Under the Moroccan constitution, the king has the authority to issue fatwas.

By Mariam AL-Tigy, IOL Correspondent

RABAT , July 10, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – Morocco 's Islamic party has welcomed a decision by King Mohamed VI to set up a new body tasked with issuing fatwas (religious edicts) in the kingdom.

"The Justice and Development Party commends this positive step and presses for creating more bodies to service religious affairs in Morocco," Abdullah Baha, the head of the party's parliamentary bloc, told IslamOnline.net on Sunday, July 10.

The monarch issued a royal decree on Friday, July 8, to create the new body as part of the supreme religious council, which is responsible for religious affairs in Morocco , to be responsible for fatwa issuance.

King Mohamed said the goal of the new body is to issue fatwas based on a collective opinion of scholars.

He also urged the fledging body to promote awareness among the Moroccan people on the principles of the Maliki religious school, the recognized religious school in the kingdom.

Under the Moroccan constitution, the king has the authority to issue fatwas.

Active Role

Baha said "the nascent body should play an active role in meeting the needs of the Moroccan people and live up to the challenges of the modern age".

He dismissed claims that the King's decision to set up the new body was an effort to undermine the influence of Islamists in the country.

"Such claims are groundless," he said, citing his party's support for religious reform efforts.

Some political parties have argued that the Justice and Development Party only wins the votes of Moroccans because its "monopolizes" religious affairs in the kingdom.

Controversy

Morocco has been a scene of rising controversy over the religious powers granted to the king by the Constitution.

The controversy was triggered by remarks made by Ahmed Al-Raysoni, the ex-head of the Tawhid and Islah movement, in which he pressed for differentiating between the king's political role and his authority to issue fatwas.

He also called for establishing a higher council for fatwa, maintaining that the monarch was "not qualified for such a religious mission".

The remarks sparked furor in the kingdom, with some parties accusing him of insulting the monarch.

Since, the Casablanca bombings, in which at least 41 people were killed and scores more wounded, efforts have been in full swing to modernize the religious discourse in the kingdom.

King Mohamed also called for developing the Islamic studies curricula to shield young Moroccans against extremism.