Ten days after the Islamic New Year, Ashura Day remains deeply rooted in Moroccan traditions and culture. A celebration of childhood, it is also an occasion to honor sharing and charity.

The Interpretation of a Religious Festival

Within Islam, Ashura Day holds a distinctive place, given the diverse and varied interpretations surrounding it. The name Ashura derives from the term achara, meaning 10. Ashura Day is celebrated on the tenth day of the first month of the Islamic calendar, Muharram.

This commemoration is rooted in the memory of Muhammad, who, upon seeing Jews fasting, felt compelled to do the same. Interpretations vary across different texts, but Ashura Day can be regarded as a period of fasting. However, with the advent of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting, Ashura Day became no longer obligatory, or at least lost much of its significance.

Today, Ashura Day remains interpreted and celebrated differently depending on the region and the spiritual traditions within each Muslim community.

In Maroc, Ashura Day, while generally remaining a traditional day of fasting, is also characterized by the Festival of Childhood and Sharing.

Ashura Day in Maroc

In Maroc, Ashura Day is therefore the Day of Childhood. Children are dressed in new clothes and given gifts—often toys—though the tradition of taarija (small drums made of taut goat skin) persists in certain regions. Children are honored, while adults observe a day of fasting.

Adults typically visit cemeteries to honor the deceased, bringing provisions to distribute to the less fortunate. You will often see those in need gathering at burial sites to receive dates and dried fruits. For Ashura Day is also a time of charity and sharing. An ancient custom calls not only for this distribution, but also the payment of Zakat, the traditional alms of one-tenth of savings accumulated throughout the year.

In the evening, the fast is broken with family gathered around couscous and a platter of dried fruits. After the meal, older children and teenagers light large bonfires, around which they dance and sing throughout much of the night.

If you find yourself in Maroc on Ashura Day, avoid venturing out the following day—Zem Zem Day, named after a well in Mecca. On this day, children roam the streets in search of a target, which they will not hesitate to drench thoroughly with water. They have the right to do so; it is Zem Zem Day, the day after Ashura Day.