retrieved May 20, 2022, from https://www.state.gov/reports/2019-report-on-international-religious-freedom/morocco/

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