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Rabat – Ahmed Raissouni, a Moroccan Islamic scholar and head of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, has sparked controversy with comments he made about Mauritania in a recent televised interview.
When asked about the Western Sahara issue during Blanca TV’s “Bright Faces” program, Raissouni said he believes Mauritania should also be part of Morocco.
“I previously mentioned that even Mauritania’s existence is a mistake,” Raissouni told his interviewer, Kamal Aissami, adding that “Morocco should go back to how it was before European occupation.”
He went on to explain, “This is a colonial construct. The question of the Sahara, and the question of Mauritania. But the Mauritania issue was acknowledged by Morocco, and at any rate, it’s left to history to decide on in the future.”
The statements have sparked controversy in Mauritania, prompting strong condemnations from various civil and political organizations.
The National Rally for Reform and Development (RNDR), a political party in Mauritania, criticized the scholar with a statement on its Facebook page.
“We were surprised by the statements of Sheikh Ahmed Abdessalam Raissouni, which contained inappropriate expressions, absolute statements that are far from accurate, unfounded information, and offense that is neither acceptable or accepted by Mauritania and its people,” the statement said.
“We invite Sheikh Raissouni to immediately recant these statements and sincerely apologize for them,” it went on to say, calling on Moroccan officials, political parties, and institutions to “refrain from similar remarks.”
The International Union of Muslim Scholars, which Raissouni presides over, distanced itself from the statements, saying that any statements Raissouni makes about the subject are his own personal opinion.
“He has the right to express his personal opinion with our full respect and appreciation for him and others, but it is not the view of the union,” the union said in a press release, emphasizing that any opinion attributed to the organization must be agreed upon by its leaders and members.
