Islamic Spain: history's refrain - Yahoo! News

Islamic Spain: history's refrain - Yahoo! News

Amongst all the news of religious fundamentalism arising today, here is a nice piece of history. Showing that a religiously tolerant Islamic Spain, brought many achievements to Europe.

At its peak, it lit the Dark Ages with science and philosophy, poetry, art, and architecture. It was the period remembered as a golden age for European Jews. Breakthroughs in medicine, the introduction of the number zero, the lost philosophy of Aristotle, even the prototype for the guitar all came to Europe through Islamic Spain.

And an intolerant inquisition lead the downfall of Spain.

Ultimately, Christian kingdoms gained the upper hand as the Muslim kingdoms of Islamic Spain fell. Spain's Muslims and Jews were forced to either leave or convert. This led to the rise of the Inquisition, whose purpose was to verify the loyalty of suspect converts. The expulsions and inquisitions racked Spain economically, culturally, and morally. Its power was severely compromised. The fall of pluralism in Spain was the fall of Spain itself.

I have always believed that even if we are inherently selfish, but intelligent enough to realize that no man is an island, the world will be a better place. I want to have a prosperous and peaceful life. And to ensure this, I want to make sure that the people that surround me are well taken care of. I want the people whom I work with to be prosperous so that they will continue to work with me. And I want to be able to interact and support as many people as I can. And thus I would prefer that as many people as possible are tolerant to differences in race, religion, social status and sexual orientation. We have to treat people well to ensure our own well being. And for me, treating the people around me well is more than physical security, it brings me satisfaction to see happy contented people around me. And being surrounded by good vibrations is my heaven on earth. I do not have to wait for the after life for my rewards.

Separation by race, religion or political beliefs, leads to friction, energy spent not on development but enforcement of a precarious peace. We need to integrate not segregate.