DOCSLIB.ORG

Tracing the Foot Steps of Tariq Ibn Ziyad Part III By: Nadia Shabir Please Refer to Previous Editions of ITM Magazine for 1St and 2Nd Part of the Vovage

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Tracing the Foot Steps of Tariq Ibn Ziyad Part III By: Nadia Shabir Please Refer to Previous Editions of ITM Magazine for 1St and 2Nd Part of the Vovage City Tourism Tracing the Foot steps of Tariq Ibn Ziyad Part III By: Nadia Shabir Please refer to previous editions of ITM magazine for 1st and 2nd part of the vovage..... Great Mosque Cordoba Immerse yourself in numinous saga and rich culture of Moorish Cordoba, home to a 1000 year old great mosque, La Mezquita. After succession of victories in Algeciars, Gibraltar and Ecija, the conquering army betook itself towards Cordoba. At Cordoba, Tariq and his men adversaries a chance to assemble encountered stout resistance. and launch yet another offensive. Roderick had placed the defences Therefore, taking the advice of of his ducal capital in good order. Count Julian, Tariq reorganized In fact, Cordoba was a strong and his eclectic army into three wings, important city, and much better one column to remain in Cordoba defended than Toledo, the imperial under Mughith al Roomi, while he capital. Tariq Ibn Ziyad and took another column of 700 Mughith al Roomi spent nine futile warriors towards Toledo and sent days in outer city compound, third column south eastward looking for a breach in city’s toward Granada. After a long and defences. After the horror of Ecija, arduous siege of two months, Tariq was unwilling to give his Cordoba was finally seized by The Great Mosque of Cordoba , Spain Cordoba moscheefassade Mughith al Roomi. After the sack labyrinthine old quarters in Spain, of Cordoba, Orinhuela in Murcia so do not be taken by surprise, was taken. when you get lost, in fact getting lost is part of the fun in Cordoba. In Cordoba Explore the city’s picturesque quarters dating back to 9th Be prepared to spend at least two Century. Walk through the myriad full days in Cordoba, a marvel of of narrow streets dating back to middle ages, home to erstwhile Moorish era, and discover watered renowned scholars like Ibn Rushd, courtyards and flower filled patios Ibn Al Arabi, Ibn Hazam, Al- and broad orange and lemon trees Qurtubi, al-Maqqari, al-Ghafiqi lining the streets. and Ibn Tufayl. Cordoba was also a ruling seat of Ummayad Cordoba›s Grand Mosque and Caliphate till 10th century. Surroundings Cordoba has the biggest and most According to Fodor «Córdoba›s mosque is one of the earliest and because it indeed is full of most transportingly beautiful subtleties and surprises. The examples of Spanish Muslim building has been cathedral for architecture.» over 750 years now, but no one Visit the great mosque built (786- can ever mistake its origins. 788 A.D.) by Ummayad Emir Abd Architect of this mosque is al Rahman 1. La Mezquita is unpretentious rectangle, divided recognised as one of the most into aisles by rows of columns of prestigious wonders of the Islamic onyx, marble jasper and granite. world. You’ll be astonished by the Simple walls are punctuated by architect of this great mosque beautifully decorated portals and Kathedrale Toledo Medinat Azahra richly gilded prayer niches. There and plasterwork are a splendid are several beautiful calligraphical work of Islamic art. The size of Quranic verses on the walls, mosque was increased with time entwined with coloured tile work. and under different emirs to The surviving jewel of the mosque accommodate growing number of is its famous mihrab, an octagonal Muslim population. The domed shrine of Byzantine construction of mosque lasted mosaics constructed and added over two centuries and the end under Al Hakam 11. Under Abdr result was second largest Muslim Rahman 111 the mihrab once pilgrimage site after Mecca. housed Quran and relics of Outside, the mosque courtyard is Prophet Muhammad. Opposite lined with Orange trees and Mihrab is the Maksoureh, foyer of fountain. The former minaret now the caliph and his court; its mosaics has a Baroque belfry. Visitors can climb to the top to catch a Mezquita since it was closed to panoramic view of the city. Muslims in 1236. Iqbal wrote a In 1236, Cordoba was recaptured beautiful dedication in the honour by King Ferdinand 111 of Castile and memory of what once was a and Mezquita was turned into heart of Islamic civilisation: Cathedral for local Christian population. For centuries the Oh Holy Mosque of Qurtaba, the famous Islamic architect of great shrine for all admirers of art mosque remained undisturbed Pearl of the one true faith, and in 1984, it became a part of sanctifying Andalusia›s soil UNESCO world heritage site. Like Holy Mecca itself, such a In 1931, national Sufi poet of glorious beauty Pakistan Muhammad Allama Iqbal Will be found on earth, only in a became the first Muslim to pray in true Muslim›s heart Medinat Azahra The Great Mosque of Cordoba , Spain Why not treat yourself and stay in museum, Andalusi house, Zoco Hotel Conquistador, set in the market, Calleja de las Flores, heart of Cordoba, overlooking Synagogue, Caliphate baths, great mosque. The view of mosque Roman walls and Viana Palace. from the Hotel balcony is simply In afternoon, hire a taxi and visit beautiful. Moorish city of flowers, Medina Azahra 8km west of the Cordoba. Lost city of Flowers- Medinat In 936, under the reign of Caliph Azahra Abdr Rehman 111, elaborate construction of this city began with Seek out the essence of this great infinite resources. After serving as city and further expand your an enchanted fort for 900 years, itinerary by visiting other famous the city was razed by Berber troops attractions like bullfighting in 1013. Nothing remains of the city now, but in 1944 the royal Toledo apartments were discovered. With time more was discovered of lost Tariq and his troops marched city, fragments were pieced northward to take Toledo, the together to restore few arches with “imperial city” and most established floral decorations and a hall with centre of Visigoth rule in Hispania. roof was discovered. More work is Toledo was capitulated after little underway. resistance, its malcontented Jews offering a peaceful surrender. The In evening, indulge your taste buds diplomatic alliances that were with fine dining; enjoy the speciality formed between the Jews of of local Cordobesa cuisine. At Toledo and Muslims were aimed night, take a walk across Roman at preservation of peace, individual Bridge and sense the profound liberties and religious freedom. melancholy that surrounds Alcazar According to Irving, this surrender and Mezquita at night time. was quite orderly and provided the Minaret of Mezquita Córdoba Mosque in Cordoba Arabs with fresh arms and horses. and in less than seven years, Smaller detachments were then whole of Spain fell under Islamic sent to deal with the smaller towns. hegemony. According to Philip K. In Toledo, Tariq was joined by his Hitti, ‘This constituted the last and master Musa Ibn Nasir. It was here the most sensational of the major in Toledo that Musa Ibn Nasir Arab campaigns and resulted in publicly lashed and incarcerated the addition to the Moslem world Tariq Ibn Ziyad for an act of of the largest European territory disobedience at Ecija. These two ever held by them. leaders were different in their temperaments and tactics; Toledo is famed for its legends and however, Musa later freed Tariq folklore tales. Ibn Abd-el-Hakem and putting their differences aside (History of the Conquest of Spain) both continued with their campaign and Irving (Falcon of the Spain) both state that it was here in Toledo that a full day is acquired to that Tariq Ibn Ziyad acquired a appreciate and enjoy this splendid marvellous, legendary table of city, with its artistic treasure troves, Prophet Solomon which was said medieval bridges, gateways, to be held in Cathedral in Toledo. churches, mausoleums and The table had been in possession Jewish quarters. of Visigothic rulers for centuries. Centuries after the expulsion of Muslims from this heartland, only In Toledo little of Islamic architect has survived. In Toledo, you will see There’s so much to see in Toledo the remarkable synthesis of Calleja de las Flores The Great Mosque of Cordoba , Spain Islamic and European Gothic peacemaker (1086). architect called Mudejar in Visit the fortress, looming on the churches such as Santiago del hill, originally the Renaissance Arribal, San Roman and Toledo palace of the Hapsburg Emperor Cathedral. Prime features are the Charles V. Relax and gaze down delicate decorative style of the at city from above river Tajo. brickwork and conventional Islamic Revel at the triangle-shaped Plaza horseshoe arches. Visit the Church de Zocodover, Toledo›s main of Cristo de la Luz, once a 10th square, buzzing with activity, century mosque Bab Al- Mardum shops, silver smiths, and stood here. In Toledo cathedral restaurants. Toledo is famed for its you will come across a 13th silverware and sword and knives century polychrome statue of the making. Don’t forget to try the Muslim saint Abu Walid the delicious local delicacy Marzipan..
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Berber Identity: a Double Helix of Islam and War by Alvin Okoreeh
    The Berber Identity: A Double Helix of Islam and War By Alvin Okoreeh Mezquita de Córdoba, Interior. Muslim Spain is characterized by a myriad of sophisticated and complex dynamics that invariably draw from a foundation rooted in an ethnically diverse populace made up of Arabs, Berbers, muwalladun, Mozarebs, Jews, and Christians. According to most scholars, the overriding theme for this period in the Iberian Peninsula is an unprecedented level of tolerance. The actual level of tolerance experienced by its inhabitants is debatable and relative to time, however, commensurate with the idea of tolerance is the premise that each of the aforementioned groups was able to leave a distinct mark on the era of Muslim dominance in Spain. The Arabs, with longstanding ties to supremacy in Damascus and Baghdad exercised authority as the conqueror and imbued al-Andalus with culture and learning until the fall of the caliphate in 1031. The Berbers were at times allies with the Arabs and Christians, were often enemies with everyone on the Iberian Peninsula, and in the times of the taifas, Almoravid and Almohad dynasties, were the rulers of al-Andalus. The muwalladun, subjugated by Arab perceptions of a dubious conversion to Islam, were mired in compulsory ineptitude under the pretense that their conversion to Islam would yield a more prosperous life. The Mozarebs and Jews, referred to as “people of the book,” experienced a wide spectrum of societal conditions ranging from prosperity to withering persecution. This paper will argue that the Berbers, by virtue of cultural assimilation and an identity forged by militant aggressiveness and religious zealotry, were the most influential ethno-religious group in Muslim Spain from the time of the initial Muslim conquest of Spain by Berber-led Umayyad forces to the last vestige of Muslim dominance in Spain during the time of the Almohads.
    [Show full text]
  • A Comparison of Relations Between Abrahamic Religions in Medieval Spain and Its Reflection in Odat Y’S Israel-Palestine Relations
    DePaul University Via Sapientiae College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences Theses and Dissertations College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences 6-2018 Consulting the past: a comparison of relations between Abrahamic religions in medieval Spain and its reflection in odat y’s Israel-Palestine relations Morgan Reyes DePaul University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/etd Recommended Citation Reyes, Morgan, "Consulting the past: a comparison of relations between Abrahamic religions in medieval Spain and its reflection in odat y’s Israel-Palestine relations" (2018). College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences Theses and Dissertations. 251. https://via.library.depaul.edu/etd/251 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at Via Sapientiae. It has been accepted for inclusion in College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Via Sapientiae. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Consulting the Past: A Comparison of Relations Between Abrahamic Religions in Medieval Spain and its Reflection in Today’s Israel-Palestine Relations A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts June, 2018 By Morgan Reyes Department of Modern Languages College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences DePaul University Chicago, Illinois Consulting the Past Spring 2018 Reyes, 1 Table of Contents Timeline of Events in Medieval Iberia
    [Show full text]
  • Al-Andalus' Lessons for Contemporary European
    IMMIGRATION, JUSTICE AND SOCIETY AL-ANDALUS’ LESSONS FOR CONTEMPORARY EUROPEAN MODELS OF INTEGRATION MYRIAM FRANÇOIS • BETHSABÉE SOURIS www.europeanreform.org @europeanreform Established by Margaret Thatcher, New Direction is Europe’s leading free market political foundation & publisher with offices in Brussels, London, Rome & Warsaw. New Direction is registered in Belgium as a not-for-profit organisation and is partly funded by the European Parliament. REGISTERED OFFICE: Rue du Trône, 4, 1000 Brussels, Belgium. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Naweed Khan. www.europeanreform.org @europeanreform The European Parliament and New Direction assume no responsibility for the opinions expressed in this publication. Sole liability rests with the author. AUTHORS TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION 6 2 AL-ANDALUS’ MODEL OF INTEGRATION 8 2.1 THE IBERIAN HISTORY FROM THE MUSLIM CONQUEST TO THE RECONQUISTA 10 2.1.1 Visigoth Spain 11 2.1.2 The Muslim advance in Arabia and Northern Africa 11 2.1.3 The conquest of Spain 12 2.1.4 The unstable first years of the Umayyad dynasty 14 2.1.5 The golden ages of the Caliphate of Cordoba 14 2.1.6 The fall of the Caliphate of Cordoba 16 2.1.7 The end of Al-Andalus and the Reconquista 16 2.2 2.2 THE SOCIAL MODEL OF INTEGRATION OF AL-ANDALUS 18 2.2.1 The social and religious landscape 19 2.2.2 Controversy over the meaning of ‘convivencia’ 19 2.2.3 Protection of religious’ communities boundaries 21 2.2.4 Towards an increased integration and acculturation: The Arabization of the non-Muslim communities 22 2.2.5 The cultural impact of the convivencia 25 Myriam François Bethsabée Souris 2.2.6 Limits of coexistence 26 Dr Myiam Francois is a journalist and academic with a Bethsabée Souris is a PhD candidate in Political Science at 3 TODAY’S EUROPEAN MODELS OF MUSLIM INTEGRATION 28 focus on France and the Middle East.
    [Show full text]
  • Islam in Spain 1 Islam in Spain
    Islam in Spain 1 Islam in Spain Islam in Spain has had a fundamental presence in the culture and history of the nation. The religion was present in modern Spanish soil from 711 until 1492 under the rule of the Arabs and Moors of al-Andalus. For key historical dates, see Timeline of the Muslim presence in the Iberian peninsula. As of 2007, an estimated over 1 million Muslims live in Spain,[1] most of them recent immigrants from North Africa, Middle East, and South Asia; although there are also some Spanish converts, estimated at around 20,000.[2] The first Mosque after the Moors were expelled in 1492, in modern Spain, was built after approximately 500 years in 1982.[3] History Conquest Hispania was the Latin name given to the whole Iberian Peninsula (covering the territories of present day Spain and Portugal), and after the fall of the Western Roman Empire (476 AD) the Teutonic tribe of Visigoths ended up ruling the whole peninsula until the Islamic conquest (during that time they pushed another Teutonic tribe out—the Vandals – and conquered another one—the Suevi). It is frequently stated in historical sources that Spain was one of the former Roman provinces where the Latin language and culture The Great Mosque of Córdoba turned church after the Reconquista. grew deep roots. After the fall of the Empire the Visigoths continued the tradition by becoming probably the most Romanized of all Teutonic tribes. On April 30 of 711, Berber leader Tariq ibn-Ziyad landed at Gibraltar and by the end of the campaign most of the Iberian Peninsula (except for small areas in the north-west such as Asturias and the Basque territory) were brought under Islamic rule.
    [Show full text]
  • Al Andalus- Spain Under Muslim Rule
    Al Andalus: Spain Under Muslim Rule The Iberian Peninsula, modern Spain and Portugal, has had a long and diverse history. At the far West of the Old World, it had come under the control of a number of peoples, from the Carthaginians of North Africa in the 6th century BCE, to the Romans after their victory in the Punic Wars, and after the fall of Rome in the 5th century CE, to two Germanic groups, the Vandals and then Visigoths, who soon converted to Christianity. However, the religion of Islam was growing in the East, and the expansion of the Muslim World would come to include Spain for the next 800 years. It was during this period, when the rest of Medieval Europe was in relative decline, that Spanish Muslims, Jews, and Christians produced vast amounts of scholarship and numerous cultural achievements. While it was never a perfect harmony, this society is remembered as an example of uncommon tolerance in an otherwise intolerant period in Europe. As the Arab Muslims expanded into North Africa, many of the indigenous North Africans, known as Berbers, converted to Islam and joined the Muslim armies as they continued West. At the same time, the Visigothic rulers of Spain were engaged in a civil war, and were not very popular among the Spanish community, especially persecuted religious minorities like Jews and Arian Christians. Seizing the opportunity, a combined Arab and Berber force, representing the Umayyad Caliphate under the general Tariq ibn Ziyad, crossed the Strait of Gibraltar from North Africa into Spain. From 711 to 716 CE, they battled against the Visigoths until all of Spain was under Muslim rule.
    [Show full text]
  • Moorish Spain 711 to 1492 BATTLE of GUADALETE to FALL of GRANADA Era Summary—Moorish Spain
    Moorish Spain 711 to 1492 BATTLE OF GUADALETE TO FALL OF GRANADA Era Summary—Moorish Spain The Moors of Spain—In 623 the followers of Mohammed began a campaign of conquest, and within sixty years were masters of Arabia, Palestine, Syria, Persia, Egypt, and all of North Africa. In many of these formerly Christian regions the people converted to Islam, and the Umayyad dynasty, based in Damascus, held sway. By 710, when Roderic came to the throne of the Visigoths as the result of a civil war, the region of North Africa directly across from Spain was held by Musa bin Nusair, an Arab general. Several Visigoth refugees, who had fled to North Africa, asked Musa to help them overthrow Roderic, so he sent an army under Tariq ibn Ziyad. A great battle was fought at the Guadalete River, and the Moors won an overwhelming victory against the divided Visigoths. Although several towns held out against the Moslems, there was no organized resistance, and within a few years the Moslems had captured almost all of the Peninsula and were working their way into Gaul. Their advance was checked, not by the Visigoths, but by the Franks, at the battle of Tours. The only region of the Spanish peninsula that held off the Moslem hordes was a mountainous region in the Northwest called Asturias, founded by Pelayo of Asturias, a Visigoth noble. The population of Asturias was not Visigoth however, but a collection of Roman Spaniards, Visigoths, Franks, and Suevis who fled from the Moslem persecutions. Forty years after the first establishment of the Moorish empire in Spain, there was a great civil war involving the leadership of the Caliphate of Damascus.
    [Show full text]
  • Cultural Flourishing in Tenth Century Muslim Spain Among Muslims, Jews, and Christians
    CULTURAL FLOURISHING IN TENTH CENTURY MUSLIM SPAIN AMONG MUSLIMS, JEWS, AND CHRISTIANS A Thesis submitted to the Faculty of The School of Continuing Studies and of The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Liberal Studies By Marilyn Penn Allen, B.S. Georgetown University Washington D.C. December 17, 2008 Copyright 2008 by Marilyn Penn Allen All Rights Reserved ii CULTURAL FLOURISHING IN TENTH CENTURY MUSLIM SPAIN AMONG MUSLIMS, JEWS, AND CHRISTIANS Marilyn Penn Allen, B.S. Mentor: Ori Z. Soltes, Ph.D. ABSTRACT This thesis seeks to discover what made it possible for such an extraordinary cultural flourishing to occur among Muslims, Jews, and Christians in tenth century Muslim Spain during the reign of the Umayyad Muslim leader Abd al-Rahman III and his Jewish vizier (minister of state), Hasdai ibn Shaprut. What historical, societal, and personal factors made it possible for these two leaders to collaborate? My analysis primarily looks at the time of Muslim rule in Medieval Spain (called al-Andalus by the Muslims and Sepharad by the Jews) from 711 to 1031 C.E. However, in order to place that time period in context, it is important to look at what was happening in Spain before the Muslim invasion as well as what was happening in the known world, in particular the Mediterranean basin, from the first to the eleventh centuries. For example, the Muslim empire spread rapidly in the seventh and eighth centuries, eventually encompassing the territories from Spain to the Indus River and controlling all the trade routes across the Mediterranean.
    [Show full text]
  • Arabic: سﻟدﻧﻷا , Trans. Al-'Andalus; Spanish
    Al-Andalus Al-Andalus and Christian kingdoms circa 1000 AD -trans. al-ʼAndalus; Spanish: al-Ándalus; Portuguese: al , اﻷﻧﺪﻟﺲ :al-Andalus (Arabic Ândalus; Aragonese: al-Andalus; Catalan: al-Àndalus; Berber: Andalus or Wandalus), also known as Muslim Spain or Islamic Iberia, was a medieval Muslim cultural domain and territory occupying at its peak most of what are today Spain and Portugal. At its greatest geographical extent in the eighth century, southern France—Septimania—was briefly under its control. The name more generally describes parts of the Iberian Peninsulagoverned by Muslims (given the generic name of Moors) at various times between 711 and 1492, though the boundaries changed constantly as the Christian Reconquista progressed. Following the Muslim conquest of Hispania, Al-Andalus, then at its greatest extent, was divided into five administrative units, corresponding roughly to modern Andalusia, Portugal and Galicia, Castile and León, Navarre, Aragon, the County of Barcelona, and Septimania. As a political domain, it successively constituted a province of the Umayyad Caliphate, initiated by the Caliph Al-Walid I(711–750); the Emirate of Córdoba (c. 750–929); the Caliphate of Córdoba (929– 1031); and the Caliphate of Córdoba's taifa(successor) kingdoms. Rule under these kingdoms saw a rise in cultural exchange and cooperation between Muslims and Christians, with Christians and Jews considered as second-class citizens who paid a special tax, Jizya, to the state which provided internal autonomy and offered certain protection by Muslim rulers.[5] Under the Caliphate of Córdoba, Al-Andalus was a beacon of learning, and the city of Córdoba became one of the leading cultural and economic centres in Europe and throughout the Mediterranean Basin and the Islamic world.
    [Show full text]
  • FOCUS Migration
    FOCUS_Migration Living faith: In Ceuta, a Spanish exclave in North Africa, the religious communities play a very prominent role in public life: Christians – here in a traditional procession for Holy Week – Muslims, Jews and Hindus alike. 34 MaxPlanckResearch 1 | 18 A Model for Greater Togetherness La Convivencia is viewed as a golden age of tolerance – a period of peaceful coexistence between Muslims, Jews and Christians in medieval Spain. The myth surrounding this period persists to this day. Researchers at the Max Planck Institutes for Social Anthropology in Halle and for the History of Science in Berlin are studying the history of the Convivencia and considering its possible function as a model for today’s world. TEXT JEANNETTE GODDAR ust before Diwali, the Hindu festi- the Spanish exclave, which borders val of lights when members of the Morocco to the west and the Mediter- Hindu faith take to the streets in ranean to the east, since 2001. colorful processions, festive deco- J rations also adorn the area around RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS ARE the Plaza de los Reyes square in Ceuta. INTENDED TO FACILITATE CONTACT The online daily newspaper Ceuta Actu- alidad counted over 50,000 lights on Ceuta is less known as an autonomous the streets of the old city in 2016. As city than as a cipher for the confronta- in previous years, the city’s leader, tion of Europe and Africa: in both Ceu- Juan Jesús Vivas, who holds the title ta and Melilla, the European Union has Mayor-President due to Ceuta’s special a land border beyond the Mediterra- autonomous status, paid a visit to the nean.
    [Show full text]
  • NEW ORLEANS NOSTALGIA Remembering New Orleans History, Culture and Traditions
    NEW ORLEANS NOSTALGIA Remembering New Orleans History, Culture and Traditions By Ned Hémard The End of the World Alternate titles to this article could be: ―The Story of the Islamic Invasion of Visigoth Spain in the Eighth Century A.D. and the Spanish Coat of Arms‖ or ―How Two Irishmen Met in Cuba, Which Led to the Financing of the American Revolutionary War and the U. S. Dollar Sign.‖ But I decided to keep it simple. So how does Spain’s early history play a part in this convoluted story and how did the meeting of two Irish expatriates in Havana, Cuba, bring about the financing of the American Revolutionary War and the creation of the U.S. dollar sign – and how is New Orleans connected with all this? The explanation begins with the mythical story of Hercules (famous for his strength), whose twelve labors took him to the far reaches of the Greco-Roman world. The Pillars of Hercules in Ceuta, Spain One of Hercules’ tasks was to round up the cattle of the fearsome giant Geryon, who lived on the island of Erytheia in the far west of the Mediterranean. Only trouble was that a colossal mountain stood in his way, so strongman Hercules split it in half, thereby connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and forming the Strait of Gibraltar. This is all mythologically speaking, of course. The promontories that flank the Strait’s entrance (most notably the Rock of Gibraltar) are thus known as the Pillars of Hercules, although other features were associated with the name.
    [Show full text]
  • Pathologies of Moorishness: Al-Andalus, Narrative, and “Worldly Humanism”
    PATHOLOGIES OF MOORISHNESS: AL-ANDALUS, NARRATIVE, AND “WORLDLY HUMANISM” Atef Louayene Abstract: This essay examines political and literary invocations of the history of al- Andalus (Muslim Spain) particularly in the post-9/11 era. Drawing on Edward Said’s concept of “worldly humanism,” I argue that the Arab predicament today can be properly addressed only by cultivating an Arab consciousness that is freed from the perceived glories of the past and that emanates from within the “worldly” reality of Arab societies in the present. The contemporary Arab novel, particularly that which incorporates Andalusian themes and of which Moroccan-American Leila Lalami’s Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits (2005) is an example, claims our critical attention in this respect for two main reasons: first, it parodies the affective, and often detrimental, urge to recover elsewhere ideals (al-Andalus in this case); and, second, it anchors its resistive humanistic endeavour in the worldly exigencies of Arab contemporaneity. It is precisely this labour of imaginative and humanistic resistance, I argue, which well entitles work like Lalami’s to special critical reflection. I. 9/11 and the Pathology of Moorishness IN FREEDOM and Orthodoxy: Islam and Difference in the Post-Andalusian Age (2004), Moroccan-American scholar Anouar Majid argues that the 1492 Spanish Reconquista “[has] in many ways created the ideological foundations of the modern world” (xi). In other words, the virulent religious extremisms, the ongoing political conflicts, and the profound socio-economic disparities that characterize our modern times are to a large extent the result of a Euro-American messianic impulse that initially animated the Spanish Reconquista (reconquest), then the European Imperial enterprises, and now the post-9/11 war on Islamic terrorism.
    [Show full text]
  • Muhammad, Money, and the Moors: Behind the Muslim Conquest of Iberia Matthew .D Moss
    Parkland College A with Honors Projects Honors Program 2016 Muhammad, Money, and the Moors: Behind the Muslim Conquest of Iberia Matthew .D Moss Recommended Citation Moss, Matthew D., "Muhammad, Money, and the Moors: Behind the Muslim Conquest of Iberia" (2016). A with Honors Projects. 172. http://spark.parkland.edu/ah/172 Open access to this Essay is brought to you by Parkland College's institutional repository, SPARK: Scholarship at Parkland. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Muhammad, Money, and the Moors: Behind the Muslim Conquest of Iberia "The Califate in 750." Shepherd, William R. 1926. By: Matt Moss HIS 101-201H INST: Lisa Baer Parkland College 6 May 2016 Muhammad, Money, and the Moors: Behind the Muslim Conquest of Iberia Moss, 1 By the dawn of the seventh century, the infant Muslim nation stretched from the shores of the African Atlantic, to the dry plains of Hindustan and the mountains of Central Asia and Caucasia. Even Europe was not beyond their reach, with the Iberian Peninsula—modern-day Spain and Portugal—finding itself under the flag of the Islamic empire by the end of the eighth century. The invasion of Iberia was one which came about for three distinct reasons: (1) to spread Islam beyond its traditional basin of Arabia and North Africa, a desire born from the Qur’an and the traditions of the hadiths; (2) to bring more Christians and Jews or dhimmis under its rule so that they may be subject to the jizyah tax, a move made for purely economic reasons; and (3) to placate the large, well-trained, and unengaged army of indigenous North Africans, whom had been conquered and assimilated by the Muslim armies, by directing them to whet their blades on foreign rather than turn them inward toward the caliphate.
    [Show full text]