HistoryExtra Podcast

Episode: Europe’s Muslim History

Host: Danny Bird
Guest: Tariq Hussain (award-winning author, historian, and travel writer)
Release Date: March 31, 2026

Episode Overview

In this compelling episode, Danny Bird speaks with historian Tariq Hussain about the deep, complex, and often overlooked legacy of Islam in Europe. The conversation centers on Tariq’s new book, Muslim: A Journey in Search of a 1400-Year History, which uncovers how Islam has helped shape the continent from the arrival of the first Muslims in the 7th century through to the present day. The discussion challenges persistent narratives that frame Muslims solely as invaders and outsiders, emphasizing instead centuries of coexistence, cultural richness, and enduring contributions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. A Transformative Encounter in Cyprus (02:35)

• Tariq recounts a pivotal visit to Hala Sultan Mosque in Cyprus, which originally left him unmoved due to his lack of knowledge about Islamic history in Europe.
  • “There was nothing here for me as a Muslim. There was no European history.” (02:50)
  • Only years later did he realize, via a booklet, that the site possibly held the tomb of a relative of Prophet Muhammad—a revelation that “threw everything out of the window” for his understanding of Islam’s past in Europe. (05:00)

2. Why Europe’s Muslim History is Obscured (05:58)

• Historical erasure stems from longstanding narratives forged during Europe’s formation against a backdrop of conflict with the Islamic world. Key drivers include:

  • The “winners write history” effect post-Reconquista and Crusades, creating an “anti-Muslim DNA” in collective memory.
  • National myths, e.g., stories of Christian heroes (Matamoros, the 100 Virgins) that reinforce exclusion.
  • Systematic neglect by historians and archaeologists and ongoing misappropriation or romanticization of Islamic sites like the Alhambra.
  • The persistent “othering” of indigenous European Muslims, especially in the Balkans, often labeled as “Eastern Europe” as a way of distancing them from the core European identity.
  • Importance of consulting Muslim and Jewish sources for a fuller, alternative historical narrative.

  “We are faced with the Reconquest narrative… all of these contribute to this what I’ve termed an anti-Muslim DNA.” (07:00)

3. The Myth of the Muslim ‘Invasion’ (12:00)

• Common textbooks frame Muslims as invaders who ‘came and went,’ ignoring centuries-long communities.
  • The Islamic presence spanned 800 years in Spain, 500 in Portugal, and 200+ in Sicily.
  • Muslims became as Spanish or Portuguese as the modern inhabitants, yet the label "invader" persists.
  • Local Jewish communities often aided initial Muslim arrivals, sometimes even inviting them as liberators from oppression under Visigothic Christian rulers.

  “It’s a very, very strange way to speak about an 800-year presence… Would we refer to America as an invasion by Europeans now?” (12:36)

  • Muslim rule led to Jewish cultural flourishing—a “golden age”—further complicating the conquest vs. liberation narrative.

4. Early Muslim Saints and Holy Sites in Europe (17:14)

• The burial of Prophet Muhammad’s relatives and companions across Cyprus and Sicily signifies Islam’s very early arrival and sacred status in Europe.
  • These sites became places of pilgrimage (“ziyarah”), highlighting claims for Islam’s deep roots.
  • Muslim naval innovation begins here; the strategic conquest of Cyprus and the Mediterranean was key for further expansion.

  “That presence… happens within 15 years or so of the Prophet passing on. That’s quicker than Christianity arrived.” (18:20)

5. The Cordoban Caliphate Culture—A European Golden Age (24:16)

• Cordoba was an epicenter of cultural and scientific brilliance, connecting Europe with the wider Muslim world.
  • Preserved and advanced ancient Hellenic works; origins of the Renaissance run through this period.
  • Contributions included: medical advances (e.g., al-Zahrawi’s surgical texts), philosophy (Ibn Rushd/Averroes), and innovations in cuisine, music, and etiquette (notably by Ziryab).
  • The outward impact on Europe: science, medicine, stylings, and education.
  • Quote from Victor Robinson:

    “Europe was darkened at sunset. Cordova shone with public lamps. Europe was dirty. Cordova built a thousand baths... Cordova’s children went to school.... Cordova’s teachers created a library of Alexandrian dimensions.” (29:20)

6. The Roots of Anti-Islamic Sentiment (30:02)

• The erasure of Muslim history accelerated with the Crusades and the rise of Christian nation-building.
  • Myths like Santiago Matamoros (“St. James the Moor-Slayer”) and the “tribute of 100 virgins” perpetuated anti-Muslim imagery.
  • These legends embedded themselves in visual culture, festivals, and identity-formation, making Muslim presence seem alien and hostile.

  “Up until very, very recently, almost every church in Spain had a statue of Matamoros... depicted... slaying Muslims.” (32:20)

7. Restoring Muslim Stories to Europe’s Narrative (33:21)

• Figures that should be central:
  • Abd al-Rahman I & III: Founders and renewers of the Umayyad emirate and caliphate in Spain, exemplifying cultural blending.
  • Abd al-Rahman III: Looked ‘as Western European as anybody’—a reminder of centuries of intermingling. He also built Madina az-Zahra (“the Versailles of Muslim Spain”).
  • Ziryab: Innovator in music, food, and etiquette; shaped Western cultural practices.

8. Rediscovering a Shared Heritage—Is There Hope? (36:59)

• Tariq expresses cautious optimism:
  • “I’m tentatively hopeful… people are willing to revisit histories and that’s a good start.”
  • Points to the challenge: centuries of narrative erasure, public discomfort, and the bravery needed to foreground these stories.
  • Notes the irony in the label “Judeo-Christian,” given how much safer Jews often were under Muslim rule than under Christian Europe.

  “Europe is as Muslim as it might be Christian or Jewish. This makes people very, very uncomfortable.” (38:05)

Memorable Quotes

• On ignorance of Islamic European history:

  “There I was thinking there is no real Islamic history in Europe. And suddenly I’m presented with the reality that ... relatives of the Prophet himself came to Europe.” — Tariq Hussain (05:00)

• On the impact of anti-Muslim narratives:

  “It really does sadden you… because the history books that I loved had never told me about this...they never told me about the significance of Cyprus.” — Tariq Hussain (09:45)

• On Cordoba’s legacy:

  “It’s about what it does to the rest of Europe and how it offers the seeds of the Renaissance...you can see the line going straight back to this period.” — Tariq Hussain (28:50)

• On Matamoros as propaganda:

  “It was part of the visual culture, it was the propaganda of the day, it was the way people in that part of the world identified as being Spanish.” — Tariq Hussain (32:57)

Timestamps of Key Segments

| Section | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------------------|------------| | Hala Sultan Mosque Experience | 02:35–05:58| | Why Muslim History is Hidden | 05:58–11:40| | The ‘Invasion’ Narrative | 12:00–16:29| | Early Muslim Saints in Europe | 17:14–24:10| | Cordoban Caliphate Culture | 24:16–30:02| | Erasure and Anti-Islamic Sentiment | 30:02–33:14| | Key Figures for Textbooks | 33:14–36:59| | Reclaiming Shared Heritage & Modern Implications | 36:59–40:16|

Conclusion

This episode powerfully dismantles the myth that Islam is a recent or foreign presence in Europe. Through personal anecdotes, historical analysis, and fresh perspectives, Tariq Hussain and Danny Bird illuminate a story of longstanding coexistence, intellectual exchange, and mutual influence—making a persuasive case for a more inclusive, honest reckoning with European history.