My brothers in religion find great pleasure in reading Arab poetry and their stories, and they accept to study the doctrines of Muslim scholars and philosophers, not to respond to them and refute them, but in order to gain from that a beautiful and correct Arabic style. Which were written on the Holy Gospels ?! And who - apart from the clergy - is studying the writings of the disciples and the effects of the prophets and messengers ?!
These are the words written by the Andalusian priest Alvaro de córdoba (d. 240 AH / 854 AD) with the sense of a cleric who watches with some annoyance the fall of his "defeated" people in the "dominant" whim of the Arab-Islamic culture; If we use the famous expression of Ibn Khaldun (d. 808 AH / 1406 CE) in 'Introduction'. This text / document written by Pastor Alvaro - regardless of the bitter spirit that radiates between its lines and radiates from it - reveals the spaciousness of the horizon of the Andalusian Islamic State throughout its extended periods of its rule.
This text confirms that the experience of Andalusia was not just a unique experiment in tolerance and pluralism. This is because the matter goes beyond providing all kinds of freedoms to enabling the human diversities within this experiment from the tools of civilization without distinction, and no proof of that is that the most important philosopher in the history of the Jews is Musa bin Maimon (d. 601 AH / 1204 CE) known to the West as "Maimonides" Sharh. The Ten Commandments - which the Jews and Christians attribute to the Prophet of God Moses, peace be upon him - in Andalusia, where he was born, raised and educated.
In fact, this philosophy of empowerment was behind the adoption of Islamic customs and the Arabic language by non-Muslims, as they admired the Arab culture most and raced to learn it until many of their writers, scholars, and even their princes excelled, and some of them assumed the highest ranks and positions in the Islamic state in Andalusia. This is in addition to another reason for this. It is the phenomenon of debate councils and debate in the sciences of religions that were held in the clubs and palaces of Andalusia, and they turned into forums for discussion and dialogue, and thus Arab literature became a subject of interest, but for the sake of challenge, not admiration.
It is no secret that in both cases, some Andalusian clerics - Jews and Christians - felt the danger of Arabization, whose paths are expanding and expanding among the people of their religions, as movements appeared to resist Arabization in an effort to preserve the self from dissolving. Perhaps the contemporary reader who is under the influence of Westernization will understand the feelings of those priests and rabbis. Of course, with a big difference in pluralism and tolerance, whatever exceptions are contained, remains the preference for Muslims.
And if it is not new to write about Andalusia or Paradise lost; This article is trying to get close to its territory to hover around its protection in a face that deserves much attention. It is a reflection on the behavior of the "victorious" Muslim and the reaction of the "defeated" who is different in religion and tongue, in an era that tragically studied and left nothing but papers and experience .. but they are papers It is tempted by renewed flipping and contemplation, and an experience that inspires review and recall !!
Documented rights
from proverbs that were common in Europe, their saying: “The Pyrenees is the borderline between Europe and Africa,” as well as their saying: “If you cross the Pyrénees (= between France and Spain), know that you have entered Africa." This suggests that Spain and Portugal were affected by all aspects of Islamic social life prevailing in Andalusia during the Islamic rule over it, wholly or partly, for eight centuries (92 AH-897 AH / 711-1492 AD), until the Europeans considered it an integral part of North Africa, which had grown up and grown on Its land - since the Islamic conquest - is the Arab-Islamic culture and coexisted with its local cultures.
And the word "Andalus" cannot be mentioned without invoking Andalusia of history and the cultural and scientific glory, which left - after its loss - its shiny impact and its rich human heritage; The Muslims and others were able to build a great civilization, which clearly affected the knowledge and customs of the inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal). Their languages, Spanish and Portuguese, received a torrent of words of Arabic origin, and even surpassed them into European languages in general.
The great religious tolerance that Andalusia witnessed during the Islamic rule was the broadest entry point for this to the effect that the Arabic language and Islamic culture exercised on the inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula, whose impact reached first to the rest of Europe and then to Latin America during the days of exploration and colonization. That is why the Spanish orientalist and linguist, Julian Ribera (d.1354 AH / 1935 CE), according to what Dr. Fatima Tahtah in her study 'Songs of Borders and Civilized Communication in Andalusia': “The coexistence of two peoples for more than eight centuries must create a common language with which they can understand!”
This tolerance led to the emergence of a new class in Andalusian society, which was a result of the marriage between indigenous peoples and Muslims called "mulids." And later on; The "Arabists" class appeared, namely the Christians who lived among the Muslims, so they began to speak Arabic while preserving their Christian religion. The Muslims treated them well according to the covenants of peace concluded with them when the country was conquered in the year 92 AH / 711 AD. On the authority of Ibn Khaldun - in the 'Introduction' - with “all the conditions of the religious and worldly community,” and one of the effects of that was that many Jews and Christians converted to Islam voluntarily.
Here we refer to the agreement of the “Peace of Ariola” that was concluded in 94 AH / 713 CE, the leader of the Muslims at the time, Abd al-Aziz bin Musa bin Nusayr (d. 97 AH / 716 CE) with the Gothic king Theodomero, known in the Arab world as “Tadmur bin Abdush” (d.125 AH / 743 CE), which was The solid foundation to follow in the consolidation of this great tolerance; The text of the agreement - as stated by Ibn Abd al-Mun'im al-Hamiri (d. 900 AH / 1495 CE) in 'The Characteristics of the Island of Andalus' - included that the destruction “came down to peace, and that he had the covenant of God and his responsibility and that of his Prophet - may God’s prayers and peace be upon him - not to be presented to him - nor to anyone. From his companions - he does not delay, and he is not taken from his property, and that they are not killed, reviled, no differentiation between them and their children or their women, and they are not coerced into their religion, their churches are not burned, and what is worshiped is not removed from his churches, and that is what led us ... The text of this treaty was translated by researcher Sancheth Albornoth in his book Muslim Spain.
Let the French historian Gustave Le Bon (d.1352 AH / 1931AD) explain to us the depth of this tolerance by saying - in the 'Arab civilization' - that “the Arabs were able to transform Spain materially and culturally in a few centuries, and to place it at the head of all European kingdoms, and the Arabs were not limited to Spain. On these two matters; rather, they affected the morals of the people as well, for they are the ones who taught the Christian peoples - and if you wish, then try to teach them - tolerance which is the most precious characteristic of man, and the dream of the Arabs of Spain towards the defeated people reached an amount that they would allow their bishops to hold their religious conferences, such as the Seville conference The Christianity that was held in the year 165 AH / 782 CE and the Christian Cordoba Conference that was held in the year 237 AH / 851 CE, and the many Christian churches that they built during the days of Arab rule are evidence of the Arabs ’respect for the beliefs of the nations that were subject to their authority !!
Inspiration and contribution
as a result of the tolerance policy of the Muslims of Andalusia; Non-Muslims admired Araba language and literature, so they competed to learn it, and many of their writers and scholars excelled in this literature, and some of them assumed the highest ranks and positions in the Islamic state. Indeed, this led them to adopt many of the social customs of Muslims.
One of the ways in which the Jews and Christians were influenced by the Muslims of Andalusia was that they taught their children the Arabic language and poetry at an early age, due to the fact that Arabic was the language of science and culture for all in Andalusia, so lack of mastery in it keeps the student from entering the religious institutes in Andalusia that adopted the teaching of Arabic since the time of Prince Hisham Ibn Abd al-Rahman (d. 181 AH / 796 CE), so the Church's language was for the Christians of Andalusia and they translated the Bible and the texts of the prayers to it. According to Hussein Mo'nis in 'Landmarks of the History of Morocco and Andalusia'.
The phenomenon of religious controversy was one of the factors that pushed non-Muslims in Andalusia to learn the Arabic language, culture and Islamic sciences, and that is why the Spanish orientalist Angel Gunthalth (d. 1368 AH / 1949 CE) mentions - in his book “History of Andalusian Thought” - that “the admiration for Arab culture was not The only reason to study Muslim books in all cases, but some of them studied them in order to learn and gather evidence to confront Islam and its followers.
One of the most important fruits of this religious tolerance was the attainment by non-Muslims of a supreme position in the wheels of the Islamic State in Andalusia. The Andalusian caliphs took trustees from non-Muslims in the courts of their rule, and among the most famous of these was Ismail Ibn al-Naghriela (d. 448 AH / 1055 CE), who was appointed Minister Makina in the Court of the King of Granada Badis bin Habous al-Sanhaji (d.465 AH / 1074 CE), so that he “withheld his author (= His Prince) on the authority of the people and his imprisonment between the chain (= wine vessel) and the cup "; According to Ibn Bassam al-Shantrini (d.542 AH / 1147 CE) in al-Thakhira fi al-Jazirah’s beauties.
Ibn Hayyan Al-Andalusi (d. 469 AH / 1076 AD) - as quoted by San al-Din Ibn al-Khatib (d. 776 AH / 1374 CE) in “The Briefing in the News of Granada” - wrote that Ibn al-Naghriela managed the corner of Arabic. He said that he was "a man who wrote with two pens and took care of the two scholars. He was passionate about the Arabic tongue and looked at it, read his books and read its origins ... and started writing about its owner in Arabic!" After the death of Ismail Ibn al-Naghriela, his son Yusef (d.459 AH / 1068 CE) succeeded him in his government post, who followed his father’s approach to his mastery of Arabic literature.
Diverse participation
and among the most prominent Jews who mastered Arabic is Abu Al-Walid Marawan Ibn Jinnah Al-Qurtubi (d. About 441 AH / 1050 AD) who was in the court of the Emir of Zaragoza, Al-Muqtadir bin Hood (d. 474 AH / 1082 AD), and he wrote several books on Jewish culture that he wrote in Arabic. And the judge and historian Saed Al-Andalusi (d. 462 AH / 1071AD) mentioned him - in 'classes of nations' - so he said that he was "one of those who took care of making logic and expanding the knowledge of the linguists of the Arabs and the Jews."
The Jews and Christians imitated the Arabs, even in their names, surnames, and surnames, so they took an Arabic name and another Hebrew. This Muslim of Jewish origin Al-Samawal bin Yahya al-Maghribi (d. About 570 AH / 1174 CE) says - in “exerting effort in breaking the Jews” - on the authority of the Jews of Andalusia: “Many of their specialists (= theirs) have an Arabic name other than the Hebrew name derived from it, as well as Arabs made a name other than a nickname. "
Rather, the influence of the Jews with the Arabs reached their great interest in Arabic poetry, until one of them excelled in it, in which the children of antagonism competed themselves. Therefore, Al-Maqri (d. 1041 AH / 1631 CE) - in 'Nafah al-Tayyib' - held a study by Arab poets from the Jews of Andalusia in which he listed a range of their poems, and after some of them he said: “And this is evidence that the Jews of Andalusia were working with the knowledge of Arabic.”
Among these is the glorified poet Ibrahim bin Sahl al-Israaeli al-Ishbili (d.659 AH / 1261 CE), who was a student of Muslim sheikhs, and al-Maqri said that he “used to read with Muslims and mix with them.” They differed about the sincerity of his Islam when he declared it “and the Messenger of God - may God bless him and grant him peace - praised a long, ingenious poem. Abu Hayyan said: I stood on it and it is one of the most brilliant of what was compiled in its meaning!”
Some of the great rabbis of Andalusia were infuriated by the spread of Arab-Islamic culture among their followers, and their children learned the Arabic language and poetry at an early age, and among them was Suleiman bin Jabirol (d.463 AH / 1070 CE) who despaired of the lack of knowledge of many of his Andalusian people in the Hebrew language, unlike Southern French Jews who mastered Hebrew well.
And according to Khaled Yunus in his book 'The Jews in the Arab Islamic State in Andalusia'; During the late seventh century AH / thirteenth century A.D., the Zaragoza Jewish physician Sulaiman bin Yusef bin Yaqoub expressed his dissatisfaction with the Andalusian Jewish scholars who were writing their responses and books in Arabic - during the fourth and fifth centuries AH / tenth and eleventh centuries AD - claiming that it is the tongue that everyone understands The Jews.
Early resistance
The motive of most of the Jews and Christians to master Arabic and draw from the springs of Islamic culture was either to seek employment in jobs or to admire the language of the dominant rulers. Regardless of the nature of the motive, this influence made - from an early age - some Christian clerics complain and complain - as happened to their Jewish counterparts - about the influence of their religious people by the Arab-Islamic culture.
This aforementioned priest Alvaro of Cordoba bemoans - in the document “The Enlightening Evidence” (Indiculus Luminosus) written in the year 240 AH / 854 CE - the increasing demand of young Christians to learn Arabic. According to the Orientalist Palanthia, he says: “My brothers in religion find great pleasure in reading Arab poetry and their stories, and they accept studying the doctrines of Muslim scholars and philosophers, not to respond to them and break them down, but to acquire from that a beautiful and true Arabic style. And where do you find one now - from non-men. Religion - reads the Latin commentaries that were written on the Holy Gospels ?! And who - apart from the clergy - is studying the writings of the apostles and the effects of the prophets and messengers ?!
Then Alvaro adds, issuing groans and sorrow for the Christian youth who left Latin and mastered Arabic: “Today the talented young Christians know nothing but the language and literature of the Arabs, and they believe in it and accept it in greedily, and they spend huge sums of money collecting her books, and they declare - everywhere - That these morals are really admired. If you told them about Christian books, they answered you - in contempt - that they are not worthy of being distracted by them; what a pain! The Christians have forgotten even their language, so you hardly find among the thousand of them one who can write to his owner a sound book by mistake. As for writing in the language of the Arabs, you find in them a great number of them who are fluent in an elegant style. Rather, they compose from Arabic poetry more than the poetry of the Arabs themselves, art and beauty !! "
Efforts to confront the Arabization movement among the Christian communities in Andalusia were not limited to individual men who were notables of Christians. Rather, organized Christian groups were involved in it, one of which was the "volunteer martyrs" movement that appeared in the thirties of the third AH / ninth century AD, and its leaders were the monk Eulochius of Cordoba (d. 244 AH / 858 AD), but their efforts failed to stem the tide of Arabization and Islamization. According to Levi Provencal (d.1376 AH / 1956 CE) in his book “The Arab Civilization in Spain”.
The Orientalist Palanthia believes - in his previous book - that the "Arabists" element was close to being dissolved into the Arab element, which can also be clearly perceived from the words of Alvaro Cordoba. Who denounced in astonishment at the youths of their religion’s mastery of the Arabic language and Islamic culture and their fascination with the poems of the Arabs, preferring them to what remains of the bright era of Latin literature in Spain.
Arab kings It is
no wonder that the Spanish and Portuguese influenced the Islamic Arab language and culture not only because of their admiration for them, but also due to what Ibn Khaldun indicated - in the 'Introduction' - that “the defeated is always fond of imitating the majority in his slogan, his costume, his bees and all his conditions and returns ... the soul never thinks perfection in the one who conquers it !! This reinforces to them that the Arabic language during the Islamic rule in Andalusia was a global dominant language, as is the case with English today.
This admiration for the culture of the majority pushed non-Muslim peoples belonging to Islamic geography to turn to learning it. Christian kings, priests and rabbis were those who learned it at that time - along with ministers, writers and philosophers. Among the most prominent of the Christian kings who were influenced by the Arabic language and culture is King Alfonso X (d.683 AH / 1284 CE) known as “El-Hakim” (El Sabio), who composed works in Latin that show clear Arab stylistic influences.
And the translation movement from Arabic into Spanish flourished during the reign of this king - as Palencia says, when he ordered books of sciences and Arab-Islamic heritage - in literature, physics and astronomy - to be translated into Spanish and Latin. One of those translators was the "Al-Saffah Al-Zarqali" by the prominent Andalusian astronomer and geographer Abi Ishaq Al-Zarqali (d. 480 AH / 1087 AD), whose works had the greatest impact on the scientific renaissance in Europe. According to Luis Teophilogel Cuadrado in his study “The Islamic Influence on Spanish Christian Culture in the Middle Ages”.
Among the Christians influenced by the Arabic language and Islamic culture is the Bishop Rismondo / Rikimundo (Recemundo) known in the Arabic sources Rabi` bin Zaid al-Qurtubi (d. After 350 AH / 961AD), who was sent by Caliph Abd al-Rahman al-Nasir (d.350 AH / 961 CE) as his ambassador to the German king Otto / Hutu I (d. 362 AH / 973 CE). He participated with Oreib bin Saad al-Qurtubi (d. 369 AH / 980 CE) in preparing the "Calendar of Cordoba" for the year 350 AH / 961AD, which was written in both Latin and Arabic.
Many Christian clerics also learned the Arabic language, so they composed it and translated extensive literary works into it. Father Vicente transferred "a set of canonical laws and their decisions ... from Latin into Arabic." According to the orientalist Balnthia, who added that this work was given by his translator to a priest named "Abd al-Malik." "The gift phrases were organized in Arabic verses that do not separate in any way from what Muslims organize in such a place in form and content !!"
Levantine influence
We also mention the Spanish Arabist Gondesalvo (= Abu Omar Gondesalvo) who lived in the fifth century AH / eleventh century AD, as he was a writer, philosopher and one of the greatest translators in the Toledo School of Translation; According to Margarita Lopez Gumith in her paper 'The Arabists: The Transition of Islamic Civilization in Andalusia'.
And in the field of literature; Don Juan Manuel (d. 749 AH / 1349 CE) - who was the nephew of King Alfonso X - wrote a poem he wrote in Arabic letters, and he also wrote a story book entitled: “El Conde Lucanor” that included fifty stories in which the Arab Levantine influences appeared to be influenced by I wrote it in the book 'Kalila wa Dimna' by Ibn al-Muqaffa (d.143 AH / 760 CE).
Juan Goytisolo Gay (d. 1438 AH / 2017 CE) - in his book 'On Spanish Orientalism' - believes that “the reading of everyone who wrote Don Juan Manuel 'Count Lucanor', who was one of his most important works (he wrote between the years 730-735AH / 1330-1335AD) , And was composed of five parts .. of an ethical nature, thanks to which the work gained great popularity and great importance in Spanish culture, as well as the 'The Master’s Epic'; it will help to unveil the impact of the Arab Islamic conception ”on Spanish culture and literature.
And in the historical aspect; We find that in western Andalusia (Portugal) King Don Dinesh (d. 725 AH / 1325 CE) nicknamed “The Farmer” (O Lavrador) to translate Ahmad bin Muhammad al-Razi's book “News of the Kings of Andalusia” (d.324 AH / 936 CE) into Portuguese. Christian cleric Gilles Perez (d. 715 AH / 1315 AD) with the help of a Muslim man called "Arif Muhammad", and this copy took an exceptional turn at a later time in Iberian history; As Adel Sidros says in 'Arabic words and translations among the Portuguese and Arabists'.
As for eastern Andalusia; The “The Master’s Saga” is considered one of the oldest famous Spanish historical works, as it narrates the exploits of the Castilian hero Don Radorigo Dias de Pilar (d. 489 AH / 1095 CE), and the author remained unknown until the year 1429 AH / 2008 CE when the book “The Sovereign's Epic: Arabic in Origin and Authorship” was published ( El Cantar de Mío Cid: génesis y autoría árabe) by Spanish researcher Dolores Oliver Braith. This epic was attributed to the aforementioned Arab jurist and poet Abu al-Walid al-Waqshi, and there was no doubt that the “master” had asked that Arab writer to organize an epic for him that perpetuates his effects.
Folk songs and stories were among the active factors in the movement of the spread of Arab-Islamic culture among non-Muslims in Andalusia, and at the forefront of this comes the poetry of Zajal, especially the Azjal of Abu Bakr bin Quzman al-Qurtubi (d. 555 AH / 1160 AD), who Al-Maqri says - in 'Riyadh Flowers' - that "The first person who excelled in this zajal method ... although it was said before him in Andalusia, but its solution did not appear, its meanings were not spilled, nor was its gracefulness known except in his time."
Among the manifestations of the Arab influence in Spanish Christian literature is what is known as "the poems of the thaghriya / songs of the frontiers" (Romancero Fronterizo), which were greatly influenced by the Andalusian muwasha and zajal, which the orientalist believes that they "use the vernacular and sometimes mix Arabic with phrases from the romantic dialects" Spanish.
Literary quote
The Spanish orientalist Ramon Mendith Bidal (d.1376 AH / 1956 CE) noticed the presence of Muslim singers in the Spanish Christian kingdoms participating in musical activities, and this explains - in the view of the orientalist Julian Ribera - the relationship between rhyming Andalusian poetry and Castilian singing. According to what Luis Cuadrado narrates in his aforementioned study.
A student of this type of poems - which grew up on the Islamic / Christian borders in Andalusia - will find that they constitute a basis for the historical and linguistic Spanish Islamic duality, as they represent the spirit of the Islamic and Christian religions. In addition to that; These poems sometimes depict events of conflict and heroism, and highlight a high spirit of tolerance towards the enemy, and even glorify his chivalry and honor another phase!
The majority of the poems spread during times of intense conflict between Christians and Muslims, as they entered into a fierce war with the aim of controlling cities and kingdoms before the fall of Andalusia. It is in this context that one of the most famous of these poems descends, which is “The Poem of Ibn al-Ahmar” (Romance de Abenámar), which was written in the year 834 AH / 1431 CE and is considered one of the masterpieces of Spanish literature for its unparalleled charm.
The subject of this poem - about the city of Granada, the last fortress of Islam in Andalusia - revolved between the Spanish king Juan II (d. 858 AH / 1454 AD) and the Nasrid king Abi al-Hajjaj Yusuf Ibn al-Ahmar, nicknamed 'Ibn al-Mol' (d.835 AH / 1432 CE), who went to the King of Castile To seek help from his rival, King Muhammad Al-Assar (d. 858 AH / 1454 AD).
In the poem, Juan II appeals to his ally Ibn al-Ahmar to hand him the keys to the city of Granada, but the latter rejects this vehemently because he is a Muslim who does not betray the trust, and he must fulfill the sweat of the brow of the builders of this great city who excelled in building it with all creativity. However, the Spanish king expressed his unbridled desire to annex her due to his great admiration for her, so he wooed the beautiful Granada and begged her to marry him, but she answered him saying: “I am in the custody of a Muslim, and I cannot betray him while he seeks me great good !!” !!
The Spanish "romantic" poetry - which is also called "border songs" - is distinguished by being similar to ancient Arabic poetry, where we find the Spanish poet usually dealing with a set of meanings in his poem, such as the glorification of courage and chivalry, the weeping of the ruins represented by the lost Andalusian cities, and sympathy for their loved ones. Andalusians despite the conflict with them; As recorded by Ramon Mendith Bidal in his book "The Spanish Romantic ... Theory and History".
Therefore, the Spanish orientalist José María Fornías (d. 1424 AH / 2003 CE) decides - in his research of 'Songs of the Frontiers and Arabic Poetry ... New Reflections on Old Assumptions' - that the student of the Spanish Romanticism clearly sees the multiplicity of Arab influences in terms of form, content, subject, weight and rhythm. The Spanish poet used to mix in his poems the Arabic and romantic words, but at the level of composition, those poets used to depict the city as a beautiful girl, and they wooed her, asking her to marry in Arabic and romantic Arabic. As in the mentioned poem "Ibn Ammar".
Multiple channels are
not surprising if eight centuries of coexistence between two peoples resulted in a kind of influence and - despite the differences in proportions - of a specific culture and thought, as well as the intense daily friction that was taking place - peace and war - between Muslims and Christians at that time. Therefore, the Spanish orientalist Maria Jesوسs Rubiera (d. 1430 AH / 2009 CE) - in her book "Spanish Arabic Literature" - believes that the friction was widespread, especially at the borders, mainly through oral communication.
On the influence of Muslims with Christians; Move d. Fatima Tahtah, according to the Spanish researcher Argotti de Molina, that Muslims did not sing colloquialisms only, but they chanted romance (the Spanish language). This is not evidenced by the Valencian elegy by Abu Al-Walid Al-Waqqi (489 AH / 1096 AD). D. Taher Makki (d. 1438 AH / 2017 CE) a whole chapter to study this poem in his book 'Andalusian Studies in Literature, History and Philosophy', and said that it “has come to us in a funny form that has no parallel in the history of Arabic literature: written in colloquial words of the people of Andalusia, and in Latin letters, and translated from Translation of the original into the Castilian language !!
However, other researchers deny that the Arab Islamic side is affected by Spanish Christian literature and heritage, and they see only the opposite. Juan Goytisolo Gay asserts - in his advanced book - that “thanks to Arabist studies - such as the teacher Asen Platios (d.1364 AH / 1944 CE) and Levi Provencal - it has become difficult to defend the thesis that Islam exerts only a fleeting influence on our culture."
The one who studies the composition of Andalusian society in those times finds that all of its groups - from the "domesticated" (los mudejares), the Moriscos (los moriscos) and the Muslims who were forced to convert to Christianity in Andalusia after the Inquisition - were, without a doubt, active channels for the transfer of Arab culture to Spanish, By exchanging poems, stories, proverbs, stories ... etc.
The Muslim women - who served in the homes of Christians after the fall of the great Andalusian metropolises - had what they told of Arab and Islamic stories in the homes of Christians. A pivotal role in the influence of the Spaniards on the Arab language and culture, which inevitably contributed to the adaptation of those Christians from the Arab Islamic culture.
If these were Muslim women, they were recruited to serve Christians in their homes and palaces, following the custom of Arab rulers and community leaders whose palaces and homes were teeming with Andalusian Christian slaves; The other side of the image of Christians being affected by Arab culture is reflected in the role of these Christian slave women who used to work in Muslim homes, where they learned Arabic and its arts and transferred it to their Christian families.
Societal mixing, and then the Muslim rulers and princes married free Christian women; As did the prince Al-Hakam Al-Mustansir (d. 366 AH / 977 CE) who married the Christian princess “Aurora” whose name became “Sobh al-Bashkunshiyya” (d. About 390 AH / 1000 CE and was attributed to the country of Bashkansh / Bashkans = the Spanish region of the Basque Country). With his son, Prince Hisham Al-Muayyad (d. 403 AH / 1013 AD), who took over the rule after him; According to Ibn Adhari al-Marrakchi (died after 712 AH / 1312 CE) in al-Bayan al-Maghrib fi Akhbar al-Andalus and the Maghrib.
There is no doubt that this Christian wife - and her counterparts among the wives of Muslim princes - had an influence on her social environment, starting with her husband and son, who was said to have learned and mastered Spanish, and then to her surroundings, which was full of servants, servants, and slave girls of Jews, Christians and Muslims. Ibn Adhari refers to the marriage of the Umayyad Hajjib Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamer (d. 392 AH / 1003 AD) from "Uraka", the daughter of Sancho II of Navarra / Nabara (d. 384 AH / 994 AD), and she gave birth to Abdul Rahman, nicknamed "Chanjul" (d. 399 AH / 1009 AD) Whose surname is derived from the diminutive formulation of the name of his Christian grandfather, "Sancho".
There are other examples, including "Tritha / Teresa", the daughter of the king of Leon Bermudo II (d. 390 AH / 999 AD) who gave her in 383 AH / 993 CE to Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Amer, so he freed her and married her as a sign of the peace treaty between Lyon and Cordoba. This event gave impetus to the proliferation of the "born" generation in Andalusia, and if we look carefully at the translations of Muslim flags in Andalusia, we will find that many names are of Spanish / Latin origin as a result of this mixed marriage, including: Ibn Qozman (Guzman), Ibn al-Qotah, and Ibn Lub (Lope / Lobo, meaning the wolf, Ibn Bashkual, and Ibn Ferro, meaning iron.
Speaking about the influence of Muslims on literature and art, The Spanish historian and Arabist Juan Burnett (d. 1432 AH / 2011 CE) - in the “Dictionary of the Dictionary of the Spanish Language” - says that there is an effect of Arab muwashahat in Spanish romantic poetry arising from social intermingling, that “the channel of communication between Arabs and Spaniards is the 'Arabists' (Los Mozarbes) This name is given to the inhabitants of Spain who accepted ... to live under the banner of Islamic rule in Andalusia until the end of the eleventh century AD, while preserving their Christian identities ... and 'the domesticated ones' (Los Mudejares), who were Muslims who were living at the mercy of Christian rule after the fall of some Andalusian cities, and this category began to appear at the beginning of the fifth century AH corresponding to the eleventh century AD. According to the data of the 'Dictionary of the Spanish Language Dictionary'.
There is also the group of expelled and exiled (Los Renegados), who are those Spaniards who refused to obey some of the dictates of the Church, and may be considered among the apostates from Christianity. Among the members of the latter category we mention the folk poet Garcia Fernandez who composed “a game” (Juglar) or “zajal al-hazzal”, with the same meaning as the game according to Ibn Khaldun. According to Dr. Fatima Tahtah to Garcia Goumith in 'The Great Zajal Zarhn' (Garcia Gomes, el gran zejil de zarhún). Perhaps what is meant by this is the hadeeth of Ibn Khaldun - in the 'Introduction' - about a “plaything of zajal poetry attributed to some Jews.”
We note here that the word “Juglares” means by the organizers of the romantic those folk poems that were recited by itinerant poets called “El trovador”, and who sought through their trips between cities to earn a living by singing them often accompanied by singing. Ibn Bassam Al-Shantrini mentioned - in Al-Thakhira- the muwashahat, he said: “These are weights that the people of Andalus used to use frequently in spinning and lineage, and it is difficult for their hearing to be the keepers of the pockets, but the hearts.” Through this definition of Ibn Bassam, it becomes clear how dazzled the people of Andalusia were and were affected by this new poetic genre at the time.
Lexical testimonies,
we saw that with the arrival of Arabs and Muslims to the Iberian Peninsula in the year 92 AH / 711 CE; Realistically and officially, procedures for adopting Arabic as an administrative language in open areas were launched, and it became the language of the elite and administration in addition to being the language of religion and science. In this regard; The Arabists played an important role in transmitting a significant number of Arabic vocabulary to the Spanish and Portuguese languages, through the bilingualism of the inhabitants of Andalusia, which was an effective channel in this transmission.
According to the 'Dictionary of Spanish and Portuguese Words Derived from the Arabic Language' by Ronny Dozy and William Engelman; The words of the Portuguese language of Arabic origin represent about 7% of the total vocabulary, and it is estimated that there are about three thousand Portuguese words with an ancient Arabic lineage, including the rarely used terms; These thousands of words cover nearly all areas of life, some of them have been corrupted while others remain the same.
As for the Spanish language; The effect of the Arabic language on it is mainly lexical, and it is estimated that there are about a thousand Arabic roots and about three thousand derived words, for a total of about four thousand words or 8% of the Spanish dictionary, which is the second largest lexical effect in Spanish after Latin !! The use of Arabic words in Spanish reached its zenith in the late Middle Ages and has declined ever since, but hundreds of words are still used in normal conversation, and some of them were granted Spanish citizenship to gain recognition from the dictionary of the Spanish Royal Academy.
This significant spread of Arabic words within the Spanish and Portuguese languages confirms the effectiveness of civilizational communication (linguistically, scientifically, culturally, religiously and architecturally) between those peoples on the edem of the Andalusia region, and it was so firm that it did not compromise its continuity - especially in its linguistic dimension - the uprooting of the material Islamic presence from the country with iron and fire. Forced displacement; The Arabic linguistic influence in the Spanish language extended to all semantic fields in the Spanish language, including a group of Islamic religious vocabulary that was monitored by the researcher Mustafa Amadi in his work entitled: 'Words of Arabic origin and used in the religious field found in the dictionary of the Spanish Royal Academy.'
And since the ancient Christians paid great attention to the Arabic language, which made them translate their legislative and legal texts into it; It also did not miss the contemporary Arabists among them the opportunity to investigate the manifestations of that rich Arab influence in various aspects of Iberian mental and urban life, from folk literature, art and scientific knowledge, military strategy, marine technology, administrative and financial organization, construction and urban decoration, traditional industry, agriculture and food ... etc.
As the Portuguese researcher Maria José de Mora Santos reported in her work 'Lexical Import and Semantic Structure: Arabic Vocabulary in the Portuguese Language'; Among the words that have been leaked in the field of botany, for example: the word eggplant (berenjine beringen), oak (bolete bullet), watermelon (botica botica), love of kings (abelmaluco abilmaluco), the first ripening meaning the first fruits (albacora bakura), fenugreek (alforba), alfaroba, spinach (espinafre), basil (alfavaca alpha), buckthorn (anafega), orchid (salipo), frankincense (benjoim penguin), anbar; As stated by Nadia Tadlawi in 'Words of Arabic Origin in Botany in the Portuguese Language: A Linguistic Approach'.
As for general words entered into Portuguese due to the Arab influence on the population of Western Andalusia; We only mentioned some of them for representation due to their abundance. Among these vocabulary: the Arabists (Moçárabes); Islam (Islão); The countries of unbelief (Kafraria), and as for the infidels it is (Os cafres). Landfill (called Masmorra); Jar (Jarra); Elixir (Elixir); Apogee (height of Auge); Dice (Azar Azar).
A daily presence The linguistic influence of the Arabic language in Spanish - as already said - appears very prominent in the lexical field. Here we find that the vast majority of Spanish words of Arabic origin are nouns, with a number of verbs and adjectives directly derived from these nouns; For example, we find derivatives of the word (alquilar: rent), (alquilado: the tenant) and (alquiler: rent). We also see an influence - albeit minimal - on the basic grammatical structure of the Spanish language.
On the diacritical marks or form; In Spanish words of Arabic origin, they were converted to vowels, and did not remain the same. As for the gender of the word, it sometimes differs. We find that a masculine word in Arabic becomes feminine in Spanish or Portuguese, and even in other European languages, such as: “babuj” (= the sole) of Persian origin. It is masculine in Arabic, but feminine in Spanish (Babucha). A change may also occur to the number and the plural becomes singular, such as the word "berber" which is the name of a plural gender, for they have become singular (Beréber).
Among the words of Arabic origin used in Spanish and Portuguese everyday life, we shall suffice with the following in relation to Portuguese: Peace be upon you (Salamaleque); Hello (olá); The imam (either Imã); God willing (Ashala Oxalá); Fulano; Oil (azeite); Lemon (Limoeiro); Sister (Enxaqueca) Emerald (Esmeralda).
As for the Arabic vocabulary in Spanish, we mention a representation: Sukkar (Azúcar); Lemon (Limón); Rice (Arroz), pillow (Almohada); Chess (Ajedrez); Guitar (guetarra); Jasmine (Jazmín); Ornaments (Alhelí); Cotton (Aldon Algodón); Prince (Albornoz).
Spanish also borrowed some expressions from Arabic with little distortion in writing and pronunciation, including the phrases: “one by one” (Guájete Guájete por). As for the exclamatory expressions, we suffice with mentioning: By God (ola Gualá), and Hala (ola). Arabic adjectives and adjectives such as Beduino have also been influenced. The structure of some words changed, such as: “Qa'im Maqam” which became (Kemakan Caimacán), and “Bahá'u'lláh” became a compound word derived from (Bahaísmo).
This matter abounds in place and city names and flags as we find it in the aforementioned dictionary of Dozy and Engelman. We find, for example, the "Valley of the Stone" pronounced (Guadalajara), the castle (Alcala), and Mogreit (Madrid). It should be noted that the Spanish language is the only European language that has the letter "Thaa" as a product of the Arabic linguistic influence, for example the word "mosque" in Spanish is pronounced like this (Mezquita) !!
Spread nearby
and the lexical Arabic presence was not limited to the Iberian linguistic field; Rather, it crossed it - over the centuries - to its European neighborhood in the north through cultural, commercial and even military communication channels. Therefore, one who looks into the French and English vocabulary will find that these two languages owe a lot to the Arabic language, from which a large number of its vocabulary leaked to them through the Spanish, Portuguese and Italian languages, and not Sima the Spanish, who has great influence with Arabic due to the long Islamic presence in Andalusia.
For example, we find that the word "aubergine" (= aubergine) arrived in French via the word alberginia from the Catalan language in northeastern Spain. The word "morfil" passed through the Spanish word "marfi" (= marfi ivory). As for the word “alezan”, it came from the Spanish word (alazán) of Arabic origin, which is the word “horse”, but here it means - in both Spanish and French - the mare that has a reddish color. According to the orientalist Levi Provencal in 'The Arab Civilization in Spain'. Another example is the word "Almacén" in Spanish, which traces its origins to the Arabic word "store".
A group of vocabulary from Italian into French and English was also leaked through cultural interaction and trade exchanges that existed between Muslims and the inhabitants of the Mediterranean islands at the time. The French word (Jupe) has its origins in the Arabic word "Jubbah", or "Jawb", which Mortada Al-Zubaidi said. (D.1205 AH / 1790 AD) - in the 'Crown of the Bride' - it is "a shield of the woman who wears it." This word was transferred to French by Italian (Jupa). Another example is the French word "Aval", which came via Italian (Avallo), meaning in Arabic: guarantee / guarantee.
Before concluding this brief procession of observing the manifestations of the Arab-Islamic influence on the Iberian cultural life; It is of utmost importance to point out the effective contribution made by the "Codera School" in the interest in Andalusian heritage and Arab literature in it, and the passion of the members of this ancient scientific school to explore the depths of the Arab-Islamic heritage in the countries of Andalusia objectively and impartially, and this is evidence of the extent of the influence exerted by the Arab-Islamic culture on The people of the Iberian Peninsula, including contemporary historians of prominent scientific standing who have relieved the burdens of history and the scourges of intolerance.
The great Spanish orientalist Francisco Codera (d. 1336 AH / 1917 CE) loved the Arabs and the Arabic language so much that he - as Al-Zirkali (d. 1396 AH / 1976 CE) says in 'Al-Alam' - was keen to Arabize the wording of his name, so he used to write for himself “Sheikh Franceschke Qadara Zaidin! His long life and strong scientific skin gave him the opportunity to delve into the Andalusian Islamic heritage, and to establish a school from among the elite of his students - known as the "sons of Kodera" - that was very fortunate in exploration, fairness and objectivity.
His student Asen Platios extracted the most precious of what was reaped by the sorts of scholars and thinkers of Andalusia, and declared the preference of their heritage over Europe in general and Spain in particular. He said, "It is a mistake to work on the Europeanization of Spain. Rather, it is necessary to Arabize Europe, and Spain must reclaim its old Andalusian role in this Arabization!" As reported by Dr. Mustafa Shakaa (d. 1432 AH / 2011 CE) in “The Orientalists’ Curricula in Arab and Islamic Studies ”.
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* Note : We present here the original addresses of foreign sources that we mentioned in the article with an unofficial translation to facilitate the reader who is not familiar with their languages. They are arranged according to their appearance in the text:
1- Sánchez Albornoz, CI, La España musulmana.
2- Luis Teófilo Gil Cuadrado, la influencia musulmana en la cultura hispano-cristiano medieval.
3- MªFórneas Besteiro, Romances fronterizos y poesía árabe. Nuevas reflexiones sobre viejas hipótesis.
4- Ramón Menéndez Pidal. Romancero Hispánico. Teoría e historia. vol. I.
5- María Jesús Rubiera, la literatura hispano-Arabe.
6- Juan Goytisolo, crónicas sarracenas.
7- Diccionario de la lengua española.
8- Adel Sidarus, Arabismo e Traduções Árabes em meios Luso-moçárabes.
9- R. Dozy et WH Engelmann, Glossaire des mots espagnols et portugais dérivés de l'arabe.
10- Maria José de Moura, importação lexical eestruturação semântica: os arabismos na língua portuguesa.
11- Nadia Tadlaoui, Os arabismos da botânica na lingua portuguesa: Abordagem lingüística.