Gharnata

[Abu Tariq Hijazi]

THE GLORIOUS RULE AND TRAGIC END OF GHARNATA
ABU TARIQ HIJAZI
Andalus (Spain) is the name of a country which shines on the Islamic history but when you read more than half of it, tears start flowing in your eyes. The conquest of Andalus by famous General Tariq bin Ziad and Musa bin Nusair is the shining preface of Islamic history. Muslims ruled Andalus for more than 800 years 92-897AH= 711-1492AC).They raised the grand cities of Cordova, Gharnata and built the famous Palaces of Qasr al Hamra & Qasr al Zahra. The first half of this period brings shine to your face but the later half pours tears in our eyes. The history of Andalus is part of Proud as well as part of pain upon the Muslim Ummah.

This long era of 800 years of Muslim rule on Andalus may be divided into the following five periods: A.711-756 Tariq bin Ziad’s Imara,45yrs
B. 756-1031 Banu Umayyah rule 275 yrs
C.1031-1238 Taifa rule 76 years
D.1085-1238 Al Moravid/Almowaid 153 yrs
E.1236-1492 Naseri dynasty 263 years.
Total 92-897AH =805 yrs (711-1492AC)

Here we discuss the Last Sigh or the last decade of Muslim rule over Andalus. It was the year of 634AH (1236AC) when a young adventurist Nasr bin Yousuf conquered Gharnata (Granada) in the southern part of Spain and established his family rule as the Banu Ahmar or Naseri dynasty. It ran through the longest period of 263 years (634-897AH) (1236-1492) ruled by more than 22 Sultans named from Mohammed I, to Mohammed XII. Though this state was surrounded by hostile Christian kingdoms on three sides but still the dynasty recorded certain world fame records in the Islamic History.
It was in 719 (1319 AC) during the rule of fifth Sultan Ismail Abu Waleed who with his only 5,500 fighters, defeated a large Christian force of 200,000 at Al Birah. The Battle of Al Birah is marked as surprising victory in the world records when a small Muslim of Gharnata force defeated more than 30 times larger enemy force.

Similarly when Ferdinand II, the Christian ruler of Castile wrote to Sultan Ali Abu Hassan (1464-1482) the ruler of Gharnata to pay tribute to him he replied, “The ruler of Castile should know that swords and daggers are being made nowadays in our arsenal to pierce you instead of gold coins”. The enemy was wonder struck on this reply. Later Sultan Abu Hassan defeated a fourfold Christian army in the Battle of Nausha in 888? (1483) and collected large booty (p 695). Sultan Ali Abul Hasan is regarded as the last strong ruler of Gharnata (Granada).

Later began a tragic story. Sultan Ali Abul Hasan had two wives, the elder a Muslim named Ayesha Hurrah and the younger Christian Zohraya. The elder son Abu Abdullah was from his Muslim wife Ayesha. Abul Hasan became more inclined towards younger wife and her son. When Abul Hasan marched away from Gharnata and engaged in the battle at Nausha with Christian forces, his elder son Abu Abdullah, (fearing that his father may not nominate the younger son as heir to the throne) revolted and crowned himself as Mohammed XII the ruler of Gharnata (Granada). Thus the kingdom split in two parts of Malqa and the Gharnata between the father and the son. Further Abu Abdullah attacked Malqa to dislodge his father but he was defeated. The retreating Abu Abdullah was arrested by Christians and handed over to the Christian King of Castile. The courtiers invited Abu Hasan from Malqa and placed him on the throne of Gharnata. But Abul Hasan was greatly shocked on these incidents. He invited his brother Sultan Zaghal, abandoned his throne to him and retired.

The Christian King Ferdinand attacked the new Sultan Zaghel at Gharnata but he was defeated. Now he devised a new trick. He brought Abu Abdullah from Castile, befriended him and prompted him to attack his uncle Zaghel at Gharnata. The unwise Abu Abdullah attacked his uncle and defeated him snatching a large territory of Malqa from him which he handed over as a gift to Christian King Ferdinand. Thus the state was divided into two parts, one ruled by Sultan Zaghel, the other by Ferdinand.

Photo
Sultan Abu Abdullah (Boabdil) s/o Ali Abul Hasan

The Christians slaughtered the Muslims at Malqa and Abu Abdullah could do nothing to protect them. Sultan Zaghel rushed to save Muslims at Malqa. Abu Abdullah finding the Gharnata defense-less, attacked it and captured. King Ferdinand thought that Abu Abdullah will also deliver this territory as gift to him but contrary to his expectation Abu Abdullah declared himself as the Sultan of Gharnata. Ferdinand turned against him and declared Abu Abdullah as his enemy. He attacked him and snatched the town of Basta from him and persecuted the Muslims there.
King Ferdinand was treacherous minded. Now he trapped Sultan Zaghel and said if you help me to snatch the province of Almeria from Sultan Abu Abdullah, I will donate that to you. Unwise Sultan Zaghel followed the advice and conquering that province from Abu Abdullah gave it to King Ferdinand.

Now the whole state was ruled by King Ferdinand except the city of Gharnata. King Ferdinand wanted to erase this name from history. He attacked the city of Gharnata but Muslim forces defeated him snatching Albushra from him. He again employed Zaghel and prompted him to attack Albushra which he won and Ferdinand snatched Albushra from him.

After controlling the whole state of Gharnata King Ferdinand said to Zaghel, “Now we don’t need your friendship. The only favor we can do to you is, to allow you to get out of the state alive.” This was the great prize to Zaghel who fought his Muslim nephew for the Christian king. Deposed Sultan Zaghel retired empty hands to Africa and passed his last days in disgrace. Thus was the prize of his friendship to King Ferdinand against Muslims.
It was 896AH (1491 AC) when King Ferdinand marched against Gharnata city with a large Christian force and besieged the city, so that he may starve the people and force them to surrender. He cordoned the city for eight months but could not force them to surrender. In the meanwhile the old friend of Ferdinand, Sultan Abu Abdullah (called Boabdil by Christians) secretly signed a Document of Surrender with him ensuring the life, property, prestige and freedom of worship to his subject comprising of Muslims and the Jews in the state of Gharnata.

This document was signed on Ist Rabi al Awwal 897AH corresponding to Jan 02, 1492 AC. More insulting was that Abu Abdullah appeared in public and after riding to the court handed over the KEY of GHARNATA to Ferdinand and his wife Isabella. This portrait has been a disgrace to the brave Muslims of Andalus who ruled the territory for 800 years with great pomp and show. While the name of Tariq bin Ziad shines like a rising sun, on Andalus, the name of Abu Abdullah is like a sinking sun on the same ground…Defeated and disgraced Abu Abdullah left Spain and went to Morocco where he died in anonymity…......... Al Baqa Lillah.

It not clear to understand that, Why Abu Abdullah staged the drama of surrender in the open court. He could have fought to the last drop of his blood and die as a martyr. We have many examples of bravery in the past history. Sultan Tipu of Mysore in India, fought to the large British army and was martyred in 1799 saying, “To live like a loin for one day is more virtuous than to live hundred years like a jackal.” His words still shine in the annals of World history.

The only reason to surrender seems that Abu Abdullah wanted to ensure the safety of his subject. And so he devised a clear Document of Surrender guaranteeing the rights of safety of life, property, prestige and freedom of worship to his Muslim and the Jew subject. But he could not assess that the document of defeated rulers has no value. And so it happened. The document was abrogated and Muslims were given clear choice, Conversion to Christianity or evacuation. The brave Muslims of Gharnata rejected to convert. And so hundred of thousand migrated to Africa, and thousands were slaved and thousands were drowned and slaughtered. This all happened when Abu Abdullah was still alive. Arab historian Al Maqqari reported that he died in 1534 when 75 and was buried in Fez.

Thus is the story of a precious land of Gharnata which was preserved for 250 years but lost within the last 10 years by an unwise Abu Abdullah. His picture of Surrender displayed in European halls is great Shame to Muslim youths of Andalusia.