Muslim American Society

Tuesday, Feb 9, 2010

The Muslim Community in Spain

Date Posted: Tuesday, August 24, 2004

Friday Prayer in a Madrid Mosque

By Mohammed Ayub Khan

The American Muslim Magazine

Never has history “chosen” to eliminate a race of people as in the Spanish Inquisition. One wonders why the silence has remained so strong about a people who brought glory and art to Europe for over 900 years. When western students open their history books and read about the “Moors,” few are ever taught that what they are reading has any relevance to Islam. Even today, on architecture frames found in Spain, one can still see the secretive Arabic inscriptions written during the days of the Inquisition: “La ghalab illa’illah” (There is no conqueror but Allah).

The resurgence of Spain’s Muslim community began in 1976 in Cordoba, when five young men became Muslims through the da`wah of Shaykh Abdalqadir as-Sufi and followed his instructions to spread Islam among their people. They were the first known Spaniards to enter Islam since the time of al-Andalus. Their efforts resulted in many people embracing Islam and the establishment of a Muslim community in Granada. Through as-Sufi’s initiative, the community bought land in the very heart of the old Muslim city, Albaycin, with the intention to build the first mosque built by Muslims since the Inquisition.

Although their efforts were hindered by public and governmental opposition for 18 years, their project recently succeeded and the community, which has gained some respect, is on the brink of establishing a whole Islamic institution consisting of a mosque, an attached school, an Islamic college, and a da`wah and training center.

After 500 Years, a New Mosque Opens in Granada

The opening of a new mosque in Europe should not necessarily make the news. After all, with over 15 million Muslims scattered throughout Europe, mosques are nothing new. But the opening of this mosque has a special symbolic value for Spanish Muslims, and has struck a nerve with some Spaniards who fear that this is the beginning of an Islamic reconquista of al-Andalus. “This is the first mosque to be opened by Spanish Muslims in over 500 years,” said Abdul Haqq Salaberria, a spokesman for the Islamic community in Spain. “We hope that Spaniards will understand ... that we do not want to re-conquer al-Andalus, but we do want recognition.”

The mosque is opening amid much fanfare and after many years of struggle. The Granada Muslim community consists mainly of North African immigrants and European converts. Some local people have greeted this mosque project with fierce opposition, such as by painting "Moros Fuera" (Moors Out!) in the old Muslim quarter. And last year, when Muslims tried to pray the Friday prayer in the ancient Cordoba Mezquita Cathedral, there was another uproar. But now, on Fridays the adhan (call to prayer) will sound in this historic Islamic city for the first time in 500 years. “The mosque is to show [that] it is not so strange to have Muslims in Spain,” said Abdul Haqq, a Basque convert. “We want to say [that] we are as much Spanish as you are.”

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