The Collapse of Islam in Granada in Radwa Ashour’s Thulathiyah Gharnatah: An Analysis

Abstract

Radwa Ashour is an Arab writer best known for her novel The Granada Trilogy (Thulathiyah Gharnatah) comprising Gharnatah (Granada), Mariama and Ar-Rahil (Departure) which centres on the theme of the collapse of Islam in Granada. This trilogy serves not only as a work of fiction, but also as a medium for studying history, exploring the relationship between literary texts and the historical facts. The aim of this research is to reveal the relationship between literary texts and history, as well as to uncover the historical construction of the collapse of Islam in Granada through novels. Employing a New Historicist approach, this research focuses on the dynamic interaction between literary narratives and historical discourse, demonstrating how history is interpreted and reimagined through fiction. The results reveal that Ashour blends factual and imaginative elements to reconstruct the historical context of Granada’s Fall. Identity conflict also appears as a central theme explored through the characters in this novel. Besides that, Ashour incorporates intertextuality in Thulathiyah Gharnatah, namely from the works of Amin Maalouf and Mahmoud Darwish, using them as analogies for a lost paradise. Her personal experiences, particularly in relation to Middle Eastern conflicts, also influence the narrative. A key aspect of the novel is its gender representation, which contrasts Islamic and Christian perspectives. Islam upholds the equality of men and women, while Christianity is depicted as a treating Muslim Women unjustly. Thus, Thulathiyah Gharnatah functions not only as a narrative of the fall of Islam in Granada, but also as a profound reflection on identity, power and society relations and gender.