Essay Questions

Why do the Shahs move to settle in Morocco?

Having grown up in Afghanistan, the writer loses a large part of his heritage and a connection to the place where he had grown after the family movies to England. Following the political instability in Afghanistan characterized by war, his family is unable to return to the place of his birth. However, with the family having vacations in Morocco, Shah develops an association between Afghanistan and Morocco. Morocco reminds the writer and narrator of this work about his homeland due to the salient connection between spirituality and peace. The family thus moves to settle in Morocco.

Explore the idea of demonology and spirituality as brought out in Tahir Shah’s The Caliph’s House: A Year in Casablanca.

Demonology, ‘the belief in and the study of demons,’ as a theme is well exploited in the novel. After Tahir Shah and his family relocate to Morocco, they have to reside in a house that is not only dilapidated but also inhabited by a mysterious being—the djinn. Shah, therefore, has to learn about the ways through which the house can be cleansed of this mysterious and demonic being. In doing so, the character is able to perform an exorcism that rids the Caliph house of the djinn infestation. The belief in the jinn becomes a way in which the writer presents the concept of spirituality while also noting the belief in the existence of demons and other mysterious creatures.

Explore the character of Tahir Shah as brought out in The Caliph’s House: A Year in Casablanca.

The religious aspect of Tahir Shah is presented when he has to rid the house of an evil spirit—the jinn. Shah has to cleanse the Caliph's house of the evil that haunts and he resorts to religion to find answers and cleanse the house. Additionally, the Shah is determined. Despite the notable attempts of his family and relatives to discourage his movement to Morocco, he moves to the country. Also, Shah exhibits a great deal of determination as he does not rest until he cleanses the Caliph’s house of the evil haunting. Shah is also portrayed as loving and caring. Out of fear that the wrath of the jinn would be disastrous, he instructs his wife not to bathe in the bathroom at midnight. In this way, he comes out as caring.