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In December of 1845, Muhammad as-Saffar was sent by the reigning
Moroccan sultan on a special diplomatic mission to Paris. During
the journey, as-Saffar took careful notes and upon his return he
hurriedly wrote this travel account.
Why was the sultan, descendent of the Prophet Muhammad, and head of
a dynasty that had ruled Morocco for more than two hundred years,
so eager to read this account? Perhaps he thought it would
illuminate some troubling matters: how the French acquired their
power and their mastery over nature; how they led their daily
lives, educated their children, treated their women and servants.
In short, the sultan wanted to know the condition of French
civilization and why it differed from his. As-Saffar provided the
answers.
Moreover, as we read the account, Muhammad as-Saffar comes alive
for us. We see him reflecting on the beauty of women, contorting
during his ritual ablutions, and suffering from boredom at endless
dinners. His opinions and ideas infuse every page. For him the
journey was more than a catalog of curiosities; it was a
transforming experience. Given our very limited knowledge of the
time and the absence of other voices that speak with equal clarity,
this travel account enlarges our understanding of the relationship
between nineteenth-century Morocco and France.
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