Islam and Racism
Causes of Disunity
see also: Biography of the Last Prophet:
Muhammad
Islam and Racism
Causes
of Disunity
The Muslim population in Spain is presently about thirty thousand as
well as a 95 percent Roman Catholic and also 15,000 Jews. ( Worldbook 2000
Encyclopaedia ).
The Word Andalus in Arabic is the name for the liberian peninsula which
is commonly known as Spain and Portugal. The first Muslims to actually
land in; Andalus, did so sixty years before the caliphate of Uthman
( may Allah ' s blessing and peace be upon him ). On two separate
occasions
approximately 648 AD ( 27 After Hijri ), in the south east of
the peninsula. However both of these incursions were more in the nature
of exploratory forays and prompted the need to take fresh provisions on
board. It was the landing of the Muslim army in the year 711 AD which was
the event that the Greeks had foretold and feared, the high point of an
era which was to last for 800 years.
Tariq ibn Ziyad was sent by Musa ibn Nusayr in the year 711 AD as a
chief commander to conquer Andalus. His men numbered 12000-17000. On his
journey he decided to take some rest and sleep. It is said whilst sailing
across the sea, which separates Africa from Andalus, he saw in his dream
the prophet surrounded by arabs of the Muhajiruun and Ansaars, who
with unsheathed swords and bended bows stood by him. They also heard the
prophet 
say " take courage, O Tariq! and accomplish what you are destined to perform.
" On hearing this, he looked around him and saw the messenger
of Allah and his companions entering Andalus. Tariq immediately awoke
from his sleep with a smile, and from that moment on he never doubted victory.
Tariq advanced towards a small mountain in the sea which later became known
as Jabal Tariq (Mount Tariq) derived from which is the modern name: Gibraltar.
Here Tariq and his army disembarked into the darkness of the night. He
then set fire to his fleet and in his determination to conquer Andalus
he told his army " I have now burnt the ships, and now there is no return
for us and here we will conquer or die fighting."
The king of the time, King Roderick, heard about the seizure and immediately
prepared his army which numbered 100,000. King Roderick set off with
confidence that they will make each and every Arab his prisoner. Roderick
took his army to Cordova to attack Tariq and his armies. King Roderick
ordered one of his bravest soldier to spy on the muslims. Tariq was informed
of this and made such a cunning plan which on the other hand deluded the
enemies. The plan was based on cutting up corpses and pretending to eat
them. The spy returned after witnessing this in shock and confusion and
related the matter to the king which filled him with utter delusion. Before
the battle, Tariq gave a speech which portrayed his valiance, determination
and ideology regarding the life after death.
In this speech he also mentioned his desire to kill King Roderick with
his own hands. After his influential speech, Tariq and his army with their
white turbans and spears in their hands proceeded towards the battlefield.
When Tariq reached the battlefield he saw his ambition and aimed his arrow
towards him and killed him. He had now fulfilled his long felt desire and
gained victory for the Muslims. It is said in the confusion that followed
the defeated Christian soldiers fled for their lives, the body of King
Roderick had also disappeared. The Muslims had a zeal for knowledge, they
were advanced in architecure and were masters in science. They took control
of spain and transformed it in to a thriving community with interlectuals
such as Allama Qurtubi. European noblemen came to Spain to learn from these
Muslims who had built magnificent libraries, public baths and hospitals
for all communities. Religious freedom was granted to the Catholic community.
The Muslims gave their due to the state as religious Alms to the poor (Zakat),
the Christians were also required to contribute a small amount (Jizya)
towards the well being of fellow countrymen in lieu of the religious alms
the Muslims gave. The Muslims protected the rights of the Christians who
were surprised to see such good humanity in the Muslim conquerers. Previous
empires plundered and ill gained. The Muslims, however, treated people
fairly and just. The Cathedral at Cordova (Cordoba) was not siezed as conquerers
would, but bought for a reasonable sum from the Catholic clergy. Their
just society was because they governed, at the time, by the Book of Allah:
The Holy Quran and practiced the sunnah of Prophet Muhammad .
Muslim control and the fall of Spain
When Tariq and his army conquered a large portion of Spain in 711-718
AD, which mainly consisted of the Moors who were a Muslim tribe
from North Africa, they immediately implemented
Islamic law ( Shariah ) with Caliphates. the muslim ruled with islamic
law for over 800 years.
However when the Muslim government of Spain collapsed during
the early 1000s due to the fighting amongst the groups of Moors, the country
split into many small Moorish states and independent
cities. This was not the only reason for the downfall of a nation which
ruled for many centuries. This was due to the fact that the leaders did
not rule according to the Islamic law and chose an un-islamic life.
Below is an extract from the hadith ( saying of the Prophet
).
Abdullah ibn Umar narrates ; " the Prophet
came to us and said O muhajiruun, you may be afflicted by five things,
may Allah forbid you live to see them, if leaders do not govern according
to the book of Allah, you should realize this will not happen without Allah
making them into groups and making them fight another. " ( Ibn Majah, Kitab
al Fitan, 4019,2/1332 ) you can see from this small extract how the Prophet
Muhammad
had advanced knowledge of the future and how true his prophecies would proove
to be.
The Spanish Inquisition and the oppressing
of the Muslims.
King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella wanted to create an astray united
Spain. They considered Jews and Muslims to be a threat to their ambition.
In 1480, they established the Spanish Inquisition, a court that imprisoned
anybody who was suspected of not following the Roman Catholic teachings
and preaching. The king set up an army which would capture anybody who
did not follow and adhere to the Roman Catholic religion. How was this
religious persecution achieved? is the question which arises. The answer
is a simple but a despicable one. The army would go as far as checking
the men genitals to see if they were circumcised. If they were then they
would be killed as well as their families. They would be spied upon and
if they were seen bathing on Friday, or seen wearing beautiful clothes
on Eid or any such days they would be killed, even if they were not Muslims.
Some frail and weak muslims found no way out of this, and denounced Islam,
and embraced Christianity assuming they would be safe, they were also killed.
Many masjids were converted into churches. This brutal torture continued
for more than 300 years, and in 1492 Spanish forces conquered Granada,
the last centre of Moorish control in Spain. These are some of the reasons
why sadly there are few signs of practised Islam in Spain today.
After the Spanish Inquisition the Christian armies wanted to get rid
of the Muslims somehow. They told the Muslims that they could take with
them necessary possessions from their homes. They were told they could sail away in the ships anchored on the quay side. The
Christians looted their homes and set fire to them. Before they reached
the ships they set fire to them. The Christians then attacked
the innocent Muslims and killed them. Pray for all who have passed away and those that are persecuted
around the globe. We must pray to Allah, asking Him for peace & harmony and an end to religious persecution in all it's disguises, ameen.
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