Session 5

Al-Andalus: An Arabized and

Islamized Society
1. Conquerors and conquered in al-Andalus

2. Arabization in al-Andalus

3. Islamization in al-Andalus
1. Conquerors and conquered in
al-Andalus
conquerors and conquered

• conquerors

Muslims

• Arabs

• Berbers

• conquered

– Christians

• muwallad and mozarabs

– Jews
conquerors and conquered

Christians and Jews of al-Andalus (Islam)

dhimmi (ahl al-dhimma 'tributary), people who benefit from dhimma

a pact ('ahd) accorded to followers of revealed religions (religions of the

book) living under Muslim rule
conquerors and conquered

dhimma

– accords protection

– accords certain limited rights

• dhimmis can preserve religion

• dhimmis can preserve properties, right to own land

• dhimmis can preserve religious and political autonomy (self-

government)
conquerors and conquered

on condition

– they recognize superior power and political authority of Islam

– they pay particular tribute

the jizya (poll tax)

2. Arabization in al-Andalus
al-Andalus: arabization

term Arabization means

long term process of assimilation of Arabic cultural patterns by non-

Arab populations

• imposing a common language (Arabic)

• imposing a common way of life

• imposing a common learning (arts and sciences)

al-Andalus: arabization

Arabization promoted actively by the state

the court of the Umayyad caliphs of Cordoba

• officials

• artists and scholars

• books
3. Islamization in al-Andalus
al-Andalus: Islamization

Islamization means

long term process of conversion to Islam by greater part of conquered

populations

• Christians, particularly

• Jews, also
al-Andalus: Islamization

Islamization

– until the 10th century

• Muslims, a dominant minority
• Christians, a dominated majority
• Jews, a dominated minority

– 10th century a process of

conversion to Islam

– by the 11th century

• Muslims, a dominant majority
• Christians, a dominated minority
• Jews, a dominated minority
al-Andalus: Islamization

Islamization, other cases

– Africa

– Egypt

– Syria

– Persia
Islamization

other Christians
Armenian
Syriac
Assyrian
Coptic Christians
Christians
Christians
(Maronite
(Iran,
(Egypt)
(Armenia)
Irak)
church)
(Syria)
al-Andalus: Islamization

Islamization: remaining Jewish communities

– Irak and Palestine

– the diaspora
Jews under Muslim rule
al-Andalus: Islamization

the reasons for conversion

not because of open hostility of Islam

• no testimonies on permanent, intense and large-scale persecutions

• forced conversions prohibited in Islam by sharia

al-Andalus: Islamization

a process of accommodation, after two centuries the Muslim rule

– opportunities (employment, promotion)

– a self-reinforcing process

– a not traumatic process (Arabization)