I have been invited to numerous esteemed universities across various continents to share my expertise and research in my fields of interest; especially the history of Al-Andalus my main field of specialization. Notably, I was invited to the University of the Punjab in Lahore, Pakistan, where I had the opportunity to deliver a series of lectures on diverse topics that I am passionate about, as well as areas where I have been conducting extensive research. My travels have taken me to many academic institutions worldwide, offering me unique opportunities to engage with different academic communities.
One of the most significant and memorable invitations I received was from the University of Tokyo in Japan. In the academic year 1997-1998, I was invited to teach for a full year, which proved to be a transformative experience both professionally and personally. This experience allowed me to contribute to the rich academic culture in Japan while simultaneously expanding my own knowledge and understanding through interaction with students and faculty members from various disciplines. Additionally, my academic journey also took me to Latin America, where I was invited by the Catholic University of Lima as well as the University of Lima, both of which are prominent institutions in Peru. There, I conducted a two-week seminar on various topics that align with my academic focus, particularly the history and culture of Al-Andalus, which I would like to elaborate on in greater detail.
The invitation from the universities in Lima was both an honor and a unique academic opportunity. I was tasked with delivering a series of lectures every other day, each lecture focused on themes of my choosing. In response to the invitation, I proposed two central themes that were both integral to my research interests: the history and culture of Al-Andalus, and the concept of Orientalism. With regard to the first theme, I dedicated my lectures to exploring the history, culture, and legacy of Al-Andalus, presenting it as a universal cultural heritage that continues to resonate across the world. Over the course of the lectures, I would deliver two-hour discussions every other day, offering a deep dive into the richness of Al-Andalus’ legacy and its far-reaching influence on global history.
Al-Andalus, the name given to the Muslim-ruled territories in the Iberian Peninsula, represents a unique blend of cultures, civilizations, and religions, which contributed to the flourishing of a distinctive and vibrant culture. The contributions of Arabs, Berbers, Latins, Romans, and the coexistence of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism led to the emergence of a dynamic intellectual, artistic, and scientific tradition. These groups contributed to the development of architecture, science, literature, and philosophy, and the resulting culture continues to be recognized and celebrated in societies, including Morocco, where it is regarded as an integral part of the national identity.
The historical narrative of Al-Andalus is intricately tied to the expulsion of Muslims and Jews from the Iberian Peninsula following the fall of Granada in 1492. After the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella conquered Granada, many Andalusian Muslims and Jews sought refuge in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Mauritania. These individuals carried with them a wealth of knowledge, craftsmanship, and scholarly expertise, enriching the societies they settled in and contributing to the cultural fabric of the Maghreb. As a result, the cultural influence of Al-Andalus extended well beyond the Iberian Peninsula, leaving an indelible mark on the region’s intellectual and artistic landscape.
My primary area of specialization is the 11th century, a period that saw both political decline and remarkable cultural flourishing in Al-Andalus. Despite the political fragmentation and turmoil that marked this time, the cultural and intellectual life continued to thrive. Arabic, as the dominant language of culture and science in Al-Andalus, became the medium through which numerous fields of knowledge, including medicine, astronomy, philosophy, and mathematics, advanced. This period witnessed the rise of many prominent scholars whose work laid the foundations for future intellectual pursuits. Notable figures such as Ibn Hazm, a distinguished scholar in jurisprudence, comparative religion, and literature, made significant contributions during this period. His famous work, The Dove’s Neck-Ring, is often considered the first book on the subject of love in Western literature.
Other key intellectuals from Al-Andalus include the poet Ibn Zaydun, renowned for his romantic poetry, the geographer al-Bakri, who documented the geography of the Muslim world, and Ibn Bassam al-Shantarini, whose literary anthology preserved important poetry and historical records. These scholars, along with many others, played a pivotal role in shaping the intellectual traditions of Al-Andalus. Even the rulers of the time, such as Abdullah ibn Buluqīn of Granada, contributed to the literary heritage by writing autobiographies, offering rare first-person accounts of life in Al-Andalus.
The intellectual legacy of Al-Andalus was meticulously documented in biographical dictionaries, which cataloged the lives and contributions of scholars across the centuries. These works not only provide us with a detailed account of the intellectual life of Al-Andalus but also helped preserve the memory of its great scholars for future generations. These scholarly works influenced the Maghreb and beyond, shaping the academic and intellectual traditions of the wider Arab and Muslim world. In modern scholarship, debates between scholars such as Sánchez Albornoz and Américo Castro, as well as the contributions of Arabists like Miguel Asín Palacios, Huici Miranda, and Juan Vernet, continue to shape the study of Al-Andalus, offering fresh perspectives on its history and cultural contributions.
During my time teaching in Peru, the discussions surrounding these topics were so engaging and thought-provoking that many of the sessions often extended beyond the scheduled hours. One particularly memorable encounter involved a Peruvian student of Japanese descent, who, after attending one of my lectures, approached me with thoughtful and insightful questions. This exchange was a clear demonstration of how the cultural and intellectual legacy of Al-Andalus has resonated beyond the boundaries of the Arab world, highlighting the universal appeal of its history and ideas. It also underscored the interconnectedness of global cultures and the continuing relevance of Al-Andalus as a subject of scholarly inquiry.
This opportunity in Peru was truly a wonderful chance to deepen my understanding of the importance of knowledge exchange between different cultures. In each lecture, I felt that I was not only presenting historical facts or academic information, but I was also creating a bridge between the diverse cultures represented by the universities that had invited me. The questions posed by the students in Peru proved to me that history and culture do not recognize geographical boundaries, and they can spark interest and mutual understanding between people from various cultural backgrounds. For instance, there was a student of Japanese descent who showed a particular interest in how Andalusian culture had influenced art and architecture in Japan—an area I had never discussed before. This allowed me to view Andalusian heritage from a new perspective, far beyond the traditional framework I had been addressing.
In my lectures, I delved into the profound impact of Andalusian culture on various societies, including Morocco, the Mashriq, and even Europe. After the fall of Granada, knowledge and scholarly traditions were transferred to regions that welcomed the Andalusians, including North Africa. This knowledge extended beyond the arts and literature, influencing fields such as medicine, astronomy, and philosophy, and it helped transport Islamic thought to medieval Europe. The influence of this Andalusian heritage can be seen in many areas we consider foundational to our modern civilization today, such as the astrolabe and astronomical sciences, in addition to the development of Arabic philosophy in Europe.
When discussing Andalusia, I cannot overlook the significant role that scholars and philosophers played in shaping European thought. Scholars like Ibn Rushd, whose influence on Western philosophy was profound, and Ibn Sina in the field of medicine, were instrumental in transmitting knowledge from the Islamic world to Europe. Andalusian philosophy also left a deep imprint on Christian thought, especially through figures like Thomas Aquinas, who was greatly influenced by the works of Ibn Rushd. These thinkers, along with others such as Al-Farabi and Al-Ghazali, helped shape the intellectual framework that would later lead to the European Renaissance.
Throughout my lectures, I also reflected on how the legacy of Andalusian culture transcends historical time and geographical space. Its impact is still felt today, not only in academic circles but also in popular culture. The themes of coexistence, intellectual exchange, and cultural synthesis that characterized Andalusian society continue to inspire people around the world. These discussions were not just about the past but also about how we can use the lessons from Andalusian history to address the challenges of today’s multicultural and interconnected world. The integration of different cultures and the exchange of knowledge, as exemplified by Al-Andalus, offer valuable insights for cob contemporary global society.
I surfed through the internet and came across this account of my trip to Peru which I published at the time. I will reproduce it here because it is such a fresh account:
It has been about ten years now or so since Mr. Tayyib Chaudri who was then Morocco’s ambassador at Lima kindly asked me to give a two-week seminar at ‘La Cattolica’ and a couple of lectures at two other universities, the University of Lima and another private university, the Ricardo Palma University. I accepted, because it was a unique experience for me. I therefore agreed with the university people about the themes, and I gave two-hour lectures for two weeks.
The experience was positive from my perspective for a number of reasons. The lectures were in Spanish, but the public was different. This is important for lecturers, because I believe that a writer or lecturer has to be conscious of the public he addresses, whether he is aware or unaware of it. The students who attended my lectures were very enthusiastic and the question time tended to be very long. There was a lot of interaction with the students, because they were fascinated by the themes which I treated which included the history and culture of Al-Andalus, Interculturalism, the cultural heritage of the Medina of Tetouan. From my point of view, I was stimulated by their questions which obviously differed from the ones I would be asked in other countries. It is incredible for example to observe how people in different countries of different cultures are so interested in different dimensions of this universal culture. Their ideas tend to be preconceived, but the passions that Al Andalus can arouse are unbelievable. Some people think that they know all they need to know, while others deploy themes related to Al Andalus to achieve their own objectives, sometimes completely unrelated to what I would call the historical reality of Al Andalus. They seem to be satisfied with their images of Al Andalus and are unconcerned about the dimension of historicity.
I will never forget a man who approached me after I had given a lecture about the Andalusian culture. From his physical features, he appeared to me to be a Japanese as he waited for his turn to ask me a question while I was answering others. However, when he spoke, he did so in Spanish with a Peruvian accent. There is a community of Peruvians of Japanese origin, and they even had one for a president and his daughter has recently been involved in politics recently. For a second, I felt as if I was at the University of Tokyo, but then I set things straight I my head when the man asked me questions about “our Andalusian origins.” In other words, he was a Peruvian, spoke Spanish obviously with a Peruvian accent, considered himself to be a Peruvian and was asking me about his Andalusian cultural origins as a Peruvian. At the time, I was not aware of Fujimori. He was not the problem, I was the problem, because I had confused his physical Japanese features with his own perception of his cultural identity as a Peruvian. I remember answering his question by referring to the cultural influence of the Andalusian culture in North Africa, the Middle East, Spain and Portugal, and through the latter in Latin America.
Another interesting point that I remember is the transportation system which they had in Lima. I used to take a taxi from my hotel to the university and discovered that there were two systems. There were the normal taxis, and anyone could put a sign saying taxi in front of his steering wheel and actually transport people. That solved many problems, and I do not remember seeing people in lines waiting for taxis.
During my stay, I was invited for a fifteen-minute interview in a television program called Presencia Cultural in the 7th Channel which is the state television channel. The discussion was about the cultural heritage of the Medina of Tetouan and they showed part my interactive CD-ROM of the Medina of Tetouan which was a big deal at the time, not only because interactive CD-ROMs on themes related to the cultural heritage of historical cities was not very common, but because CD-ROMs were the fashion before the internet developed into what it is today. I will always remember visiting the historical quarter of Peru, which like the Medina of Tetouan, was created five centuries ago. There are also similarities between the two and the Andalusian influence in their architecture was clear to me.
Taking a one-hour flight to Cusco and landing 3000 meters above the sea level, only to take a train, a really old-fashioned train across the mountains to Machu Pichu, the sacred city of the Incas was truly exciting. During the train raid, we were shown a video explaining the history of every rock that we would visit at Machu Pichu. We had lunch at a place called Aguas Calientes in a beautiful restaurant in the middle of the way before heading for the peak of the mountain. The scenery of the mountains in that place is truly unique. I remember talking to a shop keeper at Aguas Calientes who told me how a terrorist group which the government had crushed used to dominate all that area before the tourist industry began to flourish there. Some of the stories were electrifying.
I visited a couple of museums and the one which impressed me most was the Museum of the Inquisition. The first floor was the original court where the proceedings and the degrees of the Holy Catholic Church took place. Then we descended to appreciate the different techniques used to torture those who were forced to confess their supposed crimes which were mostly related to accusations of apostasy. Those who were accused were either Jews or curiously Muslims had converted to Christianity but were accused of having done so falsely. They were therefore condemned to prison where they were tortured and or condemned to death.
I had previously read about the influence of the Andalusian culture in Latin America through the Spanish language thanks to important works by important specialists of the Moriscos in Latin America like Lucy Baralt professor at the University of Puerto Rico and some French eminent specialists like Professor Louis Cardillac both of whom I met at Abdeljelil Temimi’s international conferences at Tunis. However, standing in what was a real court of the Inquisition in Latin America where Andalusian were sent chills through my body.
Finally, Al-Andalus is an area that I will keep studying for the rest of my life without answering all my questions about this unique universal culture. It is for the Islamic culture what Greece has been for Europe. It is also a fantastic field of experimentation for the modern social sciences.
In conclusion, my teaching experience in Peru was both enriching and eye-opening. The engaging discussions and thought-provoking questions I encountered were a testament to the enduring relevance of Andalusian history and culture. It is clear to me that the legacy of Al-Andalus, which once thrived in the Iberian Peninsula, continues to resonate globally, shaping intellectual and cultural exchanges across continents and generations. This enduring influence is a reminder of the power of knowledge to transcend borders and unite diverse cultures in shared understanding.