Young Moroccans are turning away from mosques over Gaza silence

For nearly a decade, whenever the call to Isha prayer has rung out, Abdul Ahad* has made a beeline for the front row at his local mosque, in particular the "sweet spot" just to the right of the imam.

Praying in the first saff (row) is an extremely rewardable act in Islam, he says, and performing congregational prayers in such a place during the holy month of Ramadan is even more so in the sight of God.

But this year, the 27-year-old says his prayer routine has changed drastically - and it's not because of a crisis of faith.

Since the war in Gaza erupted, Abdul Ahad, like many other young Moroccans, has been outraged by his country's reluctance to condemn Israel's deadly offensive, which has claimed more than 32,000 lives and displaced nearly all of the enclave's population.

Anger, he says, has also grown against the religious establishment over its refusal to express support for those suffering in Gaza and engage in one of the easiest forms of solidarity: prayers and supplication.

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