Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (Morocco)

The Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (Arabic: وزارة الأوقاف والشؤون الإسلامية بالمملكة المغربية) is a government department of Morocco responsible for the administration of religious affairs and the management of Islamic endowments (habous).^[1][2][3]

The ministry oversees the administration and preservation of religious endowment property, supervises the construction and maintenance of mosques, and is responsible for the training, appointment and oversight of imams and other religious personnel.^[4] It also participates in regulating religious discourse and institutions in accordance with Morocco’s official religious framework, which is based on the Maliki school of jurisprudence, Ashʿari theology, and elements of Sufism.^[5][6]

The ministry operates under the authority of the King of Morocco, who holds the constitutional and religious title of Amir al-Mu’minin ("Commander of the Faithful").^[7][8]

The administration of Islamic endowments in Morocco has undergone several institutional transformations. During the protectorate period, these functions were managed through administrative bodies known as the Office of the Nazira of Nazirs and the Banika of Habous.^[9]

In 1955, the administration of habous properties was reorganized and incorporated into the governmental structure through the creation of the Ministry of Habous. Muhammad al-Mukhtar al-Soussi served as minister during the early years of the institution. Although ministerial appointments were not continuous thereafter, the administrative structure remained in operation.^[10]

In 1963, the institution was reorganized and renamed the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs. Its administrative structure and competencies were subsequently defined by several legal texts, including a royal decree issued on 9 Shawwal 1424 (corresponding to 24 December 2003) and a ministerial decision dated 28 Dhu al-Qi'dah 1424 (21 January 2004).^[11]

In 2004, King Mohammed VI instructed the preparation of a legal framework governing the management of habous property based on the principles of the Maliki school of Islamic law. This process led to the adoption of a new Endowments Code, which entered into force in 2011.^[12]

Under this legal framework, the ministry is responsible for supervising and approving transactions involving endowment property below a certain financial threshold, and for ensuring the management of habous assets in accordance with the applicable legislation.^[13]