Who is Ahmed el Aalj?

Scala Port. Bab Labhar. This monumental door build in blocks of stone is an icon for Essaouira.
All visitors entering the town from the port can see the inscription in arabic, carved in sandstone. It´s just on the triangular pediment surmounting the the door .
Translated in english:

“PRAISE TO ALLAH,
“This door , ordered by the glorious one of the kings, Sidi Mohammed , was built by its servetor Ahmed el Aalj”

(1184H/AD1770 )

In 1764 , Sultan Sidi Mohammad III engaged Théodore Cornut, a French architect, to design the new city. He worked three years on constructing the port and the Kasbah.
The sultan then let the english architect Ahmed el Aalj fulfill the project.
Laalej,Laalaj,alAji,al Aal,el Aalj - is the name given to all the persons who has converted to the islamic religion.
Qui est Ahmed Laalej, cet architecte anglais qui construisit la Porte de la Marine à Essaouira?

Sultan, سلطان‎ Sulṭān, is an islamic title used by certain muslim rulers. Lands ruled by a sultan are called a sultanate ( سلطنة‎). Mohammed V changed the style to Malik (king) on 14 August 1957, maintaining the subsidiary style Amir al-Mu´minin (Commander of the Faithful)
List of rulers of Morocco
History of Morocco
Kingdoms of Africa-Morocco

There is more knowledge in translating the inscription.
It starts with Alhamdulillah (الحمد لله) which is an arabic phrase meaning "Praise to God". In islam "the Hamdala" is used in special situations as: After sneezing, after waking up, response to "How are you? or in general every time a muslim desires to praise Allah. It is also used of many just as "thankfulness".

Traditionally arabic (islamic) writing begins with Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim ,

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

("In the name of God, most Gracious, most Compassionate")

This phrase constitutes the first verse of every "sura" (or chapter) of the Quran (except for the ninth sura), and is used in a number of contexts by Muslims.
Bismillah, بسملة ," in the name of God" is said before you start actions , like entering a house , eating or drinking or mounting your bike.

National flag of Morocco

A red flag in steel on a boatmast, with a five point star as an opening in the middle letting the wind pass through. Another moroccan flag in Scala the port, telling us about the force of the winds tearing it slowly apart. There are rules about flags, they are national symbols and must be handled with respect. Basic Flag Etiquette.
The Flag of Morocko , علم المغرب, has the royal colour red, which symbolizes the decendants of islamic Prophet Mohammed. A pentagram , Seal of Solomon, was introduced in 1912, when Morocco was placed under French protectorate. The five point star in green, the traditional colour of islam. An explication is that it was best adapted to the country's religion and faith. The 5 branches could symbolize the 5 pillars of Islam. The star represents the link between God and the nation. Islam is the official religion in Morocco. The King, descendant of the Prophet, bears the title of Commander of the Believers. الله الوطن الملك , Allah, AlWatan, AlMalik ( God, Homeland and King )
are final words in the Hymne Chérifien (Hymn of the Sharif), which has been the anthem of the Kingdom of Morocko ,even before the country gained its independence from France, 2 mars 1956. Audio MP3

The Kingdom of Morocko in local long form: , المملكة المغربية , Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah and in local short form: Al Maghrib also Maghreb el Aqsa (literally: land farthest west).

Barakat Mohammed

At the entry of Essaouira there is a big sandcoloured sculpture. We can read arabic letters. What is their meaning?
First.
What is the origin of this towns name?
There are many different explanations.
In the 7th century, the Phoenicians stopped over in the Island of Mogador and they named it Migdal , Migdol ("watchtower"). The Romans later founded a Tyrian purple factory there which gave it the name "the Purple Islands" ( d’iles Purpuraires, l’ile de Mogador) , just off the coast from Essaouira.
The muslim saint Sidi Mogdoul was buried here in the middle ages and his name is important to this place. In berber (amazigh) language Amagdoul (the well garded). The portugeese (called it Mogdura, the spanish Mogadour and the french Mogador.
There are more linguistic ideas about the root of letters as GDR and origin of Mogador.
(Souss.com,forum en francais)
(Mogador : Son étymologie judéo berbère, Omar Lakhdar (Essaouira, Maroc)

The meaning of the inscription
On the south wall of the east Sqala Port tower , there is an carved inscription in sandstone. It is arabic calligraphy and reads “Barakat Mohammed”. The inscription means " blessing of Mohammed – prophet of Islam". It is dating from 18th century at the foundation of the town by the sultan Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah al-Qatib (c. 1710-1790) ( محمد الثالث بن عبد الله الخطيب‎ ) calling about divine protection of the town. He let build a fortress originally called Souira ("the small fortress"). Later the name was Es-Saouira ("the beautifully made, the picture") Today this town is called Essaouira... الصويرة
Other older names in berber are Tasurt and Amgader.
Medina of Essaouira (formerly Mogador) was added to UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001