https://www.ojalasupieras.org/

In the shadows of colonial archives, a forgotten faith whispers across centuries. Ojalá Supieras (I Wish You Knew) unearths the silenced history of Islam in colonial Mexico. It is a story of forbidden belief, suppressed identity, and survival through secrecy.

UCLA Library presents a screening of Ojalá Supieras (I Wish You Knew, United States, 2025), a documentary film which excavates the long-suppressed history of Islam in colonial Mexico. Drawing on unpublished manuscripts and inquisitorial records, director Dr. Mariam Saada reconstructs the lives of those persecuted for crypto-Islamic practice under colonial rule—restoring to view communities whose stories were deliberately buried.

The Last Muslims in Andalus

The Muslims remained in Spain for more than 300 years after the fall of Grenada well into the 1700s.

The Hornacheros were one group of Spanish Muslims: they spoke Arabic, carried arms, and practiced Islam relatively freely.

A fascinating interview of Ust Amine by Dr Shadee:

https://www.youtube.com/live/oYa8qeinJns?si=Y0o4WZtGW5B5_9tu

Interestingly I have watched/heard many reports that Islam survived into the 20th century Spain in the form of grandparents on their deathbed teaching their grandchildren to say the shahadah without knowing what it was. This is eerily similar to the Prophetic tradition:

"And there will be some people left, old men and old women, who will say: “We saw our fathers saying these words: ‘La ilaha illallah’ so we say them too.”"

Toledo: A City of Wonders

The top historan of al-Andalus, Imam Ahmad al-Maqqari said:

"One of the greatest places of al-Andalus was Toledo. A Byzantine emperor referred to it as “Buzilita,” meaning “you are joyful,” which the Arabs turned into “Tulaytula.”

Toledo was also called “the city of kings,” because it is said that seventy-two kings ruled it at different times. It is also reported that Solomon son of David, Jesus son of Mary, and Dhul-Qarnayn entered it. In it, Tariq ibn Ziyad found the table of Solomon, which was among the treasures of the Roman king Ishban.

This table was valued during the reign of al-Walid ibn ʿAbd al-Malik at one hundred thousand dinars. It is said to have been made of green emerald, and some say it is now in Rome—Allah knows best about all of this (being true).

Tariq also found in Toledo great treasures, including 170 crowns made of pearls, rubies, and precious stones, and a vast hall filled with vessels of gold and silver. It was so large that it was said that horses could move within it with their riders on lances due to its vastness. It is also said that the tableware was made of gold and that its dishes were of jade and onyx. Along with other things that the mind can hardly believe."

New pickups!

1) The Moors: The Islamic West, 7th–15th Centuries by David Nicolle

Brief but detailed look into the military of al-Andalus covering the how the armies and armor looked like.

2) Granada 1492: The Twilight of Moorish Spain by David Nicolle

Same as the first and same author. The book sheds light on the background of how al-Andlaus fell it its final years.

3) The Moor’s Last Stand: How Seven Centuries of Muslim Rule in Spain Came to an End by Elizabeth Drayson

I have been wanting to get my hands on this book for years. I finally got it! The book speaks about the final days of al-Andalus. A must have for researchers.

4) The Almoravid and Almohad Empires by Amira K. Bennison

An more academic study of two major Berber empires that shaped both al-Andalus and Morocco. The book explores politics, scholarship, urban life, and the rise of the city of Marrakesh as a major center of power and learning.

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