Andalusia in Spain Becomes a New Home for Muslims Feeling Marginalised in Europe

Andalusia, a southern region of Spain, is rich in memories of Muslim rule and culture during the Middle Ages. Centuries later, the lasting influence of Muslim civilisation can still be seen in its landscapes, architecture and people. Recently, many Muslim families from different parts of Europe have been settling in this historic region, seeking a new sense of identity and peace of mind away from the continent’s growing political divisions.

A lengthy report by Al Jazeera has highlighted the lives and struggles of people who have settled in Álora, a mountainous area in southern Spain. Henrietta Szovaty, a Muslim woman of British-Hungarian origin, and her husband, therapist and imam Ajmal Masroor, have spent the past two years developing a project called ‘House of Andalus’ in the region. They have transformed an old farmhouse on 14 hectares of land into a residential retreat that brings together Andalusia’s rich Islamic heritage and its natural surroundings.

According to the report, Muslims in mainstream European countries, particularly the United Kingdom, often find their identities caught up in political debates and negative media coverage. Ms. Henrietta also considers Hungary’s current political climate unfavourable to migrants and Muslims. However, she has experienced a different kind of warmth and acceptance in Andalusia. Her relationships with local Spanish neighbours have developed not only on the basis of her Muslim identity but also as a fellow resident of the community.

Migrants say that Andalusia’s rural lifestyle, the outlook of its people and its historic architecture make it easier for Muslims to settle there. However, southern Spain is not entirely free from the political divisions and anti-immigration attitudes associated with far-right parties elsewhere in Europe. Despite these challenges, the newcomers place greater importance on everyday life and friendly relations with local residents than on political differences.

Historians and travellers say that although the former Islamic state of Al-Andalus eventually fell, its legacy remains visible in Spain’s language, irrigation systems, agriculture and culture. Today, many Muslim families are settling permanently in southern Spain in an effort to reconnect with their roots and rediscover their historical ties to this lost civilisation.