Post-Islamism in Morocco and the Politics of Sharīʿa: Al-Raysuni’s Utilitarianism and el-Othmani’s Silent Secularity

Abstract

ABSTRACT This work examines some recent developments and transformations in the Islamist discourse in Morocco. The emphasis is laid on how sharīʿa, or Islamic law, is redefined within an objective-based outlook to fit with what this article argues to be a symptom of post-Islamism. Central to these developments is the abandonment of establishing a khilāfah, “caliphate” or an Islamic state, as the main purpose for which Islamism has toiled to achieve since its inception. The article argues that the metamorphoses of Islamism in Morocco are not necessitated by some ephemeral political exigencies exclusively, but rather they reflect a paradigm shift in the ideology underpinning the Islamist discourse. To explore the aspects and implications of this shift, the article focuses on some recent works of two Islamic leaders: Ahmad al-Raysuni and his reformulation of Islamic law based on an emasculated utilitarianism and Saadeddine Othmani in his attempt to lay down theoretical and legal foundations for a silent religious secularity.