First women to give Ramadan religious lecture says she was picked for academic criteria
Morocco, Religion, 11/10/2003

Morocco's Rajaa Naji Mekkaoui, who was the first woman ever to give one of Ramadan religious lectures in the presence of King Mohammed VI, said she was chosen on the basis of scientific and academic criteria.

My appointment to lecture in the presence of the sovereign on a socially, politically and religiously sensitive theme was made on a scientific and academic basis, she told UAE "Al Khaleej" paper which notes that it is the first time in Arab-Muslim history that a woman gives a religious lecture in the presence of King Mohammed VI, scholars and diplomats.

Prof. Mekaoui, a university teacher, talked in her lecture about "The universality of the family structure in a world of multiple distinctive features."

She explained that the lecture theme is linked to the reforms that the sovereign brought to the family law last October 10 as well as to the reactions they triggered, adding that a book she had written was taken as a reference for the reform. The book is titled "family issues between justice and legislation, abundance of interpretations, deficit in procedures and disparity in enforcement."

She went on that her selection to give the lecture was a premiere in the Islamic world where only men had the privilege of talking about religious issues, despite the contribution of competent women in the field.

She also explained that the lecture was meant to convey a message on the need to serve family interests and put an end to media-political controversies and political parties' overbidding, stressing that under Islamic law family is given a prominent importance and should not be subjected to any kind of injustice.

In her analysis, Mrs Mekkaoui congratulated the monarch for his "great role" in reforming the family code that gives women more rights.

The Ramadan religious lectures were instituted by the late king Hassan II in the eighties. They are attended by members of the government, high ranking military officials, foreign ambassadors accredited to Rabat and guests from the Muslim World.

Quoting observers, the paper said a woman lecturing in the presence of King Mohammed VI, Amir Al-Muminine (commander of the faithful) is itself "a cultural revolution, a multi-dimensional message evidencing openness and a will to deepen modernity, as a strategic choice requiring the participation of women in all the society's decisive affairs."

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