Convivencia A Model for Peace between the three Abrahamic Faiths

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Convivencia: A Model for Peace Between Christians, Muslims and Jewish
Cultures
Research · August 2015
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CONVIVENCIA,
AMODELFORPEACEBETWEENCHRISTIAN, MUSLIMANDJEWISHCULTURES
1 | Page John David Cluett 4 August 2015
Index
Abstract Page 2
Gibraltar – Jebel Tariq Page 3
Andalucía and Morocco today Page 4
Caliphate of Cordoba – The Idea Page 7
Threats to Convivencia Page 10
Conclusion Page 11
References Page 12

CONVIVENCIA,
Abstract
When requested to speak on re i g at the University of South Africa, UNISA, Material and
Process Synthesis (MaPS) research unit, the presentation started with its history, Beer in Ancient
Egypt . Interpretation from Egyptian hieroglyphs from 3500 BC and the Rosetta stone inscribed in
196 BC, showed that beer had a central importance to ancient Egyptian society. Ancient Egyptian
literature quotes such as The mouth of a perfectly contented man is filled with eer and Your
mother sent you to school when you were ready to be taught writing, and she waited for you daily at
home with bread and eer gave beer a real place in the history of brewing. (1)
To stress the importance of people and their cultures that has been the underpinning factor during
my 50 year pilgrimage in the brewing industry shown by the smiling faces in the figure above, my
attention was drawn to research on Co i e ia , meaning social harmony in Spanish, during the
Caliphate of Cordoba, Spain from 756 to 1032. This is claimed by some as the greatest political
achievement of Moorish Spain with the integration of Christian, Muslim and Jewish cultures. It can
therefore be a model for peace in those countries that are plagued by war with human destruction
for many years in our recent history. Net Work Africa A Complex “yste (2) has defined the
importance of communication between people from different cultures, religious beliefs and genders,
to optimise human and natural resources. Lewis in Whe Cultures Collide-Leading across ultures
explains the importance of getting to grip with cultural diversity, managing and leading these
cultures, and getting to know each other, to ensure successful business communication across the
globe.(3)
Further research has shown that the period of the Caliphate of Cordoba, on one side, may have been
a peaceful integration of Muslims, Christians and Jews for a period of conflict between these
cultures and religions. This idea, is placed into context with prevailing factors (9 to 16). A threat of
not applying Convivencia as model for peace is described (17).
In this research, I start by reflecting on my life that started at the heart of Andalucía where the
Moors entered in 711 at my birth place, Gibraltar, named Jebel Tariq after General Tariq ibn Ziyad,
who commanded the invading army. Al-Andalus, giving its name to Andalucía, is a region of Spain
that stretches from Gibraltar, the closest point to Morocco, up to Castilla and to the Eastern and
Western coasts, This is an area of Spain where, in my youth, I have experienced the beauty of the
country, its people, food, the poetry and the melody of the songs, music and language. In recent
years I visited Morocco, and the similarities with Andalucía tell me that, despite published literature,
the roots come from the same cultures where peace has been possible.

CONVIVENCIA,
Gibraltar – Jebel Tariq
Given the relevance of Gibraltar in this research, a short resume of its history and demographics is
important, as is its location with respect to Al-Andalus that stretched from Morocco into Spain.
By 681 the armies of the Umayyad Caliphate had expanded from their
original homeland of Arabia to conquer North Africa, the Middle East and large
parts of West Asia, bringing Islam in their wake and converting local peoples to
the new religion. The Berbers of North Africa, called Moors by the Christians,
thereby became Muslims. The Straits of Gibraltar became the frontier
between Muslim North Africa and Christian Hispania and thus gained a new
strategic significance .
Gi raltar became part of the Visigoth Kingdom of Hispania following the collapse of the Roman
Empire and came under Muslim Moorish rule in 711 AD. The Christian Kingdom of Castile annexed it
in 1309, lost it again to the Moors in 1333 and finally regained it in 1462. Gibraltar became part of
the unified Kingdom of Spain and remained under Spanish rule until 1704. It was captured during the
War of the Spanish Succession by an Anglo-Dutch fleet in the name of Charles VI of Austria, the
Habsburg contender to the Spanish throne. At the war's end, Spain ceded the territory to Britain
under the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht of 7 .
British control of Gibraltar enabled the Allies to control the entrance to the Mediterranean during
the Second World War. Discussions of Gibraltar's status have continued between Britain and Spain
but have not reached any lasting conclusion. During the isolation of Gibraltar from Spain, the
frontier was closed, stopping an important source of labour from Spain and access to fresh food and
water. The Governments of Morocco and Gibraltar agreed that labour from Morocco could enter
Gibraltar with the required work permits. Gibraltar census on Religion in 2001 showed the following:
Roman Catholic 78.09%, Church of England 6.98%, Other Christian 3.21%, Muslim 4.01%, Jewish
2.12%, Hindu 1.79%, other or unspecified 0.94%, none 2.86%, making this a microcosm of the
orld’s population living in peace.
Moroccans have always had a significant presence in Gibraltar. However, the modern community
has more recent origins. Moroccans began arriving in Gibraltar soon after the Spanish government
imposed the first restrictions on Spanish workers in Gibraltar in 1964. By the end of 1968 there were
at least 1,300 Moroccan workers resident in Gibraltar and this more than doubled following the final
closure of the frontier with Spain in June 1969. There is also a significant amount of Moroccan Jews
in Gibraltar, representing Jews of both Sephardic origin and Arabic speaking Jews of Morocco
(although almost no Gibraltarian Jews today speak Arabic as a first language). Most notably the
Hassan family which runs Gibraltar's largest law firm Hassa ’s International Law Firm and the late Sir
Joshua Hassan who served four terms as Chief Minister for a total of 17 years . (4, 5)

CONVIVENCIA,
Andalucía and Morocco today
Buildings and structures
The most significant aspect that can be seen of the An-Andalus heritage in both Andalucía and
Morocco, are the beautiful buildings and structures that grace cities, towns and the landscape.
The Islamic Mosque in Cordoba was built in 742, later
became the Christian Catedral de Nuestra Senora de
la Asunción in 1236.
Such buildings were built by Muslim architects in
same period in many other cities, towns and in the
countryside in An-Andalus, such as in Seville and
Granada.
During this period, the legacy of technology was left
behind a number of examples, such as windmills,
advanced domestic water systems, sanitary sewers
and irrigation systems, that all lasted for many years.
The windmills in the picture can be seen in many parts
of Spain today.
The importance of these structures shows the legacy
of the Caliphate of Cordoba as an example to the
world how peace and unity can be achieved between
Muslims, Christians and Jews.
Current architectural design is influenced by Islam,
being the State religion in Morocco. 99% of the
population is Islam, with the balance being mainly
Christians and Jews (6).
The picture is of a hotel in Fez built to Moroccan
external and internal designs influenced by Islamic law,
much like that seen in Andalucía. Photos by C. Grobler
during a joint visit to Casablanca and Fez, Morocco.

CONVIVENCIA,
The Alhambra in Granada, Spain, The Royal Palace – Riad in Fez and the Mosque in Casablanca,
Morocco, are all examples of buildings that stand today as examples of Muslim architecture, where
the voices of the people and the admiration of those that visit them, are testimony of beliefs that
maintain peace and understanding between us all. They must remain there for many centuries to
come.
Agriculture
From the olive groves of Andalucía and Morocco we taste the olives that have been an important
agricultural product of both regions. It is the base to prepare many foods, the olive is an important
part of the diet for many all over the world and it is an integral part of the culture we have inherited
over the centuries: it’s an important part of life itself.
The olive tree and olive oil are mentioned seven times in the Quran, and the olive is praised as a
precious fruit. Most notably, it is mentioned in one of the most famous verses of the Quran, Ayat an-
Nur: "Allah is The Light of the heavens and the earth; the similitude of His Light is as a niche wherein
is a lamp, the lamp in a glass, the glass as it were a glittering star-kindled from a Blessed Tree, an
olive that is neither eastern nor western, whose oil would illuminate, even if no fire touched it, Light
upon Light; Allah guides to His Light whomever He decides, and Allah strikes similitudes for mankind,
and Allah is Ever-Knowing of everything." Olive tree and olive-oil health benefits have been
propounded in Prophetic medicine. It is reported to have been said: "Take oil of olive and massage
with it – it is a blessed tree" (7)
Spain is the main producer of olives in the world, with Morocco in fifth position, according 2011
statistics from FAOSTAT,

CONVIVENCIA,
Dance and Song
Flamenco (8) dance and song in Andalucía and Morocco have
very similar sounds and passion as one observes the men and
women perform in groups, or as one hears a man on his guitar
and a woman start to move and clap to the rhythm of the music.
In whichever way jaleo happens, a combination of music and
participants will perform, including the audience and the artiste,
as everyone feels the urge to participate.
To be part of the duende, a strange presence that everybody
senses but no philosopher can explain, in a flamenco jaleo at El
Rocio, Jerez and Granada in Andalucía, or Fez in Morocco, the
dancers, singers and all present will feel that they are in a culture
that goes back to the ages of Muslim Al-Andalus and beyond in
history.
On a flight from Fez to Malaga, we got the best on-flight entertainment I have ever had in over 60
years of flying. A Moroccan dance group were passengers on their way to a musical festival in
Malaga. After the plane had settled at cruising height, the group played their instruments, danced
rhythmically on the isle and sang songs full of passion and melody, reminding me of countless similar
experiences in Andalucía at flamenco shows and private gatherings.
At a private event in India some years back, some of us gathered round a fire on a chilly evening, not
far from the foot hill of the Himalayas. The friendly conversation eventually turned to the sound of a
sitar and tablas. Soon, the due de entered our group, and Indian songs were sang as the evening
went on. I was encouraged to sing a flamenco song or two, to the accompaniment of the sitar and
tablas: to my pleasant surprise, the words of the songs in Spanish and the rhythm of the music and
the clapping of the hands by those there, took me right back to a jaleo in Andalucía. I can still
recall that event so clearly and wonder why people do not find peace in each other through song
and communication that talks to poetic themes and love. As this research is about convivencia, it is
fitting that this idea be a way to find peace in our world.

CONVIVENCIA,
Caliphate of Cordoba- The Idea
Context
The current debate concerning the idea of the Caliphate of Cordoba must be seen in the context of
two important facts that follow: The Journey of Caliphate from 632 to 9 , that traces Caliphates
over time, and The Relation between Islam and The “tate as seen by the European Parliament in
the current times.
History of Islam. Salik Pay (9), traces the history of Islam, Islamic Institutions, Caliphate and Abolition
of Caliphate.
The definition of Caliphate means to be ehi d , to su eed or repla e . This topic was
discussed following the death of Muhammad. Caliphate meant replacing Muhammad so as to
protect the religion and conduct worldly affairs pursuant to religious policy. Caliphate merges the
two types of leadership, namely religious and earthly. The history of Islam assigned Caliphate
exclusively to the head of state at the highest level. The Caliphate of Cordoba was founded by Sunni
Umayyad in Andalucía in 928, which was eventually annihilated in 1031.
In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries caliphate was the principle institution that preoccupied
both Muslim and the Western world leading to diverse problems. Meetings with the Pope and
English and French government leaders were held to try and explain that the concept of caliphate
would not harm the Western liberal states. Caliphates were abolished in 1924 as they were already
feeble and deprived of political power and self-sufficiency. Western states considered caliphates as a
threat against systems of colonisation.
European Parliament Study. A study was carried out in 2015 by the European Parliament entitled
Relatio s between Islam and the “tate (10). An Islamic State was established by Muhammad that
differed considerably from modern states, although it shared some of its characteristics to a modern
state. It contained some of the rudimentary functions, such as mechanisms for tax collection,
defense, and administration of justice. After his death in 632 AD, the prophet's political functions
and religious legitimacy – but not his access to revelation – were transferred to the institution of the
caliphate under the leadership of the Muslim community. In Sunni tradition, the first four caliphs
designated them as role models for Muslim governance. The aliphate’s task was expected to
prevent strife (fitma).
Competing commercial interests and clan factionalism fueled the process of division of Muslims into
Sunni and Shia. Umayyad Caliphate of Cordoba (929 to 1031), amongst others, ruled in various parts
of the Muslim world, until their abolition by Ataturk in 1924.
Islam in the modern statehood. Nationalism, pan-Arabism and socialism, which dominated the
political stage at the time when Muslim countries became independent in the 20th century, did not
render reference to Islam obsolete. State elites continued to lay claim to Islam as an important
aspect of their identity, and in many cases their legitimacy.

CONVIVENCIA,
Convivencia in Medieval Spain
Kenneth Baxter (11)
Convivencia refers to the existence of Christian, Muslim and Jewish communities in Medieval Spain
and by extension of the cultural interaction and exchange fostered by such proximity. The term
convivencia first appeared as part of a controversial thesis about Spanish historical identity
advanced by Americo Castro in 1948: Espana en su historia: cristianos, moros y judios . Since then,
interest in the idea of convivencia has spread, fuelled in part by attention to multi-cultural and rising
concern about religious framed acts of violence. The application of social scientific models has gone
a long way towards clarifying the mechanism of acculturation at work in medieval Spain and
tempering the tendency to romanticize convivencia.
Franco’s era questioned why these religions and cultures got on better during Medieval Spain than
in the current era. Castro, believed that by turning to the past, he would lay bare the root cause of a
Spanish propensity of self-doubt and insecurity, despite a history filled with achievements. The
existence of a Spanish Structural life (estructura vital o morada vital) that informed Spanish history,
was a unique blend of Christian, Muslim and Jewish culture. These elements took place between the
eleventh and fourteenth centuries. As Castro saw it, the cultural imprint left by Muslims and Jews in
Spain was as ambivalent as it was deep. Spanish Christians involved in the reconquista remained in
awe of the superior Islamic and Jewish cultures while they subjected Muslims and Jews to their
domination. It was this inherent contradiction that left its indelible mark in the national character of
Spain.
Castro’s thesis provoked a great deal of controversy amongst the other historians, but was lost as
Spain joined the European Union. Interest on the concept of convivencia has revived over the last 20
years as the understanding of this complex dimension of Medieval Spain became important and
interesting to many.
The big picture, being the significance and nature of convivencia as a possible model to the
challenges we face, is critical as we see the spread of those negative aspects of the Muslim culture
that is being used by forces that are determined to destroy this important learning.
Maria Rosa Monecal (12, 13)
Or a e t of the World: How Muslims, Jews and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in
Medieval “pai by Maria Rosa Monecal, Professor of Spanish and Portuguese at Yale University,
tells a story that starts in Damascus in 750 and end in Granada in 1492. The research undertaken to
compile the book, and the way it is written, makes Convivencia a story to be believed. As she takes
you through the Palaces of Memory at the Mosque in Cordoba in 786, 855, 949 and 1009, we can
feel the very existence of Convivencia and how this culture of tolerance was developed between the
different people who lived there at the time. The love stories and songs described are as real as if
you are listing to them today.
Just before going to press with her book, 9/11 happened in New York and she wondered if the book
should be published. The decision was taken to publish the book, perhaps sensing that what her
audience needed after 9/11 would be a reminder of a time when religious differences did not
translate into religious violence. At the time she questioned Ho and why does a culture of
tolerance fall apart .

CONVIVENCIA,
David Navarro (14)
Interacciones narrativas árabes, cristianas y judía: convivencia literaria en el Medievo pe i sular .
Thesis written in Spanish.
The thesis developed a critical study based on the theory, intergroup relations and social discourse
of cultural symbiosis between the three religious communities of Medieval Iberian Peninsula –
Christians, Jews and Muslims – reflected in books written of the period from eleventh to fourteenth
centuries. The study is divided into two sections – one the analysis of the term convivencia coined by
Americo Castro in his contributions to this topic as well as those made by his followers and his
opposition. The second part consists of three chapters and cultural interactions that emerged during
the convivencia period.
Throughout this analysis in the theoretical framework, it was possible to determine how intergroup
contacts effected relations between communities. In the case of Medieval Iberian literature, Semitic
cultures and traditions were absorbed with Christian traditions in the development of future Spanish
identity that was reflected in the literature written in that period.
.

CONVIVENCIA,
Threats to Convivencia (17)
ISIS
The ISIS Islamic State is planning to take over Al-Andalus, as part of the new Islamic Caliphate.
Moroccan authorities have warned Spanish police that some of the more than 3,000 Moroccan
jihadists fighting in Syria and Iraq are beginning to return home, and that many of them are likely to
attempt to infiltrate the Spanish mainland via the North African Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and
Melilla. This new Al-Andalus, if it becomes a reality, will bring destruction and slaughter of the
people with their cultures, and the foundations laid out through the patience and hard work done
during the Caliphate of Cordoba.
Daily we are seeing transmitted on television, and on every form of social and printed media, the
tragedy of human trafficking from Libya into Europe. This diaspora of Africans, and others from the
continent into Europe, has happened many times in the past. However, this time people are fleeing
from their countries ravaged by war and destroyed by corrupt government, to the apparent safety of
European countries that accept these immigrants on humanitarian grounds. Is this the new
proposed Islamic Caliphate in-waiting to reconquer Al-Andalus and Europe?
These events point to an urgent need to find a model, associated with Muslims, Jewish and Christian
communities, that would bring about peace with these and other forces, including important
religious leaders, some of whom currently strategize to destroy their enemies with lethal weapons,
instead of finding peace aligned to the principles of Convivencia presented in this and other research
projects over the years. Failure to do this will bring more destruction and bloodshed.

CONVIVENCIA,
Conclusion
This research project, set out to highlight the term Convivencia, in the context of Social Harmony, as
a means of finding a model for peace to emulate that which, through extensive research, has been
shown to have been achieved during the Caliphate of Cordoba from 756 to 1031.
To test this idea of cultural understanding between Andalucía and Morocco, personal experiences
are documented, proving that these events go to show that convivencia is still very real as we enjoy
these human interactions and communications.
Bibliographic research discovered a wealth of references on this topic that have been studied and
included in the section under Reference in this document to allow readers to delve more deeply into
these and other publications on this subject. I thank all the authors referenced for their
contributions to this discovery and learnings of this fascinating topic.
It is very evident from this research on Convivencia, that this idea has captured the interest of those
studying this topic at academic institutions, as well as many at high level in Governments of many
countries, and at International organisations. They all continue to search for an answer to the elusive
peace that is destroying nations, social structures, families and religions. The only ones benefiting
from this world crisis are dealers of armaments, human traffic and drugs.
How long can this situation continue?

CONVIVENCIA,
References
1. J D Cluett. Histori ally Beer has Contributed to Co i e ia = Social Harmony, for over
5000 years , presentation at UNISA 24 July 2015,
2. John David Cluett, Net ork Africa A Complex System , Published by Xlibris 2013, ,
ISBN 978-1-4797-2311-9
3. Richard D. Lewis, Whe Cultures Collide - Leading Across Cultures , Third Edition 2006,
ISBN-13:978-1-904838-02-9
4. The History of Gibraltar, From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
5. Demographics of Gibraltar, From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
6. Tove Brunzell, Sanaa Duric, Moro a Architecture, traditional and modern – A field
study in Casablanca, Moro o . 2012, Lunds Universitet, LTH School of Engineering at
Campus Helsingborg, Sweden.
7. Olive, From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
8. Flamenco. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
9. Salih Pay, The Journey of the Caliphate from 632 to 9 4 , International Journal of
Business and Social Science, 2015.
10. Patryk Pawlak, Sebastian Kusserow, Relatio s between Islam and the “tate PE
564.381, European Parliament Research Service. At a glance, June 2015.
11. Kenneth Baxter Wolfe, Co i e ia in Medieval Spain: A Brief History of an Idea ,
Religion Compass 3/1, 2009.
12. Maria Rosa Menocal, The Ornament of the World , 2002, ISBN 0-316-56688-8
13. Maria Rosa Menocal, Culture in the Time of Tolerance: Al-Andalus as a Model for Our
Ti e , 2000, Yale Law School Legal Scholarship Repository.
14. David Navarro, Interacciones narrativas árabes, cristianas y judía: convivencia literaria en
el Medievo pe i sular . February 2013, University of Western Ontario –Electronic
Thesis and Dissertation Repository.
15. Sarah-Mae Thomas, The Convivencia in Islamic “pai ,
http://www.fountainmagazine.com/Issue/detail/the-convivencia-july-2013
16. Caliphate of Cordo a HIST351-4.1-Al-Andalus.pdf
17. Soeren Kern, Islamic State: "We Will Take Spain Back", 2014
http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/4616/islamic-state-spain

CONVIVENCIA,

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