In Morocco, a Adel (plural Adoul) () is a public official who practices a liberal regulated profession through a set of competencies and conditions defined in Law N⁰. 16.03 related to the justice plan,Law No. 16.03 related to the justice plan, issued by the Royal Decree No. 1.06.56 on the 15th of Muharram 1427 (14th of February 2006). and in special legal texts. This profession falls within the auxiliary professions of the Judiciary of Morocco
Adoul act in pairs to record Islamic/Shar'i marriages, known as Nikah. They may also draft contracts, prenuptial agreements, inheritance-related documents, divorce settlements and adjudicate testaments. Their office is comparable to that of a civil law notary.
Controversy On January 23, 2018, women were officially allowed to become Adoul, following a royal decree issued by King Mohammed VI of Morocco. The decision sparked significant controversy - particularly among the existing ranks of Adoul - but also the Moroccan public.
Pronunciation The term Adoul (Arabic: عُدول) is classically pronounced /ʕuːduːl/, with the voiced pharyngeal fricative ʿAyn (ع) followed by a long "u" vowel. In Moroccan Darija, however, the phonological realization of ʿAyn is often weakened or glottalized, and vowels tend to shift. As a result, the word is typically pronounced /adul/ or /aːdul/, reflecting the broader phonetic tendencies in Maghrebi Arabic to simplify guttural consonants and level short vowels in colloquial usage.
See also
Islamic/Shar'i marriage (Nikah) Islamic/Shar'i divorce (Talaq)
References