A recent academic seminar titled “Ahmad Mutafakker, the Renewed Memory of Marrakech” was held on Thursday, during which participants recommended naming a street in Marrakech after this distinguished thinker. Additionally, they proposed awarding an honorary doctorate in his name and establishing future recognitions for those interested in the prominent figures and architecture of Marrakech.
During this seminar, Ahmad Mutafakker, a writer and curator of Marrakech’s scientific history, expressed his gratitude for the recognition he received, attended by a group of intellectuals who highlighted various aspects of his work throughout his academic journey concerning the red city. In an interview with Hespress, he stated, “Words fail to describe the moment of celebrating the works I have authored, researched, and compiled as someone deeply invested in the memory of Marrakech, a city that nurtured me and provided me with its bounties.”
Mutafakker elaborated, saying, “Everything I have done stems from a love for this city, as a person who grew up among its alleyways inevitably feels the need to give back in a greater way. For nearly four decades, I have strived to document the rich historical tapestry of this ancient city, which has served as the capital for several dynasties, including the Almoravids, Almohads, and Saadians, as well as a segment of the history of the Alaouite state, to ensure that today’s generation is aware of its past.”
He further commented, “God has granted me the ability to reveal the unspoken aspects of this historic city’s history through my writings about its scholars, poets, mosques, judges, doctors, and muftis, because every corner of the palm capital speaks of its rich and radiant history, from the land traversed by figures like Yusuf ibn Tashfin, Abd al-Mu'min al-Muwahhid, and Al-Mansur al-Dhahabi, providing future generations with insight into their glorious heritage.”
Abdelilah Tehani, a writer and journalist, also emphasized in a statement to Hespress that this seminar aims to honor an individual who dedicated his intellectual efforts to figures whose contributions were not recognized within academic institutions such as Ibn Yusuf University and the Faculty of Languages. His works, documented in volumes like “Judges of Aghmat and Marrakech Through the Ages (2025),” “Mosques of Marrakech Throughout History from Foundation to the Alaouite Era,” “Scholars of Seraghna and Their Intellectual Radiance,” and “Figures of Tafilalet (Studies and Biographies),” among others, serve to preserve this legacy.
Abdelmoumen Lamrini, a professor of Hebrew language and Semitic linguistics at the Faculty of Arabic Language in Marrakech, pointed out that “without the documentation of heritage, especially contemporary heritage, we would be a nation without roots. The future is determined by reading the past and understanding its depth.” He added, “Thus, we provide today’s generation with content that could serve as the basis for scholarly thesis projects, through research conducted in accordance with scientific methodologies.”
This tribute was organized by the Marrakech municipal council in partnership with the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, the Temporary Foundation for Science and Culture, and the Ahmed Shahlane Foundation for Studies and Research in Western Islamic Knowledge.
Among the notable contributions at the seminar was a presentation by Hassan Jalab on “The Fields of Authorship and Research in Heritage by Professor Ahmad Mutafakker,” another by Saida Amalah discussing “Ahmad Mutafakker as the Memory of Place and Awareness of History,” and a third by Abdeljalil Henous, who focused on “Ahmad Mutafakker as a Keeper of Marrakech’s Scientific History, a Reading of His Book ‘Scholars of Ibn Yusuf University in the Twentieth Century.’” Additionally, there was a presentation titled “Inspired by Place: Cultural Features in the Works of Professor Ahmad Mutafakker” by Moulay Mustafa Abou Hazem, while Moulay Al-Bashir Al-Kaaba addressed “The Scientific Project of Professor Ahmad Mutafakker and Preserving the Memory of the Marrakech Presence.”
As reported by hespress.com.
