“La Convivencia” refers to a period of time when Muslims, Jews and Christians lived peacefully together in Spain, under Muslim rule. Over the course of seven centuries, members of the three Abrahamic religions worked together and developed one of the most advanced parts of Islamic civilization our world has ever witnessed. It was called al-Andalus. Muslims rule in Spain, which began in the 8th century, gave way to a glorious civilization of science and culture that left an indelible mark on the world’s history. Indeed, the Muslims’ influence had been so great that the scientific and philosophical achievements of al-Andalus contributed to what is known today as the ‘European Renaissance’. This was at a time when Europe was fighting the dark days of the Middle Ages. Wars, conflicts and diseases were tearing the continent apart, while al-Andalus, with a population of 5.6 million, had a level of civilization that could rival the modern cities of today. With the exception of a few instances of disputes, it was a splendid example of a modern civilization with canals, aqueducts and underground water conduits. The city of Cordoba for instance, had 200,000 houses,…
