Essay On The Heritage Of Al-Andalus

805 Words2 Pages

Abla Awadallah
Arabic 250
17 April 2014
Mustapha Kamal

Heritage of Al-Andalus
Muslims one time ruled Spain and had a massive power over the region and influenced many aspects of the European life style we see now a days. Arabs occupied the Iberian Peninsula 711-1492, and gave it the name Al-Andalus. The Arabs ruled Spain for a large period of time but eventually were defeated and had to leave, but till this day the Arabian influence is live and clear. Even though it’s been decades since the Muslims left Spain the Heritage of Al –Andalus continues to live on daily basis and the heritage of Al-Andalus is the foundation of the current Spain, in language and architecture and literature.
First of all when the Arabs invaded Spain Arabic language did not exist but when the occupation became more rooted the Arabic language was spreading vastly and it started to become the standard language of intellectual and science. At that time the influence became very high and the Arabic civilization became more advanced than of Western Europe. The Arabic language became very influential for many aspects for example literature played a big role. Arab poets in Al-Andalus became famous for their poetry and it started to influence western literature. Many poets of Al-Andlus talked about love and the relationship between the men and women in their poetry and that influenced many western poets.
This was a period of literally brilliances, as the authors of Al-Andalus became to rise, their work became classics that were handed through generations both orally and written form. Even after the re-conquest of Iberia these works became known to the Spanish world and their influence can be seen in Spanish literature. For example the prose of Al-Andlus has ...

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...thedral (Al-Mohad Mosque), Giralda Tower Museum, and the Alcázar Palace (Al Qasr) and more.
• Granada: Alhambra (fort, palaces & gardens), Albaicin (old Arab Quarter) and New Mosque of Granada and more.

In final analysis, the conquest of Iberia from the Muslims had many positives to both side. A New Spain has emerged after the re-conquest, we seen a great Islamic influence from literature to art to architecture. Muslims influenced Spain and Spain later on influenced man of its colonies, which shows how vastly the Islam influence had been.

Work Citied
Dworkin, Steven N. (2012). A History of the Spanish Lexicon: A Linguistic Perspective. Oxford: Oxford University Press. http://www.donquijote.org/culture/spain/society/customs/arab-influence-on-spanish-language-and-culture.asp Descriptions of Ibn Arabi, Ibn Bashkuwal, Al-Maqqari and contemporary chronists

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