Opening Doors

 

    One of the most notable features of Morocco has been its beautiful doors. Often elaborate and deceptively hidden, these doors reveal more about Moroccan society than simply an entrance to a house. In Fes, we were first told of the doors specific features. According to our tour guide, each door consists of a larger and smaller door, one for the homeowners and one to be opened wider for guests. This was noted to have come from a long history of conflict but more importantly, from a need for women to differentiate between the knocks of men and of family. This is due to societal practices that dictate should it be only men, they cannot receive female visitors and so that women are not seen without proper dress by unrelated persons (Stratmann). Further mention of these doors in our tour of Meknes reveals a strong component of religious humility as anyone who enters is bowing before the owner and Allah. 

    Seeing how tied women's role in society is to Islamic values that it is shown even in the architecture made me wonder more of how women's role is still influenced by religion. In a society so intertwined with a deep religious history of Islam, it is important to note that religion has had a role in dictating women's rights. The Moroccan women are considered to be living under two laws: "the public" consisting of national legal frameworks, and "the private" as determined by Islamic law (Maddy-Weitzman, 2005, p. 399).  Tackling the divide between these two legal codes has been a major goal for modern Moroccan politics and movements. Secular feminist push against Islamic values that create inequalities but there are many "reformist feminists" that hold "the view that Islam as a culture is compatible with feminism" (Ennaji, 2016). The new family law passed in 2004 has been considered a favorable step as it promotes greater equality between men and women and has brought the topic of women's role in politics and society to the forefront. 

    It is interesting to see how ingrained religion is within the country and subsequently, within women's place in society. A long history of Islamic tenets determining women's role and contribution to Moroccan society still influences perception. The Moroccan government has made clear that elevating women's place and opportunities within the political system is of great important. The further inclusion of women in political matters and development is essential for any country pursuing a more equitable system, however I believe it is important to understand the religious background for any such advancements to succeed. It is one thing to outline how women can be more educated or more involved, but is another to take into account the women's own respective values and making changes within their beliefs. To improve women's situation it is important to consider their own beliefs and values for any solution. In a kingdom where religion and gender are so intertwined, it is impossible to make advancements in one without consideration of the other,  

References

Ennaji, M. (2016). Women, gender, and politics in Morocco. Social Sciences, 5(4), 75.

Maddy-Weitzman, B. (2005). Women, Islam, and the Moroccan state: The struggle over the personal status

     law. The Middle East Journal, 59(3), 393-410.

Sabine Stratmann - Morocco World News. (n.d.). Moroccan doors: A history of humility and heritage. https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/. https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2022/07/350300/moroccan-doors-a-history-of-humility-and-heritage.