03/22/2026
The woman pictured here is named Rula. She recounts finding the phrase "La ilaha illa Allah" (There is no god but Allah) carved in Arabic script on the walls of her grandmother's home in Spain. When she asked her mother about it—astonished by her discovery—her mother unveiled secrets that had been guarded for centuries. She revealed to Rula that her ancestors were Muslims.
"Rula," she said, "your ancestors lived during an era when the 'Inquisition' was merciless; they monitored every aspect of our lives."
**Water and Purification**
They monitored water consumption closely. Anyone who bathed frequently—or who cleansed their home and sprinkled water in their courtyards—was immediately accused of performing *Wudu* (ritual ablution) and prayer. The punishment for such acts was death.
Consequently, they would cleanse their homes in absolute secrecy and with extreme caution.
**The Quran and the Rosary**
The discovery of a single sheet of paper bearing an Arabic letter, or a *Subha* (prayer beads), meant the end of that person's life.
Thus, they would carve expressions of *Tawhid* (monotheism) into stone and conceal them beneath layers of paint, and they would count their praises using their fingers hidden deep within their pockets.
**A Tongue Bearing Witness to the Truth**
To this very day, Spaniards utter words such as *Ojalá*—originally derived from *Law sha' Allah* (If Allah wills)—and *Olé*, derived from *Wa Allah* (By Allah). They even use the word *Cafre* to describe cruelty; this term is borrowed from *Kafir* (disbeliever/infidel)—the word our ancestors used to describe those who broke their covenants and betrayed the Muslims of that time.
**Bidding Farewell to the Dead**
Upon a death, they would utter sorrowful phrases that were, in essence, a linguistic distortion of the Quranic verse: *Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un* (Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we shall return). These phrases have endured as a traditional funeral lament, even though the original meaning behind them has long since been lost to them. Ultimately, Rula announced her decision, declaring:
"After everything I have learned, I can no longer remain silent. I must now be a Muslim—exactly like my ancestors. I wish to return to their true image and uphold the trust they etched onto the walls with their very blood and souls."
With deep anguish, Rula recounts what transpired following her conversion to Islam:
"After embracing Islam, I began to weep for them—for days, weeks, and months on end. I would ask myself, with bitter sorrow: 'Oh, my ancestors—what must you have felt as the Crusaders stormed in upon you, ransacking your homes? What were your emotions in those moments?'"
She continues, overcome with profound emotion:
"With every passing night, and with every prostration I now make, my tears flow like a surging sea—tears of longing and of pain for all that they endured."
