page_title: Islam in Spain
hierarchical_section_title: Islam in Spain
caption_attribution_description: English: Averroes statue, in Córdoba (Spain). Español: Estatua de Averroes, en Córdoba (España).
context_page_description: Islam was a widespread religion on the Iberian Peninsula, beginning with the Umayyad conquest of Hispania and ending with its prohibition by the modern Spanish state in the mid-16th century and the expulsion of the Moriscos in the early 17th century, an ethnic and religious minority of around 500,000 people. Although a significant proportion of Moriscos returned to Spain or avoided expulsion through various means, the practice of Islam had faded into obscurity by the 19th century.
  Nevertheless, throughout modern history there has always been a constant presence of Muslims in Spain, many of whom were former slaves freed in the early 18th century. Furthermore, Spain's proximity to North Africa and its small land border with the Kingdom of Morocco made the Muslim presence in Spain possible. Moroccan Muslims played a significant role during Spain's Civil War, fighting on the Nationalist side, including a Lieutenant General named Mohamed Meziane, a close friend of General Francisco Franco, who later became Captain General of Ceuta, Galicia and governor of the Canary Islands during his post-war career.
  Moroccans were not required to have a visa in order to enter Spain until 1985.
context_section_description: Islam was a widespread religion on the Iberian Peninsula, beginning with the Umayyad conquest of Hispania and ending (at least overtly) with its prohibition by the modern Spanish state in the mid-16th century and the expulsion of the Moriscos in the early 17th century, an ethnic and religious minority of around 500,000 people. Although a significant proportion of Moriscos returned to Spain or avoided expulsion through various means, the practice of Islam had faded into obscurity by the 19th century.
  Nevertheless, throughout modern history there has always been a constant presence of Muslims in Spain, many of whom were former slaves (known as 'moros cortados') freed in the early 18th century. Furthermore, Spain's proximity to North Africa and its small land border with the Kingdom of Morocco (as well as Spanish colonial rule in North Africa which lasted from 1912 to 1975) made the Muslim presence in Spain possible. Moroccan Muslims played a significant role during Spain's Civil War (1936–1939), fighting on the Nationalist side, including a Lieutenant General named Mohamed Meziane, a close friend of General Francisco Franco, who later became Captain General of Ceuta, Galicia and governor of the Canary Islands during his post-war career.
  Moroccans were not required to have a visa in order to enter Spain until 1985. This however changed with Spain's growing economic development and its entry into the European Union, after which stricter immigration controls were imposed. Immigration to Spain exploded in the 1990s, with Moroccans of both sexes arriving in large numbers and becoming Spain's first important economic immigrant community. In the 2000s, migrants started arriving in some numbers from other Muslim-majority countries (as well as from Latin America and Eastern Europe). Nowadays the Muslim population in Spain, which represents the 4.45% of the total Spanish population, is composed of 42% Spanish citizens (most of them with foreign family origins) and 38,8% Moroccans(see chapter 2).
caption: Statue of Averroes, an Islamic philosopher from Al-Andalus whose commentaries on Aristotle were a powerful influence on Scholasticism and Saint Thomas Aquinas[1]
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