The First Shockwave
In April of 711 AD, Tariq ibn Ziyad, the Berber General of the Umayyad Caliphate left Ceuta in Morocco (now a Spanish-occupied territory) and landed in Gibraltar (now a British-occupied territory) with his 7,000 army. The name “Gibraltar” is originally an Arabic word ‘Jabal Tariq’, meaning “mountain of Tariq,” which is named after him. One of the first acts he did on arrival was to burn all the ships they came in. Then he gave a speech and told his army that there was no going back, and their purpose here was not to plunder but to establish rule under divine law. With this determination, in July 711 they defeated the forces of the Visigothic king Roderick, opening the way to conquer the rest of Andalucía [1].
What the Western writers sometimes omit to mention is that it was the Spanish Christian chief Count Julian, who sought the help of Musa ibn Nusair, the governor of North Africa, and complained to him about the oppressive rule of King Roderick. Musa ibn Nusair sent Tariq ibn Ziyad. Count Julian and others helped Tariq ibn Ziyad once he reached the Iberian Peninsula. Muslim rule over Andalusia lasted 781 years. It is often described as the golden age.
Under the Muslim rule, Andalusia had colleges, libraries, and public baths. Cordoba alone had more than 50 hospitals by the 15th century. During this period, not only literature, poetry, and architecture flourished, but science and medicine also thrived [2]. For example, Abbas ibn Firnas (810-887), who lived in Cordoba, was a polymath. He was an engineer and inventor; he was the first person to build a flying machine and attempt to fly in 850 AD [3].
It would not be an exaggeration to suggest that during this golden age, Andalusia had the same prestige as NASA does in modern times. Andalucía attracted the biggest minds of the times; Ibn Batuta (1304-1369), the famous traveller, toured the place. While Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406), the father of sociology, spent many years working in Andalucía. Many books have been written on the successes and achievements of this era in Andalucía. The biggest achievement probably was the golden age, which was successfully achieved under a two-eyed system.
In the year 1492, came the first big shockwave. It was the beginning of the end of the two-eyed system. The two-eyed world began to shrink. Al-Masīḥ ad-Dajjāl (the Antichrist) was unchained, and there began the new age of the one-eyed system, starting from Spain.
In the post-1492 world, Western Europeans were happy to see the corrupt, dogmatic, and oppressive religious (church) elite’s power wither away. Hence, the Antichrist allured colonial powers towards a materialistic and egoistic one-eyed world. For the materialists, hedonists, and those who worship mammon, the Antichrist became their saviour and their false Messiah.
In the famous Sahih Muslim Hadith (2942a), a discussion takes place between Tamim Dari and Al-Masīḥ ad-Dajjāl (the Antichrist). The English translation shows, “I am going to tell you about myself and I am Dajjal.” However, in the original Arabic text, the word Al-Masīḥ (الْمَسِيحُ) is used when he refers to himself. Even 1400 years ago, the Antichrist called himself the Messiah.
However, although this chapter gives the impression that the Western Europe’s colonialist policies created much suffering in most parts of the world, the general Western population possess some good qualities that were mentioned by Allah’s (SWT) Messenger (PBUH). For example:
Mustaurid al-Qurashi reported: I heard Allah (SWT)’s Messenger (PBUH) as saying: The Last Hour would come (when) the Romans would form a majority amongst people. ‘Amr said to him (Mustaurid Qurashi): See what you are saying? He said: I say what I heard from Allah (SWT)’s Messenger (PBUH). Thereupon he said: If you say that, it is a fact for they have four qualities. They have the patience to undergo a trial and immediately restore themselves to sanity after trouble and attack again after flight. They (have the quality) of being good to the destitute and the orphans, to the weak and, fifthly, the good quality in them is that they put resistance against the oppression of kings. (Sahih Muslim:2898a)
A second hadith also mentions certain good qualities of the Romans.
Mustaurid Qurashi reported: I heard Allah (SWT)’s Messenger (PBUH) as saying: The Last Hour would come when the Romans would form a majority amongst people. This reached ‘Amr b. al-‘As and he said: What are these ahadith which are being transmitted from you and which you claim to have heard from Allah (SWT)’s Messenger (PBUH)? Mustaurid said to him: I stated only that which I heard from Allah (SWT)’s Messenger (PBUH). Thereupon ‘Amr said: If you state this (it is true), for they have the power of tolerance amongst people at the time of turmoil and restore themselves to sanity after trouble, and are good amongst people so far as the destitute and the weak are concerned. (Sahih Muslim:2898b)
References
[1] “Tariq ibn Ziyad,” 12 10 2024. [Online]. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tariq_ibn_Ziyad.
[2] “Al-Andalus,” 14 10 2024. [Online]. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Andalus.
[3] “Abbas ibn Firnas,” 09 10 2024. [Online]. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbas_ibn_Firnas.
