The Regraga are a subgroup within the larger Masmuda Berber tribal confederacy of Morocco. They historically played a pivotal role in the cultural and religious landscape of the Chiadma region along the Atlantic coast, situated between Safi and Essaouira. The Regraga are noted for their spiritual practices and their annual pilgrimage, known locally as the Moussem, which spans thirty-nine days and begins each year at the spring equinox.
The Regraga trace their origins to the Jbel Hadid mountains, where they introduced Islam to the region alongside two other tribes, the Berber Haha and the Chiadma. In the tamazigh language, "Regraga" signifies individuals endowed with Baraka, a spiritual force believed to confer blessings. This designation originated from their esteemed religious status in pre-Islamic times, which marked them as a noble group within the community.
The annual daour pilgrimage is a cornerstone of Regraga culture, encompassing a journey of approximately 460 kilometers across varied terrain. Pilgrims visit around forty sanctuaries, known as zaouïas, which hold significant ancestral and spiritual importance. These sanctuaries are distributed through thirteen rural brotherhoods (zaouïas), each fulfilling distinct roles within the confederation.
During the pilgrimage, which includes up to 51 stages, participants engage in communal festivities known as Moussems. These events blend religious observances with local fairs, fostering a sense of communal solidarity and cultural continuity. The pilgrimage serves not only as a religious journey but also as a socio-economic hub, featuring markets and entertainment that temporarily suspend ordinary life.
According to legend, the Regraga trace their lineage to seven Berber saints who journeyed to Mecca during the time of the Prophet Muhammad. These saints, known as Companions of the Prophet, converted to Islam and were tasked with spreading the faith upon their return to North Africa. The pilgrimage thus maintains a profound connection to these foundational figures, embodying a spiritual journey that activates the saints and reaffirms communal adherence to Islam.
Despite challenges posed by modernization and tourism, the Regraga pilgrimage endures as a vital cultural and spiritual event in Morocco. Often referred to as the "pilgrimage of the poor" in contrast to the Hajj, it continues to attract devotees seeking blessings, healing, and communal solidarity. The pilgrimage exemplifies Morocco's cultural resilience and spiritual heritage, embodying a blend of tradition and adaptation in response to contemporary pressures.
A pilgrimage is a journey to a holy place, which can lead to a personal transformation, after which the pilgrim returns to their daily life.
A marabout is a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad and a Muslim religious leader and teacher who historically had the function of a chaplain serving as a part of an Islamic army, notably in North Africa and the Sahara, in West Africa, and (historically) in the Maghreb. The marabout is often a scholar of the Qur'an, or religious teacher. Others may be wandering holy men who survive on alms, Sufi Murshids ("Guides"), or leaders of religious communities.
In Islam, Barakah or Baraka is a blessing power, a kind of continuity of spiritual presence and revelation that begins with God and flows through that and those closest to God.
A shrine is a sacred space dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon, or similar figure of respect, wherein they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated. A shrine at which votive offerings are made is called an altar.
A zawiya or zaouia is a building and institution associated with Sufis in the Islamic world. It can serve a variety of functions such a place of worship, school, monastery and/or mausoleum. In some regions the term is interchangeable with the term khanqah, which serves a similar purpose. In the Maghreb, the term is often used for a place where the founder of a Sufi order or a local saint or holy man lived and was buried. In the Maghreb the word can also be used to refer to the wider tariqa and its membership.
The Gnawa are an ethnic group inhabiting Morocco, that had been brought as slaves from the West African Sahel.
Tzadik is a title in Judaism given to people considered righteous, such as biblical figures and later spiritual masters. The root of the word ṣadiq, is ṣ-d-q, which means "justice" or "righteousness". When applied to a righteous woman, the term is inflected as tzadika/tzaddikot.
According to a 2009 Pew Research Center report, 93.1% of Turkmenistan's population is Muslim. Traditionally, the Turkmen of Turkmenistan, like their kin in Uzbekistan and Afghanistan are Sunni Muslims. Shia Muslims, the other main branch of Islam, are not numerous in Turkmenistan, and the Shia religious practices of the Azerbaijani and Kurdish minorities are not politicized. The great majority of Turkmen readily identify themselves as Muslims and acknowledge Islam as an integral part of their cultural heritage, but some support a revival of the religion's status primarily as an element of national revival.
Moulay Idriss, Moulay Driss Zerhoun or simply Zerhoun is a town in the Fès-Meknès region of northern Morocco, spread over two hills at the base of Mount Zerhoun. It is famous for being the site of the tomb of Idris I, the first major Islamic ruler of Morocco, after whom the town is named. It is located near Meknes and overlooks the ruins of Volubilis a few kilometers away.
A Sheikh or shaykh, of Sufism is a Sufi who is authorized to teach, initiate and guide aspiring dervishes in the Islamic faith. He has laid all his worldly desires to rest thru the one intense desire for knowing the love of God his beloved. The sheik is vital to the path of the novice Sufi, for the sheik has himself travelled the path of mysticism. Viewed as the spiritual master, the sheik forms a formal allegiance (bay'a) to the disciple of Sufism and authorizes the disciple's travels and helps the disciple along the mystical path. Islamic tradition focuses on the importance of chains and legitimization. In Sufism, sheiks are connected by a continuous spiritual chain. This chain links every previous Sufi sheik, and eventually can be traced back to the Successors, and in later times to the Prophet himself. As Sufism grew, influential shayks began to acquire spiritual centers and waypoints known as khanqah, ribat, and zaouia. Sheikhs duplicate the Prophetic realities, and are also expected to perform and act as an intermediary between the Creator and the created, since the sheikh has arrived close to God through his meditations and spiritual travels. There are several types of such sheikh.
The Isawiyya is a religious Islamic mystical brotherhood founded in Meknes, Morocco, by Sheikh al-Kamil Mohamed al-Hadi ben Issa (1465–1526), best known as the Shaykh Al-Kamil, or "Perfect Sufi Master". The terms Aissawiyya (`Isawiyya) and Aissawa (`Isawa), derive from the name of the founder, and respectively designate the brotherhood and its disciples.
The holiest sites in Islam are located in the Arabian Peninsula. While the significance of most places typically varies depending on the Islamic sect, there is a consensus across all mainstream branches of the religion that affirms two cities as having the highest degree of holiness, in descending order: Mecca, and Medina. Mecca's Al-Masjid al-Haram, Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in Medina are all revered by Muslims as sites of great importance.
Kashmiriyat is the centuries-old indigenous tradition of communal harmony and religious syncretism in the Kashmir Valley in Indian-administered Kashmir. Emerging around the 16th century, it is characterised by religious and cultural harmony, patriotism and pride for their mountainous homeland of Kashmir.
Aḥwash is a Shilha style of collective performance, including dance, singing, poetry and percussion, from southern Morocco. The ahwash is performed on the occasion of local festivals as a celebration of the community.
Religious tourism, spiritual tourism, sacred tourism, or faith tourism, is a type of tourism with two main subtypes: pilgrimage, meaning travel for religious or spiritual purposes, and the viewing of religious monuments and artefacts, a branch of sightseeing.
The Zawiya of Moulay Idris II is a zawiya in Fez, Morocco. It contains the tomb of Idris II, who ruled Morocco from 807 to 828 and is considered the main founder of the city of Fez. It is located in the heart of Fes el-Bali, the UNESCO-listed old medina of Fez, and is considered one of the holiest shrines in Morocco. The current building experienced a major reconstruction under Moulay Ismail in the early 18th century which gave the sanctuary its overall current form, including the minaret and the mausoleum chamber with its large pyramidal roof.
Sidi Ahmed Ou Moussa, also spelled SidiAhmad u Musa was a marabout, Muslim saint and spiritual leader of Tazerwalt in the Sous region of Morocco.
The Khalili Collection of Hajj and the Arts of Pilgrimage is a private collection of around 5,000 items relating to the Hajj, the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca which is a religious duty in Islam. It is one of eight collections assembled, conserved, published and exhibited by the British-Iranian scholar, collector and philanthropist Nasser Khalili; each collection is considered among the most important in its field. The collection's 300 textiles include embroidered curtains from the Kaaba, the Station of Abraham, the Mosque of the Prophet Muhammad and other holy sites, as well as textiles that would have formed part of pilgrimage caravans from Egypt or Syria. It also has illuminated manuscripts depicting the practice and folklore of the Hajj as well as photographs, art pieces, and commemorative objects relating to the Hajj and the holy sites of Mecca and Medina.
Mawsim or moussem, waada, or raqb, is the term used in the Maghreb to designate an annual regional festival in which worshippers usually combine the religious celebration of local Marabouts or Sufi Tariqas, with various festivities and commercial activities. These are very popular events, often attended by people from very distant places.
The Cejna Cemayê is a Yazidi festival that takes place annually from 6 October to 13 October, in honor of the Sheikh Adi. It is an important time for cohesion and includes an annual pilgrimage to the tomb of Sheikh Adi in Lalish, along with many important ceremonies throughout the festive days.
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