Allal al-Fassi

Allal al-Fassi
علال الفاسي
Allal al-Fassi c. 1937
Minister of Islamic Affairs
In office
June 1961 – January 1963
MonarchHassan II
Leader of the Istiqlal Party
In office
1956–1974
Succeeded byM'hamed Boucetta
Personal details
Born10 January 1910
Died13 May 1974(1974-05-13) (aged 64)
PartyIstiqlal
Other political
affiliations
  • Moroccan Action Committee (1934‍–‍1937)
  • National Party (1937‍–‍1944)
Relations
Children5, including Abdelouahed
ParentsAbd al-Wahid al-Fassi
Religious life
ReligionIslam
CreedAsh'ari
Movement
Muslim leader
Influenced by
Influenced
Alma materal-Qarawiyyin University
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Muhammad Allal al-Fassi (Arabic: محمد علال الفاسي, romanized: Muḥammad ʿAllāl al-Fāsī; 10 January 1910 – 13 May 1974) was a Moroccan politician, poet and Islamic scholar who was one of the early leaders of the Moroccan nationalist movement. Upon independence in 1956, he became leader of the Istiqlal Party representing it until his death in 1974. He served briefly as Minister of Islamic Affairs from 1961 to 1963.

Born into the prominent scholarly Fassi Fihri family, he became involved in the Moroccan nationalist movement at a young age during his years as a student at al-Qarawiyyin. In response to the Berber Dahir, he helped to arouse protest and began to coordinate with other nationalists leading to the formation of nationalist parties like the Moroccan Action Committee. After riots broke out in 1937, al-Fassi was exiled to Gabon for 10 years. During his exile, the Istiqlal Party was formed and he was given the honorary role of zaʿīm.

Whilst in self-exile in Cairo, he collaborated with other nationalist leaders from the Maghreb. After independence, he was appointed head of the codification commission for the Mudawana. After his resignation as Minister of Islamic Affairs, al-Fassi became a prominent opposition leader against Hassan II's government. He died of a heart attack on a trip to Romanian leader Nicolae Ceaușescu.

He was a "neo-Salafist" who advocated for the synthesis of nationalism and reformist Salafism. As an advocate for an Arab-Islamic identity for Morocco, he wanted a Morocco that imposed Arabisation and ruled by Sharia. He developed the idea of Greater Morocco. He was also a prolific writer who wrote over forty books and articles.

He has been described as the "father of Moroccan nationalism".