Religious & festival
Ashura Foods in Morocco
Ashura falls on the tenth day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic year, and is observed across the Muslim world. In Morocco it has developed its own warm, largely joyful character — a day of charity and remembrance that, for families, centres on dried fruit and nuts, special dishes and treats for children. As with all Islamic dates, it shifts earlier each year with the lunar calendar.
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- Religious & festival
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- 19 July 2026
At a glance
- Ashura is observed on the tenth of Muharram, the first Islamic month.
- In Morocco it is associated with dried fruit and nuts — the fakia mix.
- It is a day of charity, and of small gifts and sweets for children.
- A special couscous or preserved-meat dish is eaten in many homes.
A day of fruit and nuts
The most visible Ashura food tradition in Morocco is fakia — a lavish spread of dried fruit and nuts. In the days beforehand, markets pile high with dates, dried figs, raisins, apricots, walnuts, almonds, roasted chickpeas and every kind of nut, and families buy generously to fill bowls that are shared with visitors and, especially, children. The abundance of dried fruit is the taste of the day.
This connects to Ashura as a time of giving thanks and sharing, and to older customs of eating from the preserved stores of the year.
The dishes of Ashura
Beyond the fruit and nuts, many households cook something special, though the exact dish varies by region and family.
- Fakia: the shared platter of mixed dried fruit and nuts.
- Ashura couscous: in some homes a couscous made with preserved or dried meat (kaddid or gueddid).
- Kaddid: sun-dried, spiced strips of meat kept from Eid al-Adha, used in this season.
- Sweets and biscuits: ghriba, fekkas and honeyed treats for children.
Charity, children and custom
Ashura is strongly associated with charity and with children. Zakat and alms are traditionally given, sweets and small toys are bought for the young, and the day has a gentle, family-centred festivity. In some regions there are older folk customs around water and light that sit alongside the food, though these vary greatly from place to place.
For the preserved-meat traditions that feed into the Ashura couscous, see our note on the aftermath of Eid in the Eid al-Adha feast guide, and for the wider sweet tradition, festive Moroccan desserts by season.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ashura?
Ashura is a day observed on the tenth of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is marked across the Muslim world with fasting, prayer and charity. In Morocco it has a warm, family-centred character focused on sharing dried fruit and nuts and treating children. Its date shifts earlier each year.
What food is eaten on Ashura in Morocco?
The signature is fakia, a generous platter of mixed dried fruit and nuts — dates, figs, raisins, apricots, walnuts and almonds. Many families also cook a special couscous, sometimes with preserved or dried meat (kaddid) kept from Eid al-Adha, and buy sweets for children.
What is kaddid?
Kaddid (also gueddid) is meat preserved by salting, spicing and sun-drying, traditionally made from part of the sheep sacrificed at Eid al-Adha. It keeps for months and is used later in the year, notably in the special couscous some families prepare for Ashura.
Is Ashura a happy or solemn occasion in Morocco?
In Morocco Ashura is observed largely as a warm, family-centred day of charity, dried fruit and treats for children, with a gentle festivity. It carries religious significance and customs of giving, but the everyday food traditions around it are generous and celebratory rather than mournful.