The Lived Experiences of Residents of Casablanca, Morocco, and Their Exposure to Jihad in The Belgium Consulate Bombing : A Phenomenological Study

This study examined if Casablancans believed violent Jihad had influenced terrorist activities inside Morocco by looking at the term Jihad from both cultural and religious in a historical context and the effect of both concepts on the residents of Casablanca. The study described the transformation of Jihad from its true spiritual meaning to its attraction to terror. Three research questions guided this study: (1) What are residents’ lived experiences of the Belgium Consulate terrorist attack in Casablanca in shaping their understanding of Islam and Jihads? (2) How do the experiences and exposure of residents of the Belgium Consulate terrorist attack in Casablanca perceive and interpret Islam and its relation to Jihad? (3) How do the lived experiences of residents in Casablanca impact their attitudes and behavior towards their community following the terrorist attack? Based on qualitative phenomenological methodology, this research utilized qualitative interviews to collect data from participants who resided in Casablanca. The study also followed a purposive sampling technique to identify the participants who participated in the research study. Data was collected through open-ended questions and a semi-structured interview via Zoom. The researcher transcribed each interview via Zoom’s transcribe function. Data were analyzed via a qualitative thematic analysis, in which the researcher followed the steps outlined by Van Manen. Five themes emerged from the dataset: (a) a shattered sense of security, (b) a struggle with identity and religion, (c) Islam as a religion of peace and tolerance, (d) the misrepresentation of Islam in the media, and (e) the need for education and awareness. This research underscores the importance of utilizing community-based education and mental health care to prevent Islam from being stigmatized and cultivate resilience against the socio-psychological impacts of terrorism. However, the research is focused only on the lived experiences and experiences of the Casablanca people, making it difficult to apply its conclusions to other settings. Ideally, future studies should use cross-cultural comparisons to grasp how different societies across the globe engage with Jihadist violence and craft effective counter-narratives to combat radicalization and its socioeconomic motivators.