Madīnat al-Zahrā', el paraíso y los fatimíes

Abstract

Qur'ānic verses on Paradise (especially Qur'ān, 55: 46-78), as well as the Kitāb waṣf al-firdaws by 'Abd al-Malik b. Ḥabīb, allow us to give specific meanings to the interpretation of Madinat al-Zahrā' as Paradise and to support it over other possible interpretations (although without necessarily eliminating the latter). On this basis, the variety and asymmetry of the wall decorations in the Hall of 'Abd al-Raḥmān III are explained, as well as how certain narratives on Madīnat al-Zahrā' came into being. The «green and manganese» decoration of the pottery produced in the town is given a new meaning and some considerations are offered on the name given to the town. A relationship can be established between Madīnat al-Zahrā' as Paradise and one of the doctrines attributed to Mundhir b. Sa'īd al-Ballūṭī, judge of Abd al-Raḥmān III from 339/950 until the death of the caliph. The silence of the Arab sources about this Paradisiac symbolism could be linked to the anecdote on how Mundhir b. Sa'īd censured 'Abd al-Raḥmān Ill's building activity. Finally, Madīnat al-Zahrā' has to be studied within the context of the political and religious struggle with the Fatimids, and more specifically taking into account the situation after the defeat of the «Man of the Donkey», who was presented as an eschatological figure by the Fatimids.