Between national and international interests: Morocco’s Al-Adl wa-l-Ihsane from an international perspective

Abstract

This article explores the increasing influence of transnational Islamist political networks, and, particularly, the rise of international linkages within Islamist movements that have traditionally had an exclusive national focus. For this purpose, it focuses on Morocco's Islamist opposition movement al-Adl wa-l- Ihsane (AWI), one of whose main mottos is the rejection of financial aid or support from foreign organisations. In spite of this, international issues have contributed to shape its actions within Moroccan borders. Likewise, different Muslim associations inspired by this movement's school of thought have emerged across Europe. In this light, this paper analyses the influence exerted by AWI in three European countries: France, Belgium and Spain, focusing on the different Muslim associations that openly embrace AWI's school of thought. In doing so, it relies on social movement theory to understand the depth and nature of these relations, while reflecting on the impact they have on AWI in Morocco.