Each city in Morocco likely has its own saint. The Moroccan cult of saints grew from African traditions and Islamic monotheism as a means of providing a bridge between believers and God.

Believing in saints has allowed Islam in Morocco to accommodate pre-Islamic ideas and adapt to the histories of local communities. But make no mistake that the belief in saints in Morocco is still an expression of Islamic ideals. Moroccan saints are socially important persons who can connect their ancestry to the Prophet Mohammad.

Maraboutism, belief in the importance of a saint or his tomb, has led to sites of minor pilgrimages within Morocco. The tomb of Idris, founder of Fes, is a pilgrimage site. The king of Morocco is called Commander of the Faithful and connects his genealogy to the Prophet Mohammad. The tombs of kings past are also revered.

The tomb of a saint is usually a square whitewashed structure called a qo’bba or qu’bba with a horse-shoe door and an octagonal dome. “The qo’bba developed out of the tent which the Arabs of olden times used to pitch over the body of a departed person of importance.”

Two popular pilgrimage sites are the tomb of Moulay Idris in Fes and the tombs of the Seven Saints of Marrakesh. In Rabat you can find tombs of Mohammad V and Hassan II.

Don’t be surprised to find qo’bba’s in out-of-the-way locations. Each village has likely grown their own saint, a person of importance who left a mark on their own community.

See Sacred Sites Morocco for more information.