VZCZCXRO8796
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHGI RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHPW RUEHROV
DE RUEHRB #0496 0780954
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 190954Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6102
INFO RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE
RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA 2807

UNCLAS RABAT 000496 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER KISL MO
SUBJECT: MOROCCO: FRIDAY SERMON USES ISLAM TO BLAST 
TERRORISM 
 
Sensitive but Unclassified.  Please Protect Accordingly. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: The March 16 Friday sermon, heard at 
mosques throughout Morocco (and broadcast nationally), 
concentrated scathing criticism on the phenomenon of 
terrorism in general and suicide bombing in particular, 
obviously prompted by the (abortive) March 11 terrorist 
incident in Casablanca.  The message, prepared by the GOM's 
Ministry of Islamic Affairs, appeared to be well received by 
an overflowing crowd of worshippers observed at the Tour 
Hassan mosque in central Rabat.  Worshippers were heard to 
call the terrorists "deviants" and "unbelievers."  This 
parallels increasing condemnation of terrorism in the media 
and among political parties, including the Islamist PJD 
(septel).  End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) The Friday sermon read by Imams at mosques across 
Morocco on March 16 asserted that moderation and non-violence 
were core elements of the Islamic religion, as conveyed by 
God through his messengers.  Islam will continue to be a 
"comprehensive and eternal system of life," the sermon 
predicted, in spite of attempts to pervert it by extremists 
on the one hand and secularists on the other.  The sermon 
underscored the irony of some terrorists' conformity to 
Islamic dress codes and outward expressions of piety even as 
they carried out acts "utterly remote from the essence of 
true Islam."  All believers of Islam must denounce such 
barbarian acts and preach within their families the values of 
tolerance and coexistence, the sermon urged. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The sermon warned Muslims that suicidal terrorism is 
a double crime against divine law -- combining the sin of 
suicide with the sin of homicide.  Perpetrators of such acts 
will be held to account on judgment day, the sermon warned. 
"The Prophet Muhammad was physically attacked, but never 
reacted violently toward his enemies.  He instead preached 
the word of God and forgave his enemies.  We must follow the 
same example if we are to be rewarded in heaven." 
 
¶4. (SBU) Following the sermon and subsequent prayers, the 
overflowing crowd of worshippers at the Tour Hassan mosque in 
central Rabat appeared to be in strong agreement with the 
Imam's message, according to Embassy FSN who attended. 
Fellow worshippers were heard to express strong disdain for 
the terrorists involved in the March 11 incident in 
Casablanca, whom some characterized as "deviants" and 
"disbelievers". 
 
¶5. (SBU) The Friday sermon is prepared by scholars and vetted 
by officials at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs in Rabat and 
distributed nationally to Imams through regional councils of 
Ulema (Islamic scholars).  The sermon is also broadcast 
nationwide on state TV and radio.  Friday sermons have long 
been prepared and distributed by the Ministry, but were often 
disregarded by local Imams prior to the Casablanca bombings 
of May 2003, which killed 45 and injured hundreds.  Since 
then, the Ministry has been rigidly enforcing the use of the 
official weekly sermon in mosques, with broad success, at 
least in major population centers. 
 
 
****************************************** 
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat 
****************************************** 
 
Riley