This year, Alqueria de Rosales’ annual Al-Ghazali Retreat will be held once more during the  holy month of Ramadan. Join them  August 2nd -9th to learn about  Imam Al-Ghazali, one of the greatest Muslim scholars. An authority in matters of law, theology, mysticism and ethics, his works span nearly 200 books. Alqueira de Rosales’ remote setting in the Southern Spain offers students a peaceful and  calm environment where they can relax and recharge.

About  Guest Lecturers:

Dr. Timothy Winter: also known as Sheikh Abdal Hakim Murad, graduated from Cambridge University with a double-first in Arabic in 1983. He  lived in Cairo for 3 years, studying Islam under traditional scholars at Al-Azhar University. He later  resided in Jeddah, KSA for another 3 years, where he managed a commercial translation office and maintained close contact with Habib Ahmad Mashhur al-Haddad and other scholars. In 1989, Dr. Winter  returned to England, spent 2 years at the University of London learning Turkish and Farsi. Since 1992 he has been a doctoral student at Oxford University, specializing in the religious life of the early Ottoman Empire. Sheikh Abdal Hakim is the translator of a number of works, including two volumes from Imam al-Ghazali’s Ihya Ulum al-Din. He currently holds office in the University of Cambridge’s Faculty of Divinity.

Dr. Umar Abd-Allah: is an American Muslim, born in 1948 to a Protestant family in Columbus, Nebraska. He grew up in Athens, Georgia, where both parents taught at the University of Georgia. During his years abroad, Dr. Abd-Allah had the privilege of studying with a number of traditional Islamic scholars. He returned to Chicago in August 2000 to work as chair and scholar-in-residence of the newly founded Nawawi Foundation, a non-profit educational foundation. In conjunction with this position, he is now teaching and lecturing in and around the United States, Gambia, Canada and Europe.  He continues researching and publishing in Islamic studies and related fields. In 2006 he published A Muslim in Victorian America: The Story of Alexander Russell Webb (Oxford University Press),  a biography of  one of the most significant early American converts to Islam.

Fee Costs Include

Course fees and materials

Two shuttle pickups from Alicante August 2nd.

Make Your Reservation

Application: Click here. Send all application to mail@alqaria.org

This year, Alqueria de Rosales will be offering baby sitting services for student families. For more information, click here.

For more information, contact Alqueria de Rosales at mail@alqaria.org

The geometrically oriented style famously characterized as Islamic art is one that has been celebrated and practiced for centuries. Because Islam forbids representational art in religious contexts, such as the depiction of Allah or his prophets, Muslim artists harnessed their strengths in the maths and sciences: wiith the help of a compass, rule, and basic knowledge of geometrical and artistic techniques, Islamic art succeeded in creating transcendent patterns of beauty and spirituality. Many scholars believe these patterns to be permeated with metaphysical and cosmological significance.

Islam was a religion founded by nomadic, desert-dwelling people. In an effort to keep traveling light, art had to be easily mobile and preferably functional. Thus, the ornamental and geometric tessellations were often times depicted on tents, textiles, pottery, etc. As the Islamic pattern expanded into other media, its disciplined and math-oriented techniques made the transition a smooth one. The once smaller patterns could be easily expanded to greater dimensions without compromise.What is fascinating about the geometric, Islamic pattern is its paradoxical nature. By following the presumably inflexible and constricting laws of mathematics, we can connect to a beauty and truth that transcends all logic and explanation.

To learn more about this captivating art form, Al-Andalus Experience is proud to present its second annual workshop in The Art of Islamic Pattern. The four-day workshop starts May 24th and is taught by Adam Williamson, renowned sculptor and calligrapher, and Richard Henry, artist and expert in the subject of sacred and Islamic patterns. Our workshop will be held in Mesquita de Granada, in Albaycin. It includes a tour of the Alhambra’s Nazrid Palaces, to study the Islamic patterns there, and an Alfresco class held in Alhambra gardens. This is coupled with lessons in geometry and biomorphic design, plus guided tours and lectures with local specialists. We hope to see you there!

This November, we set out on our popular 7 Night Tour: The Heart of Al-Andalus with a group from Kuwait. Bellow are a few snapshots we collected along the way !

In Cordoba’s Ummayad Mosque, we were fortunate to get a group shot in front of the beautiful mihrab

In Plaza de  España, group member chats and poses with two souvenir merchants.

Below you will find a presentation containing more pictures of this tour,

To learn more about our tours and offers, click here for more information.

(The presentation may take a few seconds to load)

Never will the shadow of Forgetfulness be possible
Over this jewel embroided between cypress trees,
Not until the Angel of Death reaches me with his invasion,
like the night bringing snow reached the Alhambra.

-Fernando Barrejón (AbdelNur), “El Suspiro del Moro”

We study history to discover clues about our modern world, how best to live in it and avoid falling into the same mistakes and patterns. In the 9th century, Al-Andalus served as the stepping stone for Europe’s first monarchic democracy. The mystery surrounding Islam’s introduction to Spain is one echoed  in the investigative theories of reputable  historians such as Ignacio Olagüe, Emilio Gonzalez Ferrín, and others. Their research of the Iberian Peninsula, before and after Al-Andalus, maintains that much of the area’s “history” had been either hidden or re-written in the wake of the Spanish Inquisition.

Since the legendary entry of Tariq Ibn Sayeed, in 711 E.C., traces of Arab origin had integrated into the peninsular population. In 750 E.C., these Arabian traces would be reinforced by the arrival of Abdul Rahamna IbQuraish, the last member of the Syrian Ummayad Dynasty to Spain and the first ruler to unite the peninsula under Muslim rule. By 900-950 E.C., Islam spread throughout the Iberian Peninsula. In about 250 years, over 75% of the population converted to the faith. Under the Ummayad Dynasty of Al-Andalus (750-1029 E.C.), the growing Muslim population would peacefully co-exist with the area’s Jewish and Christian faiths,  becoming a leading exemplar of a true civilization and monarchic democracy.

These discoveries and facts of Andalusian history are far from wide spread. The lack of consensus and transparency  concerning the historic roots of Al-Andalus continues to inspire the local, Muslim youth to investigate and share the area’s rich and mysterious history. Thus,  in 2008, the  Al-Andalus Experience was founded in the hopes of celebrating, sharing, and reviving the history and traditions of Al-Andalus.

We, at Al-Andalus Experience, believe in sharing a history of Al-Andalus that celebrated a tradition of tolerance and commonality. With our educational tours and activities, we  help promote, support, and diversify the local Andalusian community. Community partnership and networking is at the heart of the Al-Andalus Experience project. Current partners include Circulo Nazarí de Granada, Mezquita Mayor de Granada,  and the Alquería de Rosales Campus. Ahead of us are great projects, tours, and workshops. Keep an eye out  for the ‘Andalusi Culture Festival’ coming in Granada; an opportunity to enjoy traditional music concerts, chants, conferences, workshops, expositions, craft markets and more tour excursions. And, of course, please spread the work to friends and family!

Peace,

Al-Andalus Experience

This coming season, we offer a course in  Islamic Arts & Calligraphy. The course comes in two formats:

Ongoing Course: These take place weekly on Mondays and Thursdays,  in double, two hour sessions. Time and location or determined per event.

Intensive Course: This option is best suited for visiting guests. It spans four to five days and include a trip to the Alhambra Palace & Gardens, with an optional trip to Cordoba. Registration for the intensive option is once every two months.

The calligraphy portion of the course is taught by calligrapher and archaeologist,  Dr. Ihab Al-Oumaoui. The Islamic Arts is conducted every four months by our friend,   Adam Williamson, from London, and by our  Andalusian, local  crafts team.

For more information, please contact us!  A big thanks to our online platform, GroupSpaces,  which allows us to schedule our tours & events online, for the world to see and sign up!

(Our Tour & Events Agenda might take a few seconds to load below)

Please, click on the image to flip through our catalogue (published on issu.com). See what Andalusia has to offer!

Click the image to open the booklet.

We present an exclusive insight into the history of Al-Andalus. In fact, the greatest motivation in our work is to research and promote an unbiased historical view. We intend to continue our work on this section until we have a well balanced equation and illustration of the History of Al-Andalus, however many pages and contrasting views that takes!

Simply click the booklet image and you will be able to read it comfortably in full screen mode.

Please feel free to contribute by writing to us to: history@alandalus-experience.com.

A HISTORICAL REVISION THROUGHOUT
THE PERIOD OF AL-ANDALUS

Please check our ‘Holiday Homes’ section for short term rent towards your holiday. Properties for short term holiday rents are an economic way to enjoy the historical cities, mountains or seaside areas of Andalusia at an easy pace and good standards. We can assist you with further activities such as nature tracking or horse riding excursions throughout the year and skiing excursions in the winter.