Prayer, Morocco
A man takes a moment to rest his knees on his mat, shoes in his shadow, praying towards Mecca. Southern Morocco, 5 June 2016.
As the West's non-religious population continues to grow, its exposure to religious practices are in decline. The Arab world, however, is in part experiencing the opposite.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, Morocco has experienced an increase in its levels of spiritual engagement. The percentage of young Moroccans who consider themselves non-religious has more than halved since 2018, with almost two-thirds of the population praying daily / Arab Barometer.
The Moroccan landscape is punctuated by which many thousands of minarets from the mosques, calling for Muslims to practice. At specific times of the day, Islamic Moroccans take a moment to reflect in prayer. Those who answer the call from the Imams kneel on a prayer mat, shoes removed, head bowed.
