Revelation, Rationality, Knowledge & Truth — Page 627
UNVEILING OF THE 'UNSEEN' BY THE QURAN - A HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE previous five centuries could not have been done away within a year or two. There was a large number of Moors. who were scattered all over the southern hilly terrain of. Andalusia providing strong isolated pockets for Islam. . There was an even larger number of Spanish converts to. Islam who were no less sincere and devout in practising. Islam than their conquerors from Arabia and Africa. It was they, more than any other reminder of their faith, who proved an intolerable irritant to the Christian clergy which had grown desperate over the years to destroy them or their religion. . It was Ximenes (pronounced Khemenies), the loudest apostle of the Church Militant who, ". . . would have the souls of these "infidels" saved from the hell fire whether they liked it or no. $19. He imprinted in 'Isabella's holy mind the pernicious doctrine that to keep faith with infidels was breaking faith with. God. 19 He was 6 not a man to be easily deterred from his purpose. . He induced the queen to promulgate a decree by which the Moors were given their choice to baptism or exile. They were reminded that their ancestors had once been Christian, and that by descent they themselves were born in the Church, and must naturally profess her doctrine'. . Thus began the beginning of the end for Islam in. Spain which took two hundred years to run its deathly course. 'The mosques were closed, the countless manuscripts that contained the results of ages of. Moorish learning were burnt by the ruthless. Cardinal, and the unhappy “infidels" were threatened and beaten into the Gospel of Peace and 589