Wala ghaliba illa Allah
Wala ghaliba illa Allah (Arabic: ولا غالب إلا الله, "And there is no victor except Allah") is an Arabic phrase that was used as the motto of the Nasrid Emirate of Granada, the last Muslim state to rule parts of the Iberian Peninsula.[1]
Origin[edit]
In the Quran[edit]
A similar phrase to "wala ghaliba illa Allah" is found in several surahs of the Quran, such as Surat Al-Imran and Surat Yusuf.[2]
Theory of Almohad origin[edit]
There is a reference to the phrase in the book Rawd al-Qirtas by Ibn Abi Zara’ al-Fassi , where he described the victory of the Almohads, led by Yaqub al-Mansur, in the Battle of Alarcos over the Spanish Christian forces, led by Alfonso VIII of Castile. Ibn Abi Zara' said, "When Alfonso VIII - may God curse him - had decided to attack Muslims with his entire army... he heard the drums and the trumpets. He raised his head to look, and saw the banners of the Almohads approaching; in front of them was the victorious white banner, on which was written: (There is no God but Allah, Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, la ghaliba illa Allah.)"[3]
Other theories[edit]
A second theory mentions that in the siege of Seville, the Castilians were aided by an unspecified Nasrid ruler of Granada. After the Castilian capture of Seville, crowds in Granada welcomed him saying, "The victor (has come)!" The ruler, who regretted aiding the Castilians, replied by saying, "There is no victor except Allah."[4]
A third theory says that, due to the continuous infighting between the Muslims in Iberia, the Muslim populace knew that the end was near, so they started writing the phrase on walls and doors, to leave a mark for future generations to know that Islam once ruled their lands.[5]
Usage[edit]
The phrase is usually seen in buildings in Southern Iberia that date back to the late periods of Islamic rule, such as the Alhambra palace.[6][7]
Gallery[edit]
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The phrase "Wala ghaliba illa Allah" inscribed on a pillar in the Alhambra palace -
The phrase "Wala ghaliba illa Allah" on the Nasrid coat of arms -
The phrase "Wala ghaliba illa Allah" on a wall in the Alhambra palace
References[edit]
- ^ Ballandalus (2012-07-02). "La Ghalib illa Allah". Ballandalus. Retrieved 2022-11-02.
- ^ "Surah Ali 'Imran - 1-200". Quran.com. Retrieved 2022-11-02.
- ^ نور, مكتبة. "تحميل كتاب نسخة كاملة وواضحة من كتاب الأنيس المطرب بروض القرطاس ابن أبي زرع PDF". www.noor-book.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 2022-11-02.
- ^ برجاق, سلام. "ولا غالب إلا الله.. عبارة تُذكّر زوّار الأندلس أن المسلمون كانوا هنا". 1-a1072.azureedge.net (in Arabic). Retrieved 2022-11-02.
- ^ "قصة عبارة " لا غالب إلا الله " وسقوط الأندلس".
- ^ Pollybert (2013-09-13). "Wa la ghalib illa Allah – There is no winner but Allah - living to the fullest". Retrieved 2022-11-02.
- ^ Arroyo, Javier (2016-11-03). "Decoding the secret messages of Spain's Alhambra palace". EL PAÍS English Edition. Retrieved 2022-11-02.