Statement by Professor Muhammad Shafiq
They told me that Hassan II wanted me as director of the Mawlawi school, and my condition for accepting the request was that I be exempted from the royal rituals. I am not responsible to the state to be forced to do so. I will only carry out my mission like the rest of the members of the education family. They accepted my request and I was honored to do so. I took advantage of the opportunity in this situation and sent a request. Hassan II decided to introduce the Amazigh language into state institutions, especially the court, the hospital, the administrations, and the gendarmerie and security centers, to facilitate communication with Amazigh-speaking citizens, but I did not receive any answer to that....
One day, Hassan II appointed me to conduct a field study between ancient and modern schools and which of them had the greatest importance to subsequent generations, so I submitted the report to him in all impartiality. I told him that the old schools were transgressive and instilled submission in children and accepted things as they were without them having any say in what they were studying. However, Hassan II had another opinion, and despite this report he insisted on creating more old schools.... After a few weeks, I submitted my resignation with all courage and took my full time. It took me years and years to prepare an Amazigh dictionary. I also devoted myself to collecting historical articles related to the Amazigh in the book Thirty-Three Century of Amazigh History. I also devoted myself to writing the book Moroccan dialect, a field of communication between Amazigh and Arabic, and a copy of it was submitted to the Royal Institution...
After a long struggle, I was appointed president of the Royal Institute for Amazigh Culture. I did not want a monthly salary to do my work. Rather, all I wanted was to exploit the institute’s capabilities to regulate and prepare the Amazigh language and defend the rights of the Amazigh. But after a few years, I did not find my complete freedom to work quietly and without dictates or restrictions. Harassment, so I submitted my resignation, and now I live my last days in my home. I lost my sight and my strength weakened, but I am happy to have left an important archive for the Amazigh, as it took me many years... so I concluded my journey by saying this:
“The Amazighs are men of war, and the war of this age is with knowledge, so we must learn.”
The spiritual father of the Amazigh movement in Morocco, Mr. Mohamed Shafiq
Source: websites