Most of the male characters in the novel are found indulged in immoral acts instead of something noble or intellectually productive. She is in love with Al-Zindiq and has a sexual intercourse with him out of wedlock. When his father comes to know about their illicit act, he punishes Zehra and decides to kill Al Zindiq. She becomes indifferent to her grace and dignity and commodifies herself and becomes worst than a whore in a brothel house.
Such madness does not suit an educated and intellectual lady of a Muslim aristocratic family. Another female character Hind, the daughter of Umar bin Abdullah, is also a debauched woman who loves Ibn Daud. After her first meeting with him, she feels strong sexual urge for him. In order to remove her doubts she, a night before their wedding, makes love with him. The center of the conversation between the most powerful and intellectual ladies Hind and Zahra in the novel is their sensuality and immoral incidents of their family ibid, p.
Only Hind, who is depicted as a lady possessing great capacity for thought and knowledge, utters few words but to humiliate her great uncle Miguel unnecessarily ibid, p. Instead of idealizing the Muslims, the novel criticizes them.
The Muslim characters are civilized and intellectual only in name. The careful study of novel, however, reveals that the novel itself deconstructs its own ideological project. The novel asserts that along with Jews and Christians, Muslims generated the most vibrant and flourishing civilization that was remarkable for its values of tolerance and coexistence. Jews have been tormented elsewhere, but never here.
Wajid al-Zindiq, a poet and an unorthodox believer who believes in the right of reason against the religious dogmatism, also faces such unendurable behavior in the tolerant Muslim society. His presence, like that of Ibn Hazm, displeases the Muslims in the mosque ibid, p. The novel mourns over the destruction of the greatest asset of Muslims i. But the keen study of novel also suggests that not only Christians but Muslims too committed the same sin, though at a smaller scale. As Ximens sets on fire the books of the Muslims whom he considers infidels, the Muslims also destroy all the books of Ibn Hazm who, according to them was a heretic and whose beliefs did not concur with their orthodox beliefs.
Hence, it becomes evident that there is no difference between the acts of the barbarous Christians and the highly civilized Muslims. However, the main ideology of the novel asserts the fundamentalism of the extremely conservative Christians and the unorthodox thinking of the Muslims but the evidences in the novel deconstruct this ideology because the free thinking of the Muslims is confined within certain boundaries. The teachings of the Muslim scholars, who are truly free thinkers like Ibn Hazm, Al-Mari, Ibn Rushd and their follower Wajid al-Zindiq, are rejected by the mainstream Muslim society because they come in conflict with its orthodox beliefs.
They subjugated Christians and Jews after conquering their lands. In the novel, two Muslim brothers after committing sacrilegious act in the Church hide at their home and refuse to surrender before authorities. These brothers are well protected by the angry Muslim mob that kills a Royal Ballif and takes other soldiers in hostage. On this rebellious act, the Captain General of Garnata puts the village under siege with harsh conditions before Muslims subjects. He declares that those who convert can keep their lands and properties, can speak their language and wear their dress.
The taxes on the believers are doubled henceforth. Moreover, he would take hostages: One son each from the leading two-hundred families in Gharnata ibid, p. This practice of subjugation, according to him, is not exercised by the Christians only, Muslim conquerors when they captured the Christian cities had also done the same thing, in fact, Christians have learnt this custom from Muslims.
It implies that Christians have done nothing else but what Muslims have done with their enemies: Christians have only followed the steps of Muslims. It is Muslims who mediated the destruction of their political powers and their cultural heritage as well. The novel condemns the cruelty of Christians towards Muslims; the cruelty actually is their zeal and vigor to recapture their lost holy lands. To Christians, Muslims are those who once captured their holy lands and kept them down under their hegemonic rule.
Hence, when they saw Muslims in feeble position they took a clever decision to recapture their lost lands. The cruelty of Christians is actually their activeness and ability to take right decision on right time. If all the Muslims had only valued their lives, possessions and wealth they would not have delayed their conversion into Christianity, nor they would have endured the hardships of Inquisition and nor their possessions would have been confiscated by the Christian powers.
It implies that there is something which restricts them from converting into Christianity and that is indeed their concern for their faith and religion. They consider their religion right and true therefore they resist converting into Christianity. Umer, the head of Banu Hudyal family, is not solely driven by material interests. His religion does matter for him. Therefore, such conversion for him has no meaning. If you had converted genuinely I would have argued and felt sad but there would have been no anger.
Zuhyar is also not ready to abandon his religion in order to keep himself alive and to keep enjoying the material and physical luxuries. In the end, fearless show of valor in resisting the brutality of the Christian powers till the martyrdom of Umer, Yazid, women and all the villagers clearly shows their concern for their religion.
Ximenes who represents the Christian powers in the novel is a religious fanatic. He is a true follower of his religion. There is no disparity between his words and his actions. He is not mercenary. He is critical of the shame practices of Church. He sincerely believes in the cause, message and doctrine of Christianity. Muslims according to Christianity are heathens, heretics and blasphemous and it is the first duty of the followers of Lord Jesus to bring them to the path of salvation.
His attitude towards the Muslims is not biased one because he is equally harsh towards the Christian heretics who like Muslims do not confirm the teachings of Lord Jesus ibid, p. Howsoever wrong in his assertion, he sincerely believes that by converting Muslims into Christianity and eradicating everything related to Islam, he is doing great service to his religion.
Another character, Don Inigo, the Caption General of Gharnata who represents the Christian power, is also not a materialistic person. To him converting Muslims into Christianity is a sacred duty and there were no materialistic concerns behind it. He is very reasonable in his assertions and behavior towards Muslims. He was both frightened and fascinated by her.
In time, she became his confessor, someone to whom he would entrust all his worries, but only when he was sure that they were alone. Once he had finished packing the chess-set he looked again at the old woman and sighed. Why did Ama talk so much to herself these days? Was she really going mad? Hind was cross only because Ama was always going on about it being time for their parents to find her a husband. Ama had never called Yazid by his own name.
For was it not a fact that Yazid was the name of the Caliph who had defeated and killed the grandsons of the Prophet near Kerbala? This Yazid had instructed his soldiers to stable their horses in the mosque where the Prophet himself had offered prayers in Medina.
This Yazid had treated the Companions of the Prophet with contempt. She could not tell the boy all this, but it was reason enough for her always to refer to him as Ibn Umar, the son of his father. I heard you talk. I can tell you what you said. Should I repeat your words?
At least they will be here when we are all gone. You will go to the seventh heaven, my pure little slice of the moon. No, not her. I dread that something evil will overtake that child. I fear that she will be exposed to wild passions and shame will fall on the head of your father, may God protect him. Yazid had begun to giggle at the thought of Hind not even getting through the first heaven, and his laughter was so infectious that Ama began to cackle as well, revealing the total complement of her eight remaining teeth.
Of all his brothers and sisters, Yazid loved Hind the most. The others still treated him like a baby, seemed constantly amazed that he could think and speak for himself, picked him up and kissed him as though he were a pet. He knew he was their favourite, but he hated it when they never answered his questions. That was the reason he regarded them all with contempt. All that is except Hind, who was six years older than him, but treated him as her equal.
They argued and they fought a great deal, but they adored each other. He too had been upset on hearing that Miguel wanted them all to come to Qurtuba, where he was the Bishop, so that he could personally convert them to Catholicism.
It was Miguel who, three days ago, had dragged all of them, including Hind, to Gharnata. Yazid turned to the old woman again. Ama was startled by the question. His almond-coloured eyes were flashing with anger. He reminded her of his great-grandfather. It was this memory which softened her as she answered his question. On everything. Did you notice that this time he was stinking, just like them? Yazid began to laugh again. He knew that Great-Uncle Miguel was not a popular member of the family, but nobody had ever spoken of him so disrespectfully.
Ama was quite right. Even his father had joined in the laughter when Ummi Zubayda had described the unpleasant odours emanating from the Bishop as being reminiscent of a camel that had consumed too many dates. Five baths a day in the summer. Five changes of clothes. I remember those times well. Do you know why? Stinking Catholics! The Christians in the Holy Lands were clean, but these Catholic priests are frightened of the water.
They think to have a bath is a betrayal of the saint they call the son of God. Did you have your honey today? Yazid nodded impatiently. Since he was born, and his brother and sisters before him, Ama had forced a spoonful of wild, purifying honey down their throats every morning. She frowned at him to register disapproval. The thought that she could ever forget her sacred ritual. Yazid grinned and she could not stop herself from smiling at him as she lifted herself up slowly and began to walk to the bathroom to do her ablutions.
Yazid remained seated under the pomegranate tree. He loved this time of day, when the birds were noisily preparing to retire for the night. The cuckoos were busy announcing their last messages. In an alcove on the outside of the tower house, overlooking the outer courtyard and the world beyond, the doves were cooing. Suddenly the light changed and there was total silence.
The deep blue sky had turned a purplish orange, casting a magical spell on the mountain-tops still covered with snow. In the courtyard of the big house, Yazid strained his eyes, trying to observe the first star, but none was yet visible. Should he rush to the tower and look through the magnifying glass? What if the first star appeared while he was still mounting the stair? Instead, Yazid shut his eyes. It was as if the overpowering scent of jasmine had flooded his senses like hashish and made him drowsy, but in reality he was counting up to five hundred.
It was his way of killing time till the North Star appeared. Ama limped out with her prayer-mat and pointed it in the direction of the sunrise and began to say her prayers. The boy ran towards him. The cook put his finger to his lips and demanded silence. The boy obeyed him. For a moment both the dwarf-cook and the child remained frozen. Then the cook spoke. Just listen. Can you hear? The boy ran out of the house as the noises became louder. The sky was now covered with stars and Yazid saw the retainers and servants lighting their torches to welcome the family.
A voice echoed from afar. More torches were lit and Yazid felt even more excited. Then he saw the three men on horseback and began to shout. There they all were. Yazid had to admit an error. One of the three men on horseback was his sister Hind. Zuhayr was in the cart with his mother and Kulthum, a blanket wrapped round him. Yazid nodded as his mother rained kisses on his face. Before the others could join her in this game, Hind grabbed him by the arm and the two ran off into the house.
She decided against, not wishing to alarm Yazid. She, better than anyone else in the family, knew the fantasy-world in which her younger brother often cocooned himself. When she talks about the plague she means Christianity.
Come and bathe with us. She says Then he saw the smile in her eyes as she offered him her left hand and walked briskly through the house. Yazid ignored her extended hand, but walked by her side as she crossed the courtyard. He entered the bath chambers with her. Yazid wondered why his mother seemed slightly worried. Perhaps the journey had tired her. He stopped thinking as Hind undressed. Her personal maid-servant rushed to pick the discarded clothes from the floor. The three women were soaped and scrubbed with the softest sponges in the world, then containers of clean water were poured over them.
After this they entered the large bath, which was the size of a small pond. The stream which flowed through the house had been piped to provide a regular supply of fresh water for the baths. Hind screamed with pleasure. Even Yazid agrees. Juan has a pumpkin instead of a brain.
Mother, how could he be so totally stupid! How could he have produced this cross between a pig and a sheep? Kulthum emerged in good spirits. She had become engaged only a few months ago, and it had been agreed to have the wedding ceremony and departure from the parental home in the first month of the next year. She could wait. Her intended, Ibn Harith, was someone she had known since they were children.
He had loved her since he was sixteen years old. She wished they were in Gharnata instead of Ishbiliya, but it could not be helped. Once they were married she would try and drag him nearer her home. Open navigation menu.
Close suggestions Search Search. User Settings. Skip carousel. Carousel Previous. Carousel Next. What is Scribd? Cancel anytime. Start your free 30 days Read preview. Publisher: Open Road Media. Search This Document. Shadows of the pomegranate tree edition Open Library. Are you sure you want to remove Shadows of the pomegranate tree from your list? Tariq Ali tells us the story of the aftermath of the fall of Granada by narrating a family sage of those who tried to survive after the collapse of their world.
Ali is particularly deft at evoking what life must have been like for those doomed inhabitants, besieged on all sides by intolerant Christendom. Discover the innovative world of Apple and shop everything iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, and Apple TV, plus explore accessories, entertainment, and expert device support. Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree book by Tariq Ali. If you are looking for a good historical-fiction -- although fiction, the novel is very close to the actual happenings of the Spanish Inquisition -- that is a Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree by Tariq Ali: Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree is quizzical as well as honest, informative as well as enjoyable, real history as well as fiction … a book to be relished and devoured.
Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree is quizzical as well as honest, informative as well as enjoyable, real history as well as fiction Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree Vol.
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