Wide Controversy After Statement by Moroccan Sheikh: Women Not Allowed to Go to the Beach Even with Hijab

Moroccan content creator Elias El Kharrissi, known as "Sheikh Sar", sparked a new wave of controversy on social media after expressing an opinion rejecting women going to the beach, even if they wear hijab or burkini, considering it "religiously impermissible".

"Sheikh Sar", who is followed by around a million people on Facebook, stated that a man going to the beach or pool with his wife is an inappropriate behavior, even when dressed modestly, due to gender mixing and the absence of lowering the gaze, adding that the woman "will spend hours on the beach looking at men", which he considers a sufficient reason to reject this behavior.

His statements have sparked wide reactions among Moroccans, with some considering his ideas discriminatory and extreme, aiming to restrict women's freedom in the name of religion.

Blogger Fatima Dhou wrote that "this man wants to prevent women from living because of his extreme ideas", questioning the harm in couples going to the beach together in decent attire.

Blogger Fouad criticized Sheikh Sar's repeated focus on women, calling for addressing deeper and more impactful societal issues.

He considered that "the real problem is not the presence of women on the beach, but the lack of education and respect for others", adding that "a woman's body is not 'awrah' (intimate parts), and her presence in public spaces should be met with respect, not guardianship".

On the other hand, Sheikh Sar found defenders of his views, such as blogger Idriss El Ghazwani, who described his statements as "correct and expressive of religious teachings", calling for women to confine their visits to private and enclosed pools to avoid what he described as "indecent scenes and immoral behaviors that have become prevalent on beaches".

Activist Mourad Azrou wrote that "the prohibition here does not target the sea as a place, but what has become associated with it in terms of manifestations of decadence and moral decline", considering beach visits, in his view, a form of indulging in sins.

"Sheikh Sar" is known as a retired rap singer who turned into a controversial religious content creator, having previously stirred a storm of criticism after urging men not to marry educated or university degree-holding women, which many considered a violation of women's rights and a regression from equality values.