The Image of the Moroccan Saint in Oral and Written Hagiography

In the last few decades the Western world has witnessed a growing interest in hagiography. Although previously hardly any scholarly status was ascribed to saints’ legends, the value of this genre is now generally recognized as a source for historical and social research. In order to get a clear impression of Islamic saints’ legends one cannot confine oneself exclusively to an analysis of written hagiography. Legends form part a still vivid oral tradition, too. This situation in Morocco is a clear example. The author collected thirty-seven saints’ legends during a 1992 research project in Marrakesh together with the study of the rituals that are still being performed at the shrines. The paper provides an analysis of these legends.