This excerpt was taken from Volume 2, pages 146 onwards of the book "Said Hajji" by Abou Bakr Kadiri without the date of its release by the newspaper Al Maghrib. It appears to be an open letter to a speech delivered by General Noguès on November 9, 1937 at the city council of Fez. The general's speech, which was also printed by a colonialist French newspaper, had labeled the youth of the National Action Committee as "immature kids brainwashed by foreign elements."
A colleague asked me why I declined to respond to the allegations against the patriotic youth and against Moroccan nationalism that were recently published in a newspaper. The allegations allowed the author free rein of his fantasies to distort reality and by doing so revealed the true intentions and bias of his newspaper article.
In fact, a self respecting newspaper does not engage in such trivia and should ignore it. The newspaper in question has no impact on the nation's readers who are totally taken in by the patriotic cause whose objectives and desires are well understood. They are perfectly aware that their detractors seek only to serve their own personal interests even if these are the pursuit of dishonorable goals.
Is there anyone in Moroccan society who hears such nonsense without turning them to ridicule? Any response to the allegations of this paper presupposes a fear of having such debased views be planted in the minds of a few. But since each and everyone knows the integrity of the Moroccan nationalism, convinced of its righteous wishes, its well-established conduct and the noble fight it wages for a just cause, then ignoring such (false) assertions is the only way to condemn them to remain like a stillborn letter in the middle of a stack of plain paper piled one on top of another.
Since its first day, Moroccan nationalism has leaned on the values of Islam which provided by and large the inspiration to establish the Moroccan Bill of Rights and to finalize its agenda. This referral to the values of Islam was never dictated by any religious fanaticism but rather it is the result of a deep reflection of the teachings of our religion which combined eternal spirituality with transparent scientific thinking. These teachings could well be the best (formulation for a) constitution of life.
The Moroccan nationalists adhere to Islam's values with a total faith giving them the same drive to take action as exemplified by their historical predecessors who left a legacy full of prestigious and glorious achievements. They know they are patriots and believers of a genuine Islam sworn to (uphold) the issues and concerns of our era, the concern of uplifting the nation to a level it deserves and to propagate the virtues of knowledge to its social components. Those who believe or say otherwise, ignore the truth, and it is in their interest to learn the ABC's of our nationalism if they wish to be more familiar with it.
The allegation which attempts to depict a Moroccan expressing a difference of views between Moroccan nationalism and Islam, remind us of the other allegation which credits foreigners with the fruits of the labor of the Nationalist Movement. Malicious minds have sought to distort the truth by accusing the Moroccan Movement of being puppets toyed by external forces. But it has become clear to all that nationalism has never drawn its energy elsewhere than from the strength of the Moroccan people, dominated by a faith which incites them to be of service to the community and to uplift it without a need to resort to any publicity or requests for help from its foreign contacts.
Any allegation hurled against Moroccan nationalism was and will be, not a tool of destruction, but instead one for more stability. The truth can not be hidden and it results in driving the least informed parties of public opinion to be better aware of the truth. History has shown that the accusations brought to bear against those who work for the cause of the general principles of (human) rights only spur more encouragement and perseverance for a nationalist's long and heavy task.
May all who seek a divergence of views between Islam and the Moroccan nationalism calm down. May they put at ease those who wrongfully believe that Moroccan nationalism is under the influence of foreigners. That these allegations are nonsense is as clear as the clarity of the sun in broad daylight and they run the risk of being exposed to nationwide laughter.
