Moroccan historian Lotfi Bouchntouf, pioneer of historical translation, dies

Prominent Moroccan historian Lotfi Bouchntouf, celebrated for his extensive contributions to the study and translation of Moroccan history, has died. He was known for his academic rigor and his influential work, "The World and the Sultan: A Study in the Transition of Rule and the Legitimacy of the Project."

Bouchntouf's research delved into various facets of Moroccan history, including its cultural, religious, political, and intellectual dimensions. He explored the role of scholars in the transition between the Wattasid and Saadi dynasties and examined the formation of the state. His academic career at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities in Rabat was marked by a commitment to interdisciplinary approaches, drawing from human sciences to enrich historical understanding.

Among his recent contributions was the coordination and review of a substantial translation of "The History of the World in the 15th Century." Bouchntouf championed the importance of historical translation, arguing it enriches the Moroccan and Arabic literary landscape with comprehensive historical narratives. He believed such translations challenge our understanding of history, question assumptions about reality, and offer new perspectives on contemporary issues, prompting a re-evaluation of Moroccan history and its established narratives.

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It questions our understanding of our history, the assumptions we hold about reality and truth, and what we consider an exception which is actually common. It deepens our understanding of what happened and is happening in the world, and offers a new reading of some current issues. It doesn't just fill gaps, but prompts us to rethink Moroccan history and some of its established facts.

Beyond his authored works and coordinated collections, Bouchntouf was dedicated to historical translation, collaborating with prominent historians on projects like the translation of "News of Ahmad al-Mansur, Sultan of Morocco" by António de Saldanha. He also engaged in scientific volunteer work, co-founding "Ribat Al-Kutub," a digital magazine focused on books and their issues, which has been active for 19 years and brings together leading Moroccan academics and researchers.

Bouchntouf advocated for openness to global historical research and the translation of international historical works to prevent Moroccan historical research from becoming insular. He emphasized the value of "comprehensive world history" in recognizing the contributions of often-neglected civilizations. In a critique of studies on Ibn Battuta, he criticized historians who, he argued, were overly focused on a "Western" centric view, writing "the history of their small world while thinking they were writing the history of the world." He noted that these historians spoke of unknown regions while the West was the one that was ignorant of them, as these areas were living ordinary lives.

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The history of their small world, while thinking they were writing the history of the world... and they talk about unknown regions, while the ignorant one is the West that did not know them, while those regions were living ordinary lives.