thegreatdivide
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tallowood wrote on Dec 26 th, 2025 at 3:12pm: TGDMore factual errors: Jews lived in peace with their Muslim overlords for much of history since the Arab conquests beginning in the 7th century. ....... Fact checking:
According to Muslim sources, early Muslim conquests resulted in the exile of the Banu Qainuqa and Banu Nadir, two of the main three Jewish tribes from Medina, and the mass execution of all male adults of the Banu Qurayza clan.
Andalusia (Spain): While known for the "Golden Age," the Almoravid conquest in the 11th century brought harsh persecution, including the 1066 Granada massacre, and the Almohads later intensified this, forcing many Jews to flee or convert. More details re Jewish persecution: (google) During the peak of Islamic rule in Spain (Al-Andalus), particularly the Caliphate of Córdoba in the 10th and 11th centuries, Jews experienced a "Golden Age" of culture and relative tolerance, with far fewer instances of persecution compared to their contemporaries in Christian Europe. However, this period was not a continuous utopia, and the situation deteriorated significantly under later, more fundamentalist Muslim dynasties, leading to periods of severe persecution.
The Golden Age (Caliphate Period)
Relative Tolerance: Under the Umayyad Caliphate of Córdoba (roughly 8th-11th centuries), Jews were classified as dhimmis, a protected but second-class status that required them to pay a special poll tax and acknowledge Muslim superiority. While this meant legal inferiority, they were largely free to practice their religion, run their own communities, and participate in economic and political life.
Flourishing Culture: This era saw a significant flourishing of Jewish scholarship, philosophy, poetry, and science, with prominent Jews like the physician and diplomat Hasdai ibn Shaprut holding influential positions in the caliphal court.
Periods of Persecution
Persecution and violence did occur, usually tied to political instability or the arrival of more rigid Islamic rulers:
Massacre of Granada (1066): After the Caliphate disintegrated into smaller taifa kingdoms, political volatility increased. A Muslim mob stormed the royal palace in Granada in 1066, crucified the Jewish vizier Joseph ibn Naghrela, and massacred much of the city's Jewish population (estimates suggest over 1,500 families or 4,000 people were killed). Almoravid and Almohad Invasions (12th Century): The arrival of the Almoravid and later the more extreme Almohad dynasties from North Africa brought an end to the era of relative tolerance. The Almohads, in particular, instituted religious persecution and forced Jews and Christians to convert to Islam or face death or expulsion. This period prompted many prominent Jewish families, including that of the great philosopher Moses Maimonides, to flee the region for North Africa or Christian-controlled lands.
In summary, while there was a significant "golden age" in Islamic Córdoba, it was followed by periods of intense persecution, demonstrating that the experience of Jews in the region was highly dependent on the specific ruling dynasty and the prevailing political climate. ....... Interesting that the 8th century Islamic conquest of Spain didn't persecute Jews. The persecution occurred after 3 centuries, during periods of political upheaval. Quote:Morocco/Fez: Massacres occurred, notably in 1033 (killing 6,000), and again in 1276 and 1465, Yes - past the age of Islam's ascendency, leading to internal disturbances. LIke in the US today, as US global hegemony is coming under increasing pressure. Quote:Yemen & Iraq: Medieval Baghdad saw forced conversions and persecution, with decrees to destroy synagogues; in Yemen, Jews faced death or forced conversion in various periods.
Iran (1910): The Shiraz pogrom involved 12 deaths, injuries, and widespread looting after blood libel accusations.
Iraq (1941): The Farhud (Arabic for "violent dispossession") saw Iraqi nationalists murder around 180 Jews, injure hundreds, and destroy property
Syria/Egypt (1940s): Tensions during the British Mandate and growing Arab nationalism led to attacks, including the 1941 Baghdad Farhud and violence in Damascus and Aleppo in 1947 The 1940s persecutions of Jews were obviously related to British Mandate rule; the 1947 violence is related to UN-enabed Jewish operations in Palestine.
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