فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
In our previous episode, “The Spark of April 1912: When the Blood of Fez’s People Watered the Homeland,”
we paused at those difficult days when our ancient city rose up against the imposition of the Protectorate. We saw how its sons made immense sacrifices, shedding their pure blood on the sacred soil of Fez. Today, we continue our journey through the memory of heroism, shedding light not just on the events, but on their true makers: the heroes—both known and unknown—whose sacrifices and courage formed the eternal faces of the Fez resistance.
Every Fez Citizen Was a Resister: A Nation’s Epic
To speak of Fez’s resistance is not to speak of an isolated group or a limited faction—it is the epic of an entire people. In those critical moments, every proud citizen of Fez became a resister, each from their own position and to the best of their ability. The historical records may not preserve every name, and the identities of thousands may remain in the shadows, but it is their actions, heroism, and sacrifices that wove the threads of this epic. Every person who stood against oppression, who faced the colonizer, who defended the honor of their city and homeland, is a hero whose memory deserves to be immortalized. It is the story of a city that chose to confront its fate with courage and to write its history in the blood of its children.
Beacons in the Darkness: Scholars and Thought Leaders
At the forefront of Fez’s resistance stood the city’s scholars and thought leaders. Fez, a capital of knowledge and faith, drew light and guidance from its scholars in the darkest of times. The scholars of Al-Qarawiyyin, the sheikhs of the zawiyas, and the imams of the mosques played a pivotal role in raising awareness, rallying morale, and keeping the flame of faith and patriotism burning bright. Through their sermons, guidance, fatwas, and even their silent stances of defiance, they served as beacons for the rising masses. Their deep understanding taught them that defending religion is inseparable from defending the homeland—and neglecting either is a betrayal of both.
Lions of the Battlefield: The Bravery of the Unknown Fighters
On the frontlines of direct confrontation, the bravery of Fez’s unknown lions shone through. These were the Moroccan soldiers who ignited the uprising by refusing to obey the colonizer’s humiliating orders, fighting with rare valor. There were artisans, craftsmen, and merchants who left their trades, taking up whatever primitive weapons they could to defend their neighborhoods. And there were the young men who rushed with patriotic fervor to face enemy fire, unafraid of death.
We may not know all their names, but we can imagine their stories: the skilled craftsman who turned his tools into weapons to protect his land and honor; the merchant who shuttered his shop to join the resistance; the youth who climbed walls to surprise the enemy; or the farmer who came from the outskirts to stand alongside his brothers in defense of the city. These are the true heroes, whose blood engraved their names into the city’s book of pride.
Women of Fez: The Strength of Patience and Invisible Support
No account of Fez’s resistance is complete without recognizing the monumental role of its women. The women of Fez were true partners in this epic—often in ways unseen. They were the mothers who sent their sons to the battlefields of honor, the wives who endured and prayed, the sisters who supported and stood by their kin.
They participated in countless ways: encouraging men to stand firm, their zagharid (ululations) echoing from rooftops as cries of defiance and revolution. They cared for the wounded, brought food and water to the fighters, and hid those being pursued by the enemy. In their silence, endurance, and strength, they formed the solid home front on which the resistance relied. The sacrifices of the women of Fez are no less heroic than those of its men.
One Fabric: Organized and Spontaneous Resistance
What distinguished Fez’s resistance was the unique unity among all parts of society. It wasn’t always organized in the military sense; rather, it combined coordinated action—such as the initial moves of the soldiers—with massive waves of spontaneous popular resistance. People moved as one heart, united by faith and homeland, aware of the shared danger. Every neighborhood, every alley, every street became a fortress of defiance. This popular cohesion gave the resistance in Fez its strength and momentum, making it exceptionally difficult for the colonizer to suppress.
Episode Message: Every Drop of Blood Is a Medal of Honor
Every unknown fighter, every scholar-warrior, every patient woman, every rebellious youth—they are all heroes of gold in Fez’s history. Every drop of blood spilled on this sacred city’s soil, every soul lost in its defense and that of the homeland, is a medal of honor on the chest of Moroccan history. Their sacrifices were not in vain. They laid the foundation of a resistance that continued until independence. They are living proof that the will of free peoples can never be crushed.
In the next episode, God willing:
We will explore how the colonizer tried to extinguish the flame of resistance after the April uprising—and how the patriotic spirit of Fez continued to burn in new forms of defiance and resilience. Stay tuned with Fez News.
Source: Fez News Media
