Rabat – Amid calls to preserve the Islamic identity of the country, local authorities have decided to cancel Morocco’s first Festival for Alcoholic Beverages, scheduled to take place from October 8 to November 8, in Casablanca.
Last week, the Moroccan company “Brasseries du Maroc”, which has been malting and brewing alcoholic beverages by the French enterprise “Brasseries et Glacières Internationales” (BGI Group) since its foundation in 1919, announced the organization of a beer festival in Casablanca.
Meanwhile, a press release issued this Monday by the Wilaya of Casablanca said it had contacted “Brasseries du Maroc”and banned the event.
The Wilaya also ordered the company to stop the festival’s advertising campaign immediately and remove all posters promoting the event due to non-compliance with regulations and legal procedures.
This decision follows requests from groups to ban the festival in order to preserve the Islamic identity of Morocco. The Attawhid wa lIslah movement (Uniqueness and Reform), which is a branch of the Islamist Justice and Development Party that heads the government, has openly opposed the festival.
In a press release issued on Sunday, the movement labeled the festival as a “bold step that is incompatible with the country’s Islamic identity and values.”
The release stressed that the festival is provocative to Moroccans and pointed out that local authorities, which granted the authorization for the event must be “held responsible.”
Islam takes an uncompromising stand in prohibiting intoxicants. It forbids Muslims from drinking or even selling alcohol.
The general rule in Islam is that any beverage that makes people intoxicated when consumed is deemed forbidden , both in small and large quantities, whether it is alcohol, drugs, fermented raisin drink, etc.
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