07/24/2026
Story of how we (the Estes family) got thrown out of Andalus (Spain).
We followed the way of all prophets: to submit, obey, sincerely, and peace with God (الإِسْلَام — Islam).
We built cities, schools, gardens, roads, libraries, and places to worship God. His book was recited there.
The ‘call to prayer’ (الأَذَان — athan) was called there. We kids learned, “In God’s Name” (بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ — Bismillah) there, in Andalus.
Our men stood shoulder to shoulder in prayers (الصَّلَاة). Our mothers taught kids, like me, faith inside their homes. It wasn’t strange to us, ‘Andalus’ (الأَنْدَلُس) was our home . .
We saw amazing science coming out of the Recitation (in Arabic: Quran). Our people developed the science we know today, in algebra, in education, in medicine, and education . . but we lost our way.
No prayers (الصَّلَاة) . . No Ramadan (fasting) . . No Quran (reciting) . . No more masajid (mosques) . . WE WERE LOST!
. and then the BIG change:
Our rulers were defeated! Granada fell! New rulers came to power…
Promises were made — little by little — promises were broken.
Before — we lived proudly as Muslims! Now we were afraid. Muslims lost control. We were NOT in charge anymore — even of our own lives. We were suspects. We were watched. We were questioned. We were made fun of, and we were mocked.
Some ran away. Some stayed, with hopes — this will pass. Some were baptized. Some were called Christians, but some still held to Islam.
Islam was underground. The ‘Reciting’ was no longer kept open on a stand in the home. It was wrapped in cloth, hidden in walls, buried under floors, sealed in a chest. Sometimes my mom kissed it, cried over it, hid it again — just before dawn.
A prayer rug was not spread where anyone could see. It was hidden under blankets, tucked in straw mats. Often a towel or a blanket, or the wood floor was used, and sometimes our hearts only were bowing.
Whispers, then silence, cover the windows, listen for footsteps, our baby sister might cry, neighbors might hear and report us.
The month of fasting (رَمَضَان) would come. It was always dangerous for us. No fasting (الإِفْطَار). If you did, hunger, thirst, and fear.
We were exposed to food and drink when it was forbidden (حَرَام) in Islam. Pork (لَحْمُ الْخِنْزِير) was forced on some. W**e (الْخَمْر) was used as a trap for others. Sometimes forced eating, pork and cruelty, humiliation, beatings, and worse.
My dad, my mom and us kids — we all watched — if we refused to eat it was dangerous . . we didn’t talk about . . God being ONE (وَاحِد).
They laughed at us, mocked us, and called us names. If we washed too carefully, they suspected we were praying and set dogs on us.
Questions. Shame. Threats. Beatings. Torture.
They forced us out of our homes, broke our families apart, and tortured our parents until they confessed to crimes they did not commit. First they killed our father. Then they killed others — because they were Muslims.
Fear & Death Everywhere!
Some ran. Some walked. Some escaped in tiny boats rather than give up their faith. Some looked back until the hills of Andalusia disappeared. Some left at night. Some cried for their children, others cried for their parents. Some simply cried. Mothers, fathers, and children were separated. Others escaped before they were imprisoned.
Those who stayed and those who fled all did the same thing: they prayed to Allah and asked for His help.
We left olive trees planted by our grandfathers, the walls that protected us, the graves of our loved ones, the mosques, our homes, and our land.
We left the courtyards where we and our parents once played. We left our memories behind.
Our people left Andalusia, but part of our hearts remained there.
Those who stayed for their land, they lost their rights, their identity and maybe even their children and their lives . .
Most of the prayer rugs were burned. Most books were never found. Only the medical books were saved, and these were changed to look like they had discovered all this.
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Someone who submits to God on His terms, can’t give up. They don’t forget about the ‘Recitation’, (الْقُرْآن) or ‘Sayings’ (الْحَدِيث) of the prophets, like Moses ﷺ, Jesus ﷺ, Muhammad ﷺ, Abraham ﷺ and Adam ﷺ.
We lost some of what we carried in our arms — but the ‘Recitation’ (الْقُرْآن), was in our hearts and the “sayings” (hadith), is in our minds.
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What Did Survive?
We didn’t forget the month of fasting (Ramadan), nor a trip to Mecca, (hajj). Our mom taught us kids in whispers, about Reciting, and Sayings, and the Salat prayers. It was passed to us from mouth to ear, and tears to tears.
We learned the ‘Recitation’ (Quran) as children in whispers. Our home was lost, to greedy people. Our language was changed. But our faith in Almighty God survived hidden in our minds. The prayers we prayed were for better times.
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This is Our Story!
Not of persecution. Not of being driven out. Not of loss. Story of FAITH in Almighty God (Allah) and the people who really believe in Jesus ﷺ, David ﷺ, Solomon ﷺ, , Abraham ﷺ, our father Adam ﷺ, and of course, Muhammad ﷺ
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Arabic: “Islam”means — one who Submits to God, Obeys God, in Sincerity to God, and in Peace to Almighty God” (it’s easier to say ‘Islam”.
Arabic: “Mu-Islam” means — the one who does “Islam”.
If we can’t carry anything else — we can carry ‘ISLAM’
~ in our hearts and minds.
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“Al-Andalus” — origin unknown; possibly ancient Iberian.
