Mentally ill Moroccan woman 'beaten to death with sticks' during Islamic exorcism ceremony after her family claimed she was possessed by the devil 

  • Mother of eight was thrashed with sticks by a preacher and his assistants
  • She suffered from a mental illness diagnosed as 'demonic possession'
  • Exorcism was designed to 'force' the devil out of the 40-something woman
  • But she succumbed to her injuries after multiple sessions with the exorcist

By John Hall for MailOnline

Published: | Updated:

A mentally ill Moroccan woman has died after relatives took her to an Islamic exorcism ceremony to rid her of 'demons'.

The mother of eight is understood to have died after being repeatedly beaten with a stick by an exorcist known as a fqih in the village of Douar Beni Salah in the northern Tetouan region.

The unnamed woman, who is in her 40s, took part in the religious ceremony in the belief that her mental illness was caused by evil spirits, with her family telling local reporters that they felt the woman had been 'possessed by the devil'.

Exorcism: Belief in demonic spirits known as jinns is widespread in the Islamic world and, according to religious scholars, can cause fits, garbled sentences and an abnormally high tolerance of pain

Exorcism: Belief in demonic spirits known as jinns is widespread in the Islamic world and, according to religious scholars, can cause fits, garbled sentences and an abnormally high tolerance of pain

In the hope of getting rid of her undisclosed mental illness, the woman is understood to have sought out the help of a fqih in her home town.

She underwent multiple sessions with the Islamic exorcist, which involved being beaten with a stick all over her body in the hope it would 'force' the devil out of her, according to Morocco World News.

While the fqih and his assistants beat the woman with a stick, a preacher is understood to have recited passages from the Koran.

Although the precise circumstances of her death have not yet been established, it is believed the woman's body could no longer withstand the severity of the beatings being inflicted upon her.

The fqih and his assistants have reportedly been arrested pending an investigation into the death. 

Location: The mother of eight is understood to have died after being repeatedly beaten with a stick by an exorcist known as a fqih in the village of Douar Beni Salah in the northern Tetouan region

Location: The mother of eight is understood to have died after being repeatedly beaten with a stick by an exorcist known as a fqih in the village of Douar Beni Salah in the northern Tetouan region

Belief in demonic spirits known as jinns is widespread in the Islamic world and, according to religious scholars, can cause fits, garbled sentences and a high tolerance for pain.

As these symptoms are also apparent in many people suffering from mental illness, the practice of exorcism is generally discouraged - with clerics saying 'genuine' cases of possession are rare. 

In fact in many communities religious leaders issue warnings to the local population to be wary of self-styled exorcists who diagnose disorders too quickly in the hope of making money quickly.

Nevertheless, tens of thousands of exorcisms take place around the Islamic world every year,  with at least eight registered Islamic exorcists believed to be operating in the UK alone. 

Most watched News videos