The best parties Morocco

This feast commemorates Abraham's sacrifice of his son Isaac at God's command. At the last moment, God replaced the child with a ram. Aïd el-Kebir, also known as the "Feast of the Sheep", commemorates this event, and every Moroccan family sacrifices a sheep on this occasion. Only considerations of the utmost importance can disrupt this festival, as in 1981 and 1982, when the King asked that sacrifices not be made to avoid depleting livestock stocks affected by the country's drought.

Gathering of the people around the tombs of the saints. This large feast - both pilgrimage and festive animations - gives rise to fantasias.

In Morocco, as elsewhere, Ramadan is the most important month in the Muslim calendar, and the whole country lives to the rhythm of obligations and piety. This period of spiritual and carnal purification consists of not eating or drinking, from dawn to the hour "when the eye can no longer distinguish a white thread from a black one"... but also of exercising a discipline more deeply rooted than usual, notably in prayer, almsgiving and all the sacred rites of Islam. At nightfall, people hurry to enjoy ftour (harira, milk and dates) and break the fast.

This is the name given to the last break of the Ramadan fast. After a month of fasting, where it is forbidden to eat and drink as long as the sun shines on the horizon, Moroccans celebrate with great noise the "small festival". This begins with preparations that can last several days. On the menu, heaps of food and pastries. It is also an opportunity to buy new clothes for the children. Then at nightfall, Muslims gather with family and friends to share large meals with some specialties.

This colorful festival commemorates the birth of Mohammed, and has been celebrated in Morocco since 1292. In Rabat, Mouloud is celebrated with candle-lit processions. Everywhere, people begin with a night of prayers in all the country's mosques. It's also a time for giving presents to children. Fairgrounds set up merry-go-rounds, hawkers overflow with sweets and brass bands play rebab in public squares. It's also an opportunity to tasteassida, the Prophet's favorite dish, made with boiled barley, butter and honey.

This religious festival marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan and the^1st day of the month of Shawwal. It is one of the most important celebrations in the Muslim calendar, bringing families together across the Kingdom. On this special day, morning prayers are held and then it's time to gather around a big meal, ending with pastries. It is not, however, comparable in scale to its elder sister, the feast of Aïd El-Kébir.

It's the tenth day of the year, and takes us back to the year 622, when Mohammed and his followers gathered at the oasis of Yathrid - today known as Medina. One of the three tribes living in the oasis was Jewish, and on this day they celebrated Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, when the Israelites observe a day of fasting and rest to atone for the sins they had committed during the year. The prophet advised his followers to adopt this day of fasting. Two years later, when Ramadan was instituted, Ashura became recommended but not obligatory. Today, it's a festival in honor of the underprivileged, and an opportunity to give them zakat, the alms provided for by the Koran for all good Muslims. It's also a festival for children.