Jews of Spain relationship with Islamic and Arabic Culture Assignment

Jews of Spain relationship with Islamic and Arabic Culture - Assignment Example Islamic â€Å"tolerance† had made living under the Muslims’ power more attractive choice than to live under the Christian one in North Europe. â€Å"Tolerance† meant that though Jews of Spain were considered as â€Å"a second-class†, they had some rights and servitudes. â€Å"Jews were allowed to live securely in their autonomous communities and to develop: they were not fossils† (Cohen 31). That kind of order comes from Qur’an where it’s told, that Jews like Christians were â€Å"People of the Book†, and as they worshiped one God, Muslims must stay tolerant to them while they obey some Muslim rules. For example, it was forbidden to build new houses of worship, and for a Jewish man to marry a Muslim woman; it was required to wear different cloth from Muslims and some positions (as in government or other authoritative positions) were forbidden to be held by Jews; and Jews ought to pay taxis etc. (Cohen 32). Most of the Jews had a ccepted these rules and their inequality and subordination in exchange of living without constant persecutions Jews in North Europe suffered. Other social positions and jobs were open to Jews under the Muslim power, like in marketplace and trades, or medicine; Jews were craftsmen etc. â€Å"Jews mixed freely with their Muslim counterparts, even forming partnerships† (Cohen 32-33). Frequently Jews even â€Å"served the government in official capacities† (Stefon 61). Mark R. Cohen says, the described type of relationships explains why Jews were so open to Arab-Islamic cultural influence (34). Another reason to communicate deeply with the Arabic culture was its connection to the great philosophical and science heritage of Greeks. Most of the texts were written in Arabian, so through the Arabic culture there was a way to a new knowledge in mathematics, astronomy, medicine, philosophy, political theory, aesthetics etc. (Stefon 62). So Arabic style was associated with a good taste and Jews along with the Muslims â€Å"enjoyed a cultural