Moroccan Group honors West African heritage at Fez Sacred Music Festival

Performance blends spiritual devotion, poetic legacy, and Morocco’s Sufi roots in Jnan Sbil Gardens

FEZ, Morocco (MNTV) — The National Tijani Samaa Group, a Moroccan Sufi ensemble led by Mohcine Nourrach, performed a spiritually rich repertoire of devotional chants and praise poems on Tuesday evening at the Jnan Sbil gardens, as part of the 28th Fez Festival of World Sacred Music.

Dressed in traditional white garments, a dozen vocalists offered sacred praise poems and devotional chants that echoed through the historic gardens. 

Their performance transported the audience into a collective state of reverence, blending Morocco’s rich musical heritage with the spiritual teachings of the Tijaniyya Sufi order.

Founded in the late 18th century by Ahmad al-Tijani, the Tijaniyya order rapidly expanded across North and West Africa. 

Known for its accessibility to scholars, artisans, and rulers alike, the order emphasizes remembrance of God (dhikr), prayer upon the Prophet, and spiritual discipline—without requiring seclusion from society.

After al-Tijani settled in Fez, the city became the spiritual center of the order. His zawiya, where he is buried, remains a site of pilgrimage, anchoring Morocco’s enduring role in Tijani religious life.

Nourrach described the performance as both an artistic honor and a devotional act. “Our constant aim is to enrich the global samaa repertoire with the poems of these celebrated poets,” he told Morocco World News, referencing Sufi figures such as Al Arabi ibn al-Saih and Faqih al-Skirrej.

The night’s repertoire included odes by iconic Tijani poets like Sidi Ibrahim Niasse and lesser-known spiritual voices such as al-Kansusi. 

Each chant served as a spiritual bridge—between Fez and sub-Saharan Africa, past and present, art and divine remembrance.

Though deeply rooted in Moroccan samaa tradition, the performance also highlighted the transcontinental reach of the Tijaniyya order, which counts millions of followers from Senegal to Sudan. 

That broad spiritual influence could be felt in every verse and rhythm, turning the performance into a pan-African homage to Sufi heritage.

Now in its 28th edition, the Fez Festival of World Sacred Music continues to serve as more than just a cultural showcase. 

With over 200 artists from 15 countries gathering under the theme “unity through sacred sound,” the city has transformed into a global sanctuary for intercultural dialogue and spiritual exploration.

But on this particular evening, it was Tijani poetry that took center stage. And in doing so, it offered a timeless reminder: that the most powerful forms of connection require no translation—only the heart to listen.