Rabat — Abdelilah Benkirane, Secretary-General of the Justice and Development Party (PJD), has expressed his deep respect and admiration for Ahmed Toufiq, Morocco’s Minister of Islamic affairs, while addressing recent tensions over a debate on secularism.
During a meeting of the PJD’s General Secretariat on Saturday, Benkirane said he respected Toufiq’s views and his position as a scholar. He added that some individuals were deliberately attempting to create discord by misrepresenting the minister’s comments.
Benkirane pointed out that their disagreement was more about the interpretation of certain statements — particularly those about Morocco’s secularism — and rejected attempts to portray it as a rift with Toufiq.
Benkirane’s remarks came after a heated debate erupted on social media following comments by Toufiq on the topic.
The debate stems from statements Toufiq made during a parliamentary session in November, recalling a conversation with France’s Interior Minister about secularism in Morocco.
“We are secular in our own way. We don’t have the 1905 laws, but anyone can practice what they want freely because there is no compulsion in religion,” Toufiq told the French minister.
Since Toufiq’s remarks, a back-and-forth exchange has erupted between him and Benkirane, with each seeking to explain their perspective on secularism.
The debate presented clear division in public opinion, with many siding with Toufiq.
In his most recent response on Saturday, Benkirane said that there are attempts to drive a wedge between the two, but that he respects Toufiq.
He added that he did not address his remarks in parliament for many reasons — including his personal ties with the minister.
“I understood what he meant, but when the Minister of Religious Endowments made this comment, I found that some people tried to use it to create a topic and extract from it that we are secular and the state is secular, which led to a huge misunderstanding.”
Benkirane said his previous response to Toufiq’s remarks aligns with what is agreed upon in Morocco’s constitution — “the state is Islamic. But there are some who try to interpret it differently.”
“The words that were said came from people who do not have the knowledge, culture, or good intentions of the Minister,” Benkirane said, adding that some of the critics are speaking “sincerely, while many are malicious, known to be mercenaries in journalism and culture.”
“Some may be doing so out of good intentions or sincerity, given their ideological backgrounds,” he added.
