Performing dhikr above a nightclub: the interplay of commerce and spirituality at the Fez Festival of Sufi Culture

This review examines the fourth year of the Fez Festival of Sufi Culture (17–24 April 2010). Through a description of the festival, the impact of commercial interests on attitudes toward Sufi spirituality among different actors of this festival will be explored. Also, perceptions of the coexistence of these seemingly incompatible values will be addressed. The review further explores the transformation of religious ceremonies from local contexts into staged festival performances, and how the recent emphasis of Sufism by the Moroccan state has contributed to the re-emergence of Sufism in the Moroccan public sphere.