TR
EN
Islamic Family Law in Morocco: Historical Developments and Reforms
Öz
This research examines the historical trajectory and codification of Islamic family law in Morocco and analyses its transformation from indigenous and Islamic customs to a formalized legal framework shaped by colonial and postcolonial reforms. Moroccan family law was initially rooted in local customs and Mālikī fiqh. During the French protectorate (1912-1956), colonial authorities restricted Sharīʿah courts, prompting nationalist resistance that ultimately led to Morocco’s independence and calls for legal reform. After Morocco gained independence, the first codified Islamic family law, Mudawwanat al-aḥwāl al-shakhṣiyyah (1957), reflected conservative Islamic principles and ignited opposition from women’s rights groups due to gender inequalities. Incremental reforms in 1993 adjusted some marriage and guardianship rules but fell short of achieving gender equality, prompting ongoing activism. Finally, under King Mohammed VI, significant changes culminated in the 2004 Mudawwanat al-usrah, an Islamic family law that improved women’s rights by increasing the age for marriage, improving divorce rights, and requiring mutual responsibility in family leadership. However, Islamic family law retained aspects such as polygamy and unequal inheritance, blending traditional values with progressive reforms. Islamic family law marked a milestone in Morocco’s legal and social modernization within an Islamic framework. This study highlights Morocco’s approach to balancing Islamic heritage with social modernization and illustrates the complexities of integrating religious tradition with contemporary legal frameworks.
Anahtar Kelimeler
Etik Beyan
This article was prepared based on the 4th section of the 3rd chapter of my doctorate dissertation entitled “Developments and Evaluation of Islamic Family Law in Light of Experiences of Muslim Countries”, supervised by Assoc. Prof. Miszairi Bin Sitiris. (Ph.D. Dissertation, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory, Malaysia, 2024) and by adding some new sources.
Teşekkür
Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Kaynakça
- al-Azhar, Muḥammad. Sharḥ Mudawwanat al-usrah: al-Zawāj, inḥilāl mīthāq al-zawjiyyah wa-āthāruhū, al-wilādah wa-natāʾijuhā. al-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ: n.p. 7th edition, 2015.
- Almaany. Accessed October 26, 2023. https://www.almaany.com
- Buskens, Léon, “Recent Debates on Family Law Reform in Morocco: Islamic Law as Politics in an Emerging Public Sphere”. Islamic Law and Society 10/1 (February 2003), 70-131.
- Cory, Stephen, “Sharīfian Rule in Morocco (Tenth–Twelfth/Sixteenth–Eighteenth Centuries)”. The New Cambridge History of Islam. Edited by Maribel Fierro. 451-479. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010.
- Dalmasso, Emanuela - Cavatorta, Francesco. “Reforming the Family Code in Tunisia and Morocco – The Struggle between Religion, Globalisation and Democracy”. Totalitarian Movements and Political Religions 11/2 (2010), 1-29. https://doi.org/10.1080/14690764.2010.511462
- Dupret, Baudouin - Bouhya, Adil - Lindbekk, Monika - Utriza Yakin, Ayang. “Filling Gaps in Legislation: The Use of Fiqh by Contemporary Courts in Morocco, Egypt, and Indonesia”. Islamic Law and Society 26/4 (December 2019), 405-436. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685195-00264P03
- Dursun, Davut. “Fas (Himaye Dönemi ve Bağımsızlık)”. Türkiye Diyanet Vakfı İslâm Ansiklopedisi. 12/192-196. İstanbul: TDV Yayınları, 1995.
- Engelcke, Dörthe. Reforming Family Law: Social and Political Change in Jordan and Morocco. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2019.
Ayrıntılar
Birincil Dil
İngilizce
Konular
İslam Hukuku
Bölüm
Araştırma Makalesi
Yazarlar
Yayımlanma Tarihi
30 Haziran 2025
Gönderilme Tarihi
14 Kasım 2024
Kabul Tarihi
10 Ocak 2025
Yayımlandığı Sayı
Yıl 2025 Cilt: 16 Sayı: 1
APA
Özdemir, S. Z. (2025). Islamic Family Law in Morocco: Historical Developments and Reforms. Ilahiyat Studies, 16(1), 107-122. https://doi.org/10.12730/is.1585555
AMA
1.Özdemir SZ. Islamic Family Law in Morocco: Historical Developments and Reforms. IS. 2025;16(1):107-122. doi:10.12730/is.1585555
Chicago
Özdemir, Selman Zahid. 2025. “Islamic Family Law in Morocco: Historical Developments and Reforms”. Ilahiyat Studies 16 (1): 107-22. https://doi.org/10.12730/is.1585555.
EndNote
Özdemir SZ (01 Haziran 2025) Islamic Family Law in Morocco: Historical Developments and Reforms. Ilahiyat Studies 16 1 107–122.
IEEE
[1]S. Z. Özdemir, “Islamic Family Law in Morocco: Historical Developments and Reforms”, IS, c. 16, sy 1, ss. 107–122, Haz. 2025, doi: 10.12730/is.1585555.
ISNAD
Özdemir, Selman Zahid. “Islamic Family Law in Morocco: Historical Developments and Reforms”. Ilahiyat Studies 16/1 (01 Haziran 2025): 107-122. https://doi.org/10.12730/is.1585555.
JAMA
1.Özdemir SZ. Islamic Family Law in Morocco: Historical Developments and Reforms. IS. 2025;16:107–122.
MLA
Özdemir, Selman Zahid. “Islamic Family Law in Morocco: Historical Developments and Reforms”. Ilahiyat Studies, c. 16, sy 1, Haziran 2025, ss. 107-22, doi:10.12730/is.1585555.
Vancouver
1.Selman Zahid Özdemir. Islamic Family Law in Morocco: Historical Developments and Reforms. IS. 01 Haziran 2025;16(1):107-22. doi:10.12730/is.1585555
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