The Moors from North Africa invaded parts of Spain from 711 AD until the fall of Granada in 1492. With them, they brought along their Islamic religion and culture and ruled Spain for over 700 years. The Moorish influence remains evidently profound in many cities of Spain. Among them, we would like to highlight a few sites that holds great importance to Islamic heritage. The Alhambra, Granada The Alhambra, is derived from the Arabic al-Qalʻat al-Ḥamrā (meaning the Red Castle) in Arabic is a palace and fortress located in Granada Spain. It was originally constructed as a small fortress in AD 889 on the remains of Roman fortifications, and rebuilt in the mid-13th century by Mohammed ben Al-Ahmar, aka Mohammed I of Granada, who built its current palace and walls. It was converted into a royal palace in 1333 by Yusuf I, Sultan of Granada. After the Christian Reconquista in 1492, the site became the Royal Court of Ferdinand and Isabella and the palaces were partially altered in the Renaissance style. Its architecture and interiors are imprinted with beautiful Arabic scripts and poems. The building is like a book of wisdom constantly communicating to every visitor who wishes to be enlightened. This 8th century old site has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. To find out about the scripts of Alhambra, have a read of our postings on ´Reading Alhambra´ The Great Mosque of Córdoba The Great Mosque of Córdoba was built in 784 by Abd al-Rahman I, the Cordoba caliphate at the time. The mosque continued its expansion over the years by the caliphs. It held a place of importance amongst the Islamic community of al-Andalus for over three centuries. In Córdoba, the capital, the Mosque was seen as the heart and central focus of the
The Moors from North Africa invaded parts of Spain from 711 AD until the fall of Granada in 1492. With them, they brought along their Islamic religion and culture and ruled Spain for over 700 years. The Moorish influence remains evidently profound in many cities of Spain. Among them, we would like to highlight a
Reading the Alhambra Chapter 5 Based on a transcript from the documentary: Reading the Alhambra. In this final posting, we go deeper in reading the more complex kufic scripts and the combination of it with cursive writings. The Nazareth motto "wala Ghalib illa Allah - There is no Victor but God" which it said was taken by the first Nazareth caliphs from the standard raised by the almohads sultan al-Mansur at the Battle of Alarcos; whilst it´s typical version in cursive script is ubiquitous throughout the Alhambra, inscribed in phrases both short and long on surrounding arches and windows, painted on wooden cornices and running along the tops of walls. Its Kufic counterpart forms interesting calligrams in many corners. Here in the pendentives of the Hall of the Two Sisters, creating a tripartite portico. In the arches above the entrance into the Halls of the Abencerrajes and the Two Sisters, the motto is at the center of a delightful triple arch accompanied by 'Barakah'. And on the entrance to the Mirador of Lindaraja, the calligraph changes subtly with 'Allah' forming the base and the rest of the design being completed with plaits arches and foliat motifs. Again, we can see it in the Partal Palace. A singular composition begins with the first half of the motto 'Wala ghalib' in broad Kufic lettering forming two stylised trees and the second half 'illa Allah' is smaller Kufic script tracing scalloped compostion which is repeated twice in each panel. Frequently, the calligrams are not isolated but are repeated to form rows of false arches or porticos. In the mihrab of the Partal obituary, two calligrams are combined "God provides in all adversity" develops into 3 architectural levels, housing foliat elements and an upper cartouche in which it is written "praise be to
Reading the Alhambra Chapter 5 Based on a transcript from the documentary: Reading the Alhambra. In this final posting, we go deeper in reading the more complex kufic scripts and the combination of it with cursive writings. “There is no victory other than from God”. Inscription frieze, Alhambra. Photo courtesy of Thierry Fétiveau. The
Reading the Alhambra Chapter 4 Based on a transcript from the documentary: Reading the Alhambra. In the posting, we study the fundamental of kufic scripts that forms the artistic inscriptions on the walls of Alhambra. While most of the poems are inscribed in cursive lettering, also outstanding is the use in the Alhambra of richly ornamental Kufic calligraphy, in many of the exclamatory phrases and sentences. The decorative elements of foliat and floral motifs which, by then, had already been incorporated into the repertoire of Kufic scripts, were even further embellished here with swashes and upward strokes in the shape of columns, platen, plane and scalloped arches, and enjambment. All of which create meta architectural designs which while they cloud the walls, evoke at the same time cunningly, attractive imaginary structures. These are the architectural calligram. The simplest of these use one of the most frequently repeated expressions in the Alhambra is "Barakah" - a blessing. The second of the two letters of the word form an arch which accommodates the first two in a symmetrical construction. Similar calagrams to this fill the walls of the Alhambra, even in its most hidden corners. "Yuum" - good fortune, is also to be seen wherever you look, appearing in friezes of the Mocarabes and cornices interspersed between rhomboid designs and accompanying shields or other expressions and every often repeated in mirror image. In the Hall of Comares, for instance, "God provides in all adversity" written here with Allah at the bottom and the letters of Allah being extended upwards into plaited peaks and arches that circumscribed the rest of the composition. All of which is set off by foliat motifs. And, above the capital for the Mexuar where you will see another commonly used expression in the Alhambra - Perpetual Happiness, forming
Reading the Alhambra Chapter 4 Based on a transcript from the documentary: Reading the Alhambra. In the posting, we study the fundamental of kufic scripts that forms the artistic inscriptions on the walls of Alhambra. Alhambra. Image by Maatkare from Pixabay While most of the poems are inscribed in cursive lettering, also outstanding is the
Reading the Alhambra Chapter 3 Based on a transcript from the documentary: Reading the Alhambra. In the posting, we witness the importance of poetry and how it forms the core to this architectural structure. "From me, both by day and night, mouths salutes youwith wishes of good fortune, happiness and friendship. She is the Highest Cupola and we are her daughters, though my favour and glory make me stand out. My Lord Yusuf, sustained by God, clothed mein dignity with robes of undeniable distinction, making me the throne of the kingdom, the grandeur of which is borned up thanks to the Light, the Seat and the Throne." This poem in the Hall of Comares forms the hub of the poetic access of the Royal Palace of Comares. The building of which was completed by Mohammad V when he added the Hall of the Boat and the Courtyard of the Myrtles, a somatic axis composed of eleven courtly poems, eight of which still remain just as they were orginally inscribed. Mohammad´s court poet Ibn Zamrak composed the 9 mural qasidas which together with their courtly paradisiacal references turned out particularly for their nuptial metaphors such as those in the niches in the doorway between the Hall of the Boat and the Courtyard of the Myrtles. "I, beautiful and perfect, am the chair in which the bride is presented. Look at the vase and you will know how true my words are." And once again, in following arch, forming the entrance to the Hall of Comares. "The fingers of my maker wove my fabric, after setting the jewels in my crown. I resemble a nuptial throne, or even excel it, and I assure happiness to the bride and groom." The adjoining Palace of the Lions also built by Mohammad V is arranged
Reading the Alhambra Chapter 3 Based on a transcript from the documentary: Reading the Alhambra. In the posting, we witness the importance of poetry and how it forms the core to this architectural structure. Palace of Comares "From me, both by day and night, mouths salutes youwith wishes of good fortune, happiness and friendship. She
Reading the Alhambra Chapter 2 Based on a transcript from the documentary: Reading the Alhambra The inscriptions of verses from the Qur´an provide the buildings with sacred evocations of both the earthy and heavenly paradise, such as those in the oldest of the niches for jars of water in the Alhambra at the entrance of the hall of the Partal Palace. Their thirst will be slaked with pure wine sealed to others. The seal, therefore, will be musk and, for this, let those who aspire, who has aspirations, with it will be given a mixture water of Tasnim. Or inscribed upon the wooden cornice of the North Portico of the Generalife. "That He may admit the men and women who believe, to Gardens beneath which rivers flow, to dwell therein for aye..." But it is in the Hall of Comares built in honour of Yusuf I were a passage from the Quranic Surah on divine sovereignty painted in white upon the wooden cornice beneath the ceiling acquires its greatest architectural dimension. "Blessed be He in Whose hands is Dominion; and He over all things hath Power; He Who created Death and Life, that He may try which of you is best in deed: and He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving; He Who created the seven heavens one above another: No want of proportion wilt thou see the Creation of the Most Gracious, So turn thy vision again, seest thou any flaw? Again turn thy vision a second time: thy vision will come back to thee dull and discomfited." Thus, we were told the ceiling reproduces the seven heavens of the celestial Islamic paradise. The light of which emanates form the divine throne at its center. The symbolic meaning of the hall is a royal seat is completed by the poem
Reading the Alhambra Chapter 2 Based on a transcript from the documentary: Reading the Alhambra The inscriptions of verses from the Qur´an provide the buildings with sacred evocations of both the earthy and heavenly paradise, such as those in the oldest of the niches for jars of water in the Alhambra at the entrance of
Reading the Alhambra Chapter 1 Based on a transcript from the documentary: Reading the Alhambra When you visit the Alhambra, you will enter into the most original and beautiful architectural world of words. The visual of the semantic prominence of its devout, regal voltive and Quranic phrases and sentences, inscribed in a subtle variety of Kufic and cursive lettering, combined with the images of its mural verse and calligrams, turn it into a magnificent tri-dimentional manuscript which converses with the water, the garden and the landscapes. In viewing the very buildings themselves with a sonorous, vital rhythm of the Arabic language and its poetry. The walls of the Alhambra are the pages of a book. The similarity between the tiles in many of the rooms and the covers of the books of that time with their artistic tracer in colouring is not mere chance. The tiles protect and act as a foil to the mural texts in the same way that the covers do to the pages of the Koran and other courtly works. The stucco work itself shares the same decorative motifs and calligraphic forms as contemporary manuscripts. Including the small arches contained within some of the Kufic calligrams. The incorporation of words into the architecture leads to a symbolic transfiguration of the spaces it encloses. Look where you will, and you will find metaphors idealising the figure of the sultan who built them and of the virtues of the palaces themselves. Other metaphors like in parts of the Alhambra to the stars in the firmament, or to gardens, or to heaven, in a similar way to the descriptions of the paradise found in the Qur´an. Yet others in nuptial vein personify its rooms as brides prepared to welcome their Lord. The whole intent is to identify these royals
Reading the Alhambra Chapter 1 Based on a transcript from the documentary: Reading the Alhambra When you visit the Alhambra, you will enter into the most original and beautiful architectural world of words. The visual of the semantic prominence of its devout, regal voltive and Quranic phrases and sentences, inscribed in a subtle variety of
Looking for a country that takes your needs into account and makes you feel comfortable during your holidays? Spain is highly recommended. It is afterall one of the top most visited countries in the world. And why should it be your next Halal travel destination? Here are some key reasons. 1. Halal Certified products and services In Spain, certain products and services have the Halal Certification awarded by the Halal Institute, which guarantees that they meet the requirements demanded under Islamic law. This certification is particularly associated with food products but is increasingly being awarded to hotels, restaurants, cosmetic companies, Arab baths, etc. 2. Gastronomy With regards to food, you’ll be pleased to know that Spain is famous for its healthy Mediterranean diet, with loads of recipes based around vegetables and fish, and many based on Arab cuisine such as gazpacho, paella, ajoblanco, pil pil cod and many other ideas that are sure to suit your tastes. There are already restaurants with Halal Certification, such as El Faro (in Marbella) and Los Almendros (in Cordoba); and in certain establishments, if you request them in advance they can prepare dishes using ingredients governed by Sharia or Islamic law. You can also use the most popular online restaurant search engines (yelp.com, thefork.com, etc.) or mobile apps (MuslimpPro, Halaltrip) to search for halal establishments in Spanish destinations. You can also refer to our earlier postings of the list of halal restaurants of each travel destinations. 3. Muslim friendly hotelsSpain is a country that accommodates all religions and during your stay you’ll notice that a large number of hotels are able to adapt to meet the needs of Muslim clients. 4. Religious services in airports In the Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport, there are two mosques situated in the public area of the exits to
Looking for a country that takes your needs into account and makes you feel comfortable during your holidays? Spain is highly recommended. It is afterall one of the top most visited countries in the world. And why should it be your next Halal travel destination? Here are some key reasons. 1. Halal Certified products and
PARIS SIGHTSEEING FOR MUSLIM TRAVELERS What to see in Paris Paris has an uniqte ancient charm, walk through the backstreets of Montmartre, the terraced cafés of Montparnasse, visit the iconic structure of the Eiffel Tower or cruise the placid waters of the Seine, are all unforgetable experiences. The Great Mosque Built following the Mudejar style -pure white walls and the green-blue roofs and tiles on portions- is an early 20th century contribution to the cultural relations between France and the Muslim world. Constructed in honor of the French Arab community that fought in the World War I, It was the first of France, and its largest, covering nearly a hectare. Ahmad al-Alawi, an Algerian founder of the modern Sufi order Darqawiyya Alawiyya, led the first communal prayer to inaugurate the mosque. Don not miss the areas for prayers, sermons and the reading of the Qur’an are restricted to Muslims. Address: 2bis Place du Puits de l'Ermite, 75005 Paris Eiffel Tower Designed by Gustav Eiffel and constructed for the 1889 The World's Fair, the tower was always meant to be a temporary structure. But the parisian found it useful for communication transmissions. Today stands as one of the most visited tourist attractions in the world. Visitors can walk up to the first floor of the Eiffel Tower or take the elevator all the way up to the top, where they'll be treated with vast panoramic views of the city. Opening time: The Tower openes at 9:00 am. It welcomes the lasts visitors at midnight, and closes its doors at 00:45 am. Address: Parc du Champ de Mars Paris, France 75007 Louvre Museum This museum has earned the title as the most visited in the world -upward of 9 million per year-. Try to cover the entire 650,000 square feet of gallery space in a day, is
PARIS SIGHTSEEING FOR MUSLIM TRAVELERS What to see in Paris Paris has an uniqte ancient charm, walk through the backstreets of Montmartre, the terraced cafés of Montparnasse, visit the iconic structure of the Eiffel Tower or cruise the placid waters of the Seine, are all unforgetable experiences. The Great Mosque Built following the Mudejar style -pure
HALAL TRIP TO SPAIN MUSLIM FRIENDLY BARCELONA What to see in Barcelona In the 8th century Muslims conquered Barcelona but their presence lasted less than a hundred years as ‘the Franks’ occupied the city turning it into a military strong post. Still, the Muslim presence in the Catalan region remained for quite some centuries. Church Sagrada Familia Inspired by medieval cathedrals The Sacred Family Church with three doorways which lead into each of the naves that intersect with the central aisle, it rises up in the middle of Barcelona. In the style of Neo-Gothic the building convers an area of 12,800 square metres. Although it is true that, at the present time, eight of the 18 towers that were originally planned have been completed –12 of them dedicated to Jesus’s disciples, 4 to the evangelists and 2 to the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ – when Gaudí died in 1926, only the Tower of Saint Barnaby had been built. Now, 133 Years Later, Gaudí’s Cathedral Nears Completion, 6 new towers will soon be added bringing the total to 18. Address: Marina street, Barcelona Güell Park A World Heritage Site represents the Catalan Art Nouveau movement, Modernisme, through one of the key figures in contemporary architecture, Antoni Gaudi. The park was based on an english garden city concept, and evolved as a luxury development comprising some 60 detached dwellings for families. A group of houses standing above the village of Gràcia, on the so called Muntanya Pelada, or Bald Mountain. However, the outbreak of the First World War, and the scant interest in the project, turned Güell and Gaudi’s design plan into a commercial failure. What should have been a large scale development was reduced to three plots of land: one for the Trias family, one for the Güell family and another for Gaudi. Address: Park Güell 08024 Barcelona Camp
HALAL TRIP TO SPAIN MUSLIM FRIENDLY BARCELONA What to see in Barcelona In the 8th century Muslims conquered Barcelona but their presence lasted less than a hundred years as ‘the Franks’ occupied the city turning it into a military strong post. Still, the Muslim presence in the Catalan region remained for quite some centuries. Church
ISLAMIC HERITAGE OF SPAIN Discover Madrid Al Andalus Heritage Mageit the Muslims called the new city they and this name was used until the 13th century when a new word - Madrid - appeared. The Majrit In the 9 century, the Umayyad emir Muhammad I seeking to fortify the Central Frontier an strategically important region against the northern Christian kingdoms—ordered the construction along the Manzanares River. It was named Majrīṭ, a name that possible derives from the Arabic word “mayra,” a reference to water as sustenance and a giver of life and the Ibero-Roman suffix “-it” meaning place. The fortress city of Andalusī Majrīṭ consisted of the Alcazaba and the Al-Mudayna. The Alcazaba was fenced with a wall, with many gates, and included the palace, a mosque and other military and managerial offices. The entire settlement was enclosed by a fortified wall, but small residential settlements (an area known as al-rabaḍ or suburbs) sprung up beyond it and across the river. The residential area of Majrīṭ was known as Al-Mudayna that mean “little city” in Arab. The city, with its streets and houses, grew naturally and without planning. This can be seen from the roads which lead from one to another, only to finish in a dead end. Such architecture was common place in medieval times, as can be seen in old Spanish towns, such as Toledo and some parts of Madrid. It can also be seen in the cities of North Africa, for example Fez. The southern part of Almudaina was a crowded residential area surrounded by a wall, some part of it, which extends to 120 m, have been repaired. Today the center of medieval Majrīṭ corresponds with the current location of the Royal Palace and the Almudena Cathedral, an area that formed the nucleus of the medieval Christian city of Madrid. Indeed the
ISLAMIC HERITAGE OF SPAIN Discover Madrid Al Andalus Heritage Mageit the Muslims called the new city they and this name was used until the 13th century when a new word – Madrid – appeared. The Majrit In the 9 century, the Umayyad emir Muhammad I seeking to fortify the Central Frontier an strategically important region against the
