Knowledge and Power in Morocco: The Education of a Twentieth-Century Notable

Knowledge and Power in Morocco follows the life story of a Moroccan religious scholar through the dramatic social changes of the twentieth century. The biographical account centers on Abdullah ben Abdallah, a noted qadi (Islamic judge) whose career spanned Morocco's transition from French colonial rule to independence. Through extensive interviews and historical research, Eickelman reconstructs how Islamic education and scholarly authority operated in Morocco from the 1920s through the 1970s. The narrative traces ben Abdallah's progression from student to teacher to religious judge, providing insight into how religious knowledge was traditionally transmitted and how scholars maintained their social influence. This ethnographic study documents the transformation of Morocco's religious and educational institutions during a period of rapid modernization. The introduction of Western-style schools, changing political structures, and new forms of social organization created tensions between traditional and contemporary modes of learning and authority. The book stands as a significant contribution to understanding how religious scholars adapted to modernity while working to preserve Islamic traditions of knowledge. Through one man's story, it illustrates broader patterns in how traditional societies respond to forces of change.

Readers highlight the book's detailed examination of Islamic education in Morocco through the life story of religious scholar Ahmad ibn al-Hajj al-Hilali. The narrative provides insight into how religious knowledge was transmitted in North Africa during the 20th century. Liked: - Clear explanation of traditional Moroccan educational methods - Rich details about daily life and social structures - Personal stories that illuminate broader cultural patterns - Accessible writing style for academic anthropology Disliked: - Dense academic prose in some sections - Limited broader historical context - Some readers found the focus too narrow Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (14 ratings) Amazon: Not enough reviews for rating "Provides unique insight into how religious scholars actually learned" - Goodreads reviewer "Important for understanding traditional Islamic education but requires patience to read through academic sections" - Anthropology student review

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🔹 The book chronicles the life of Abdullah Ben Brahim, a Moroccan religious scholar and judge, through extensive interviews conducted over several years, offering rare insights into the traditional Islamic education system of early 20th century Morocco. 🔹 Author Dale F. Eickelman pioneered a new approach to anthropological research by focusing on how knowledge is transmitted and transformed across generations in Muslim societies, rather than just studying religious texts. 🔹 The subject of the book, Abdullah Ben Brahim, memorized the entire Quran by age fourteen - a feat that typically took students seven to eight years to accomplish in traditional Moroccan religious schools. 🔹 The work reveals how Morocco's educational system underwent dramatic changes during French colonial rule (1912-1956), as traditional Islamic learning centers competed with modern French-style schools. 🔹 Published in 1985, this book became a cornerstone text in the study of Islamic education and won the Middle East Studies Association's Albert Hourani Book Award for its groundbreaking contribution to the field.