Abdurrauf Social Science
Vol. 3 No. 1 (2026): Abdurrauf Social Science

Revisiting Shi’a Influence in Idrisid Morocco: Governance, Legitimacy, and the Reconfiguration of Religious Identity

Muhammad Farhan (University of Dar al-Hadith al-Hassania, Rabat)



Article Info

Publish Date
31 Mar 2026

Abstract

This study revisits the influence of Shi’a in the context of the Idrisid Dynasty in Morocco through a political sociology perspective. It aims to analyze how religious legitimacy, particularly claims of descent from the Prophet Muhammad (Ahl al-Bayt), functioned as a foundation of political authority as well as a mechanism for the construction of religious identity in the early Maghrib. In addition, the study explores how this influence has been represented and reinterpreted in both historical narratives and contemporary socio-religious contexts. This research employs a qualitative approach based on library research, drawing upon classical historical sources and modern academic studies relevant to the Idrisid period and the early development of Shi’a. The analysis focuses on the relationship between power, legitimacy, and identity within society. The findings indicate that Shi’a affiliation in the context of the Idrisid Dynasty was primarily symbolic and political rather than a fully institutionalized theological system. Genealogical claims to the Ahl al-Bayt played a crucial role in strengthening political legitimacy amid social fragmentation and intergroup conflict. Over time, this influence underwent socio-cultural transformation, resulting in diverse interpretations within contemporary Moroccan society, both in the form of cultural practices and religious discourse. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the relationship between religion and power in Islamic history, while also offering a critical perspective on the process of reconfiguring religious identity within modern social dynamics.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

arsos

Publisher

Subject

Religion Humanities Education Law, Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice Social Sciences

Description

Abdurrauf Social Science adalah jurnal terkemuka yang ditinjau sejawat dan berakses terbuka, yang menerbitkan karya ilmiah, dan mengkhususkan diri dalam Ilmu Sosial yang menekankan isu-isu Asia kontemporer dengan pendekatan interdisipliner dan multidisipliner. Jurnal ini berupaya untuk menerbitkan ...