Portugal, was dominated by one of the richest and most intellectually powerful civilizations in the world, the Muslims. It would take Europeans until 1492, with the help from Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile and their Reconquista and Inquisition, to expel the Moors from Spain. Immediately after, their expulsion ushered in the Spanish “discovery” of the New World which would forever impact Western Civilization. But we all know how that story goes. I would like to posit a new theory; that if the Muslims were able to withstand the Reconquista they would go on to discover the Americas and create a civilization much stronger, smarter, and more successful than any European nation could have done.
The roots of Islam are traced back to the prophet Muhammad, who in 610 AD received revelation from the angel Gabriel of the one true God. After twelve years of spreading these revelations orally, Muhammad had built up a small but loyal following in the city Mecca. However, he received death …show more content…
The Apology of Patriarch Timothy of Baghdad before the Caliph Mahdi offers a view into Christian-Islamic relation before a time of tension. Timothy notes, “he is a loveable man, and loves also learning when he finds it in other people, and on this account he directed against me the weight of his objections, whenever necessary. He began to address me and converse with me not in a harsh and haughty tone, since harshness and haughtiness are remote from his soul, but in a sweet and benevolent way” (231). Timothy presents the Abbasid caliph Mahdi to be very open minded, inviting the missionary-minded bishop to an interreligious dialogue “for the love of wisdom”. This account is from the year 781 AD, seventy years after Islamic expansion into Spain. This goes to prove that good relations between the Christians and Muslims actually occurred. However, all good things must come to an
The roots of Islam are traced back to the prophet Muhammad, who in 610 AD received revelation from the angel Gabriel of the one true God. After twelve years of spreading these revelations orally, Muhammad had built up a small but loyal following in the city Mecca. However, he received death …show more content…
The Apology of Patriarch Timothy of Baghdad before the Caliph Mahdi offers a view into Christian-Islamic relation before a time of tension. Timothy notes, “he is a loveable man, and loves also learning when he finds it in other people, and on this account he directed against me the weight of his objections, whenever necessary. He began to address me and converse with me not in a harsh and haughty tone, since harshness and haughtiness are remote from his soul, but in a sweet and benevolent way” (231). Timothy presents the Abbasid caliph Mahdi to be very open minded, inviting the missionary-minded bishop to an interreligious dialogue “for the love of wisdom”. This account is from the year 781 AD, seventy years after Islamic expansion into Spain. This goes to prove that good relations between the Christians and Muslims actually occurred. However, all good things must come to an