Power and opposition in Morocco

Journal of Democracy

Volumn 7, Issue 3, 1996, Pages

  Bendourou, Omar ^a,b  

^a MOHAMMED V UNIVERSITY   (Morocco)

^b UNIVERSITY OF GENEVA   (Switzerland)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 0006326935     PISSN: 10455736     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1353/jod.1996.0041     Document Type: Article

References (4)

1. Islam has three major political tendencies: the Sunni theory, the Shi'ite theory, and the Kharidjite theory. The first holds that the question of the caliphate belongs to the community, which can choose its own guide. Yet the caliph, according to this theory, must come from the tribe of Quoreich, the tribe of the Prophet. The Shi'ite theory, which was held by the partisans of Mohammed's son-in-law Ali, teaches that the caliphate belongs to Ali and is transmitted to his hereditary successors. The Kharidjite theory maintains that any otherwise worthy Muslim can succeed to power without regard to tribal or familial identity. The Sunni theory prevailed in the immediate aftermath of the Prophet's death, and became operative through the caliphate, which from then on would be considered the power base of political and religious life in the Muslim community.
2. As of the time of this writing, the UNFP has suspended its membership in the Democratic Bloc over a disagreement surrounding the principle of participation in electoral consultations.
3. These recommendations were published in their entirety in Al-Bayane (Casablanca), 16 October 1995.
4. Sec Lahouari Addi's essay on Algeria in this issue, pp. 94-107 above.