MOULAY IDRISS ‘THE SECOND’
MOULAY IDRISS second of his name also known as “MOULAY IDRISS AL AZHAR” is the son of MOULAY IDRISS ‘THE ELDER’. Buried in FES- Morocco, Every year, hundreds of people visit the mausoleum (shrine) in the occasion of the annual commemoration of the founding father of the spiritual capital of Morocco. The mausoleum is located in the center of the old “Medina in FES”, precisely in between the street of “CHMAINE- those who fabricate candles” and “ANAJARIN- the carpenters”. It kept its spiritual importance. The mausoleum opens his door all day long for the reception of the visitors no matter their differences “cultural-social etc” it’s considered as the beating heart of tourism in the city of FES.
According to the historian, the aspect of the holiness acquired by the mausoleum does not dig its roots far in the history, specially because the “ZENIT PRINCES” whom came right after the” IDRISSIDES” era, worked on stopping all the festivity and commemoration that used to take place in the mausoleum. But everything changed precisely in 841 Hijri/1147, when the renewal of “ACHORAFAE- the Nobles” mosque saw light. Once they started digging the found the corps nearly without any sign of decomposition, that incident touched people’s heart, since then people re-instated the celebration tradition of the founding father of Fes.
The historian also mentioned that “MOULAY IDRISS AL AZHAR” showed incredible skills, such as the mastering of the religious and literary studies by the age of eleven. Also, during twenty five years of his reign he was known as “the man of state” and the widely cultured poet, who stood up to the foreign lobby pressure, specially the “ABBASIDES”. In addition to what was written previously, “MOULAY IDRISS AL AZHAR”, beyond of showing great sense of kindness and asceticism to his people, being altruistic and brave are another of “MOULAY IDRISS AL AZHAR” virtues.
Some of “MOULAY IDRISS AL-AZHAR” achievements:
As previously mentioned he is the founding father of the city of FES which has become a thriving worldly known Islamic metropolis. Also, he is responsible of the construction of “MASJID AL CHUYOUKH- mosque of the elders” 192 Hijri, (he build that mosque from his own money on the land that he bought from the tribes of “YAZGHA and ZWAGHA”. One year after, he constructed the “ACHORAFAE MOSQUE- mosque of the nobels” on the left side of the lake of Fes.
During “MOULAY IDRISS AL AZHAR” annual commemoration, several religious dialogue and lecture are held inside the mausoleum. At the end of the ceremony, “the dress” (a tissue destined to cover the shrine) is taken with spiritual songs.
To summarize, “MOULAY IDRISS AL AZHAR” (birth 177 Hijri) has taken the throne when he was eleven years old, and during two decades of his reign, he presented great signs of wisdom, compassion, asceticism, altruism and bravery. Those qualities had him write his name among the great man of the Moroccan history.
AL FAKIR
