Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree

After witnessing a 'wall of fire,' in which books and records of Al-Andalus had been burned and lost forever, Muslims in Iberia are in a constant state of distress, not only from their Christian opposers, but also in question as to what will become of their future. The seizure of lands and communities cultivated by Muslims for over 600 years, who were natives of Iberia, causes an internal strife among Andalusians as to whether they should resist or lose not only their religion, but also their way of life. This would include the cessation of Islamic prayer, purification, and even speaking Arabic.

Throughout the novel, the residents of the final stronghold of Granada are trapped by oncoming attacks by Christians who would not accept them due to their religious and cultural affiliations. Efforts are made by Umar and Zuhayr, who seek to protect their final holdings of southern Iberia, but find themselves unable to reach a solution with their Christian rivals due to Ximenes' extremist view toward Christianity. Ubaydallah makes a final plea to the Christians to prevent further violence, and in exchange, he offered to convince the entire village to accept Christianity. This plea was ultimately rejected and was met with raids on Banu Hudayl, highlighting that the conflict between Al-Andalus and the Christians was never about religious differences, but rather of culture, in which remains of Al-Andalus was essentially erased.