Mountains of Spanish Granada: a sanctuary for Muslims, now and in old times

Under a full moon, atop a forestry hill in Lanjaron, a province near Granada, Muslims from around the world gathered for a special night of remembrance. On this mild evening of May last year, one of the tunes played by the mini orchestra —comprising a violin, qanun, and percussion— was titled "Madha Morisco."

Moriscos, the medieval Muslims of Spain who were forced to convert to Christianity in the 16th century after the Spanish Reconquista, wrote the song in remembrance of Prophet Muhammad– its verses praising the messenger of God.

Set to music by British musician Ali Keeler, founder of the Al Firdaus Ensemble, the lyrics of this song were derived from excerpts found in the 19th century manuscript found hidden within the walls of a house that once belonged to Moriscos in Zaragoza. When Moriscos faced the choice of expulsion or conversion at the beginning of the 16th century, some opted to remain as crypto-Muslims, secretly practising Islam, and preserving their banned literature.

The melody of Madha Morisco evokes melancholy and longing, mirroring the struggles of the Moriscos, according to Ali Keeler.

Keeler tells TRT World that the poem has a Turkish composition, which has been emulated by Moroccan musicians in their own way.

Within the album titled "Noor," meaning light in Arabic, he recomposed the verses in his own style and travelled across continents to perform before diverse audiences, retelling the story of the Moriscos.

“This is how culture travels,” Keeler says.

Cultural assimilation

Following the fall of Granada in 1492 to the Christian forces of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, the legal status of the Muslims who remained in the region was recognised, albeit with certain restrictions, until the end of the century.

However, in 1502, a decree aimed at establishing religious unity in Spanish territories officially terminated the legal existence of Muslims, leaving them with the sole option of either conversion to Christianity through baptism or migrating elsewhere.

Many of the Muslims who secretly practised Islam in Spanish territories began to be identified as "Moriscos."

With a profound messianic sentiment emerging towards the end of the 14th and the beginning of the 15th century, it was believed that loyalty to the crown could only be maintained if they adhered to the same religion, and that universal harmony can only be achieved through maintaining the same religion, says historian Mercedes Garcia-Arenal while speaking with TRT World.

Originating with a decree issued by Catholic monarchs in 1502, this legislation was later expanded to encompass Muslims residing in the regions of Aragon and Valencia. So Muslims became outcasts with no legal status in the Christian kingdoms of Iberia, where they had resided throughout the mediaeval era.

During this process, Moriscos who possessed Arabic books were granted a general pardon, “allowing” them to submit their books for inspection by the authorities. Books discussing philosophy, historical chronicles, and medicine would be returned to their owners, while others would be burned.

In the second half of the century, the Moriscos, who were still mainly Arabophone, were also prohibited from speaking Arabic, prompting them to rebel in a two-year-long uprising known as the War of Alpujarras.

These measures, primarily targeting religious texts associated with Islamic identity, prompted Moriscos to devise innovative methods of resistance against cultural assimilation, even if it meant creating a new language.

Aljamiado literature

The manuscript that provided the lyrics for Madha Morisco was written in aljamiado, a script used for texts in vernacular Spanish but written in Arabic script. This was a method Moriscos used to salvage elements of their culture, literature, and language

"Aljamiado literature was inherently Islamic, as it was written by Muslims for Muslims,” says Garcia-Arenal, a professor at Institute of Languages ​​and Cultures of the Mediterranean and the Near East.

Among these texts were fiction or travel itineraries for performing the Hajj, as well as short poems, indicating an intermingling of cultures that is both fascinating and enriching, she says, adding that the discovery of these texts in the last decades has reshaped the historical narrative of the Moriscos.

Concurrently with these findings, there has been a notable rise in the mobilisation of Muslims in the Western world around the Iberian peninsula, particularly in its southern regions, in recent years.

Many among them are relocating and establishing roots there, seeking a tranquil way of life aligned with Islamic principles.

Revival through remembrance

Azahara International, a community centre located in the Alpujarras mountains, which once served as a stage for Muslims' resistance against assimilation, stands as one of the sanctuaries that acts as a meeting point for individuals inspired by the Andalusian heritage.

Open to all since its inception in 2018, its aim is to revitalise the spiritual ecology of Andalusia by helping individuals better fulfil their roles as “stewards of the earth.”

Dina Hind Zarif Cocera, a Spanish Muslim living in Granada, was among those who relished listening to the song Madha Morisco at a gathering hosted by Azahara International in Lanjaron. Amidst a diverse group of Muslims, she notes a growing influx of individuals without Spanish roots coming to Granada.

This trend, she tells TRT World, “signals a revival of Andalusian culture.”

She thinks that both music and dhikr (remembrance) play crucial roles in nurturing cohesion within this reviving community.

“When I first came to Granada at 19, I was completely captivated; it felt like I had finally come home,” says London-born musician Ali Keeler.

Based in Granada for the past 18 years, he travels the world with his ensemble, captivating audiences with a distinct genre of Sufi music that blends Celtic, Andalusian, North African, and Turkish musical traditions.

He finds it intriguing that when Granada fell in the 15th century, many Muslims sought refuge in the surrounding mountains, much like today’s Muslims do now.

“What's even more fascinating is that these mountains, once a site of resistance, have now transformed into a sanctuary, not just for Spanish Muslims, but for Muslims worldwide.”