Islamset - Sicily

Sicily

Sicily is the second meeting point between east and west and between Islamic and European civilizations, due to its geographical position between mainland Italy and the Tunisian coast. It acted as a link between Africa and Europe, both politically and culturally.

This important centre of civilization was conquered during the rule of the learned Abbasid Caliph, Abdulla Al Ma'moun by the army commander Asad Ibn al Furat Ibn Sinan, judge of Kairouan. Prince Ziada Al-Aghlabi, the governor of Africa, entrusted him with the campaign against Sicily.

This campaign left the Tunisian port of Sousse in a fleet of 100 vessels in 212 A.H./827 A.D. It reached the west coast of Sicily and captured the city of Mazara and other points in the south opposite the Tunisian coast. Asad then turned to the eastern side of the Island where he engaged in fierce fighting with the Byzantines until they were defeated, but only after he was martyred by the walls of Syracuse (213 H./828 A.D.).

The Aghlabids continued their efforts to conquer the whole of Sicily; this task took 80 years (293 A.H./903 A.D.) compared to the three years for the conquest of Andalusia. In Spain the Muslims had confronted a weak and disintegrated army; in Sicily they were fighting the Byzantine empire. When the Fatimids overcame the Aghlabids in the Maghreb in 297 A.H./909 A.D. they took over their fleet and lands. So, Sicily was ruled by rulers appointed by Fatimid caliphs in Mahdia or in Cairo. This control was nominal especially during the Kalbid dynasty (948-1052 A.D.) who enjoyed independence in their rule of the island.

During the Aghlabid and Fatimid reigns, Sicily prospered, with Muslims arriving in large numbers, spreading Islamic civilization to its various cities. Travellers and geographers praised the mosques, palaces, bath houses, hospitals, markets, walls, citadels and anchorages, etc. In addition to the various new industries like paper, silk, ship building and mosaic industries, they also extracted various minerals such as sulphur, oil, ammonia, lead and iron. They contributed to agriculture and trade and spread the Arabic language and culture among all classes.

Tranquility and stability in Sicily did not last long. After the collapse of the Kalbid State (1052 A.D.) internal conflicts laid it open to conquest, from north or south.

The Al-Zayrids, Amirs of Tunis, failed to achieve that from the south; but the Normans, rulers of southern Italy, managed to capture Sicily from the north under Count Roger I, ruler of Calabria, who exploited the internal strife among Muslims in Sicily and by supporting Amir Al-Qadir Bi Allah Ibn Al Thamna, ruler of Trapani against his rival Ali Ibn Al Hawwas, ruler of Catania. After nine years of war, Roger managed to gain control of the whole island (485 A.H./1092 A.D.). Because of these unstable political conditions in Sicily, a large number of its scholars and writers left and settled elsewhere. One example is the Sicilian Poet Abu Mohammad Abdul Jabbar Ibn Hamdis (d. 027 A.H./1133 A.D.) who left for the court of King Al Mu'atamid Ibn Abbad in Seville.

We may also mention the jurist and grammarian Abu Al Qassim Ali Ibn Ja'afar also known as Ibn al Qatta'a, who left for Egypt under the Fatimids. The minister Al Afdhal Ibn Badr Al Jamali took him as a tutor for his children. Ibn Al Qatta'a wrote numerous books on language, grammar, prosody and the history of Sicily. The Granadan Minister Ibn Al Khatib says that some immigrants from Sicily to the Maghreb changed their names.

Though King Roger I (1093-1101 A.D.) put an end to Islamic rule in Sicily, he did not harm its Muslim people; on the contrary , he provided them with protection, and recognized their religion and legislation and allowed them their own judges, if they chose. He also allowed them to celebrate their religious occasions in public. In addition, he abstained from participation in the crusades in spite of the Pope's pressure. This shows that Sicily during his rule was a half-lslamic kingdom in religion and in its administrative and military system.

Roger II (1101-1154 A.D.) succeeded his father and followed his tradition in protecting Muslims through his influence and laws; some Muslims wrongly believed that he was a secret Muslim. An example of the King's tolerance and his love of justice and equality is that he inscribed all Sicilian coins in Arabic, Latin and Greek, the languages used by his citizens. He is also reported to have imitated the Muslims rulers in their loose clothes and the Roman Caesars and the European emperors in a clear indication of his lack of bias. His court in Palermo contained a large number of Muslim poets and scientists including the major Maghrebi geographer Abu Abdulla Mohammad Al Sabti better known as Al Sharif (the noble) Al Idrisi being a descendant of the Idrisi Kings of Maghreb and grandsons of the Prophet Mohammad through Al Hassan Ibn Ali Ibn Abi Talib. Al Idrisi (493-548 A.H./11 00-1154 A.D.) was fond of travelling to acquaint himself with the conditions in various countries and the customs of their people. When he visited his relatives in Sicily Roger II invited him to his court and was very hospitable to him. He asked him to draw a map of the earth. Al Idrisi responded by drawing a map of the world then known, on a planisphere 3 metres long and 1.5 metres wide. He also wrote a book for him entitled 'Nuzhat Al Mushtaq Fi Ikhtiraq al AFaq', also known as Roger's book, to describe ' this map.

Scientists and orientalists were so interested in this book that they translated and published chapters into various languages. It is sufficient to refer to the new edition of this book prepared by Italian orientalists in seven volumes.

From the above, one can see that Roger II was, according to the Italian scientist Michael Amari, an Arab Sultan wearing a European crown. His religious tolerance led to the mingling of the Arab, Greek and Latin cultures thus transforming Sicily into one of the main bridges for the transfer of Islamic civilization to Europe which in turn influenced the emergence of the renaissance at the end of the middle ages.

Roger II was succeeded by his son William I ( 1154-1166 A. D .) who followed the example of his father and grandfather in protecting Muslims and encouraging Arab-lslamic studies. His slogan was the same as his father's: "Praise be to Allah and our gratitude for His blessings."

His son William II (1166-1189 A.D.) followed who, despite his participation in the crusades through his unsuccessful campaign against Alexandria in 569 H./1172 A.D., imitated the Muslim kings, mastered the Arabic language both reading and writing, and selected his ministers from his Muslim nationals, giving them religious freedom. His slogan was "True Praise be to Allah". Internal conflicts over the throne followed William's death as he left no children. They were eventually settled by the ascension of Frederick II son of Henry VI, the emperor of Germany, and Constanza, daughter of Roger II. Thus, Frederik II became emperor over Germany and over the Kingdom of the two Sicilies (Naples and Sicily). As such, rule in Sicily was transferred from the Norman royal family to the Hohen-Stufen German dynasty .