A Storm Is Erupting in Morocco: His Crime? Questioning Islam A storm is exploding in Morocco over Dr. Mohamed El Fayed, a nutrition specialist who dared to wander into forbidden territory: questioning Islamic claims publicly. Recently, he questioned the claim that Muhammad was illiterate. His argument was deliberately provocative: “Allah supposedly wanted to deliver His final and most important revelation to all humanity, yet He chose an illiterate man in the Arabian desert to communicate it. Does that really make sense?” His comments went viral. And what happened next tells you everything. Instead of simply answering him, Salafi clerics and ordinary Moroccans began demanding his arrest, prosecution, and execution for apostasy/insulting the prophet. Arrest him. Silence him. Punish him. Why? Because he asked questions about Islam. If his arguments are ridiculous, destroy them with evidence. If Islam is unquestionably true, what exactly are you afraid of? But when questioning a religious claim triggers demands for police, prosecutors, and punishment, you are no longer defending Islam with arguments. You are asking the state to protect Islam from arguments. Truth does not need handcuffs. And considering the hostility faced by people who publicly challenge Islam, I genuinely fear that El Fayed could eventually face prosecution or even physical harm. So here is the uncomfortable question: Is Islam protected in Morocco because it is convincing, or because questioning it can come with consequences?

I went to the Morocco vs. Haiti game in Atlanta yesterday. One thing immediately caught my attention. Right after scanning your ticket at the entrance to Mercedes-Benz Stadium, there were groups of people handing out "Muslim Hospitality" pamphlets. They showed where to pray and which food was halal. Then, just a few steps inside, there was a large sign with the same information. It didn't feel like simple visitor assistance. It felt like the promotion of a religion. The stadium doesn't hand every fan a printed map, stadium rules, or event information, those are all available online. Yet for Islam, there were printed pamphlets being handed to everyone and an entire team dedicated to distributing them. No other religion had volunteers handing out pamphlets at the entrance. There were no Christian hospitality teams, no Jewish hospitality teams, no Hindu or Buddhist pamphlets, only Islam. This is a soccer match, not a religious event. If someone wants to pray, there are churches, synagogues, temples, and mosques for that. The irony is even greater considering that, according to many Islamic scholars, professional soccer itself is considered haram, and FIFA generates revenue from sponsors such as Budweiser. Yet instead of addressing that contradiction, there is an organized effort to promote Islamic practices inside the stadium. @FIFAWorldCup @FIFAcom