Islam was the dominating religion of Spain and Muslims ruled Spain for almost eight hundred years. The country saw immense development in the architecture and education. It was a tragedy that the Muslim rule came to a sorry and tragic end after the glory it had seen in Al-Andalus, as was Spain called under the Muslim rule.
The Muslim period in Spain is often described as a 'golden age' of learning where libraries, colleges, public baths were established and literature, poetry and architecture flourished. Both Muslims and non-Muslims made major contributions to this flowering of culture. The work of its most important philosophers and scientists, such as Abulcasis and Averroes, had a major influence on the intellectual life of medieval Europe.
Ibn Rushd (Abū l-Walīd Muḥammad Ibn ʾAḥmad Ibn Rušd), often Latinized as Averroes, was an Andalusian polymath and jurist who wrote about many subjects, including philosophy, theology, medicine, astronomy, physics, psychology, mathematics, Islamic jurisprudence and law, and linguistics. [1]
Abū al-Qāsim Khalaf ibn al-'Abbās al-Zahrāwī al-Ansari (936–1013) Latinised as Albucasis or Abulcasis (from Arabic Abū al-Qāsim), was a physician, surgeon and chemist from al-Andalus. He is considered one of the greatest surgeons of the Middle Ages. [2]
In fact, Spain under Islam was the time of religious and ethnic tolerance and interfaith harmony between Muslims, Christians and Jews. Many Christians in Spain assimilated parts of the Muslim culture. Impressed by the Muslim culture, many learnt Arabic, some even adopted the same clothes as their rulers (some Christian women even started wearing the veil); some took Arabic names. Christians who did this were known as Mozarabs. Although, Muslims did not explicitly hate or persecute the non-Muslims, some writers of the view that the natives lived a like of second class citizens and that the Muslim attitude toward non-Muslims is one not of hate or fear or envy but simply of contempt.
Despite the notion that Islam spread by sword, Muslims respected people of other faith and respected their places of worship and there never was an effort to subdue the non-Muslims and force them to convert to Islam. And Muslims have to pay dearly for their softer approach and respect for other religions. And the end of Muslim rule over Spain came after a glorious history of rule spread over 800 years came with a tragic end, as Christians regained power. The take over was ruthless and barbaric. 'Edicts of Expulsion' for the expulsion of the Moriscos was finally issued by Philip III in 1609 against the Muslims in Spain. The last mass prosecution against Moriscos for crypto-Islamic practices occurred in Granada in 1727, and the indigenous Islam was finally extinguished from Spanish soil.
Recalling the grim days of expulsion of Muslims from Spain, Matthew Carr, the author of Blood and Faith, explains the harrowing details of the plight of the Moriscos, driven from their home country as detested aliens.:
Poignant and often tragic scenes unfolded as the Moriscos were brought to the waiting ships. One old man arrived in Valencia declaring his wish to be buried on Muslim soil but dropped dead while boarding his ship. Other Moriscos died of hunger and exhaustion before leaving the shore. Muslim babies were snatched and even kidnapped for their spiritual salvation and later were raised as Christians. [3]
The Muslim places of worship were completely destroyed, leaving no trace of Muslim rule of Spain. Only a few landmarks like Alhambra were saved as cultural heritage not to project Islam, but to attract tourism in the country. It is the same way of preserving Taj Mahal in India, built by the Muslim rulers, to attract tourism, while the Muslims in general are treated worse than third rate citizens at large.
However, Islam could never be taken out off the hearts of the few remaining Muslims in Spain and their number continued to grow over time. The Arabic names distorted into Spanish and English can still be felt of their Arabic heritage like Gibraltar from Jabal al Tariq (the present Rock of Gibraltar named after the Muslim commander Tariq bin Zayyad who brought his army on ships which was a cue to Muslim occupation of Hispania), Cordoba from Qurtaba and Grenada from Gharnata. The world famous architecture of Alhambra in Grenada continues till today with its original name.
Today, nearly three million Muslims in Spain make up over 4% of the population. The majority are from Morocco; other sizable Muslim communities include Pakistanis, Algerians, Senegalese and Nigerians. The Autonomous Communities with a higher Muslim population are Catalonia, Andalusia, Madrid and the Valencian Community.
We share today a beautiful video of resurgence of Islam in Spain as more and more Spaniards are reverting to Islam for Islam is in their blood and Allah SWT is calling them back to return.. And after some 500 years of silence, Adhan is heard and masjids being flocked by the Muslims:
Let us continue to watch over the growth of Muslims in Spain and a day will come, God Willing / In sha Allah, when Muslim presence will be overwhelming in all parts of once Mighty Al-Andalus.
Disclaimer: The data for this post has been collected from the references given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors. If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.
You may also read our previous post "Muslims in Non Muslim Countries: Spain - Once the Mighty Al-Andalus" which we published sometime back on the life of Muslims in Spain. To know more about life of Muslims in other non-Muslim countries, please visit our Reference Page: Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.
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