King Mohammed VI of Morocco returned to Rabat on Monday after spending two months of vacation at his residence in Mdiq, situated 30 kilometers from Ceuta, which has just experienced the worst migration crisis in its history. The monarch traveled back to preside over the Al-Mawlid celebration, which marks the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, acting in his official capacity as the country’s supreme religious authority.
The royal palace ceremony was led by the Alawite monarch alongside Crown Prince Moulay Hassan and his brother Moulay Rashid, who stands second in the line of succession. The gathering drew top government officials, the diplomatic corps, and senior commanders of the Moroccan military.
Historical References and Religious Discourse at the Royal Palace
During the observance at the palace, Minister of Islamic Affairs Ahmed Toufiq delivered an address containing historical references to Ceuta. The minister pointed to the works of two Islamic scholars born in Ceuta prior to the city’s incorporation into the Spanish monarchy in 1580, following its conquest by the Kingdom of Portugal in 1415.
The address sought to highlight the city’s Moroccan identity by connecting it to the tradition of the Prophet. Toufiq cited 12th-century scholar Caïd Ayad and his Treaty on the curative virtues of the knowledge of the rights of the Prophet, alongside 12th-century figure Abu al-Abbas al-Azafi and an Anthology of poems composed for the birth of the Prophet.
Diplomatic Nuance and Regional Press Reactions
The Moroccan press highlighted the historical citations, noting the careful framing of Rabat’s stance regarding the northern enclaves. According to a columnist from the portal Le 360, while Madrid consistently rejects any sovereign claims over Ceuta and Melilla, Rabat has opted for a subtle approach centered on historical continuity rather than direct territorial confrontation.
Coverage from Le 360 observed that instead of asserting direct territorial control, Rabat positions the enclaves as historical centers of Muslim civilization, legal scholarship, and spirituality established long before modern borders and protectorates emerged.
Related reading
