A Lawsuit addressed to the Spanish inquisition: from a Christian interpreter against a Morisco from Granada

Abstract

This article deals with a study and translation of a Castilian manuscript (Old Spanish) submitted to the Spanish Inquisition in the second half of the 16th century (1554 AD) by a Christian interpreter called Bartolomé Dorador, a personal interpreter. Bishop Martin de Ayala issued a case against a Morisco called Diego Caybon who lives in Guadix, one of the villages in Granada. Both living in Kingdom of Granada, the bishop accuses him of practicing Islamic rituals, calling to Islam, using the Arabic language, and believing in formally prohibited Arabic sciences.

This translation and study come with what we are witnessing of the scarcity of translated historical documents from foreign languages into Arabic. There is a large existing legacy of historical documents that are a paramount relating important events in the history of the Arab and Islamic heritage and legacy. Some of the greatest European libraries in particular the Spanish libraries are the brightest archives also keeping part of a legacy of our common interest. This was the personal motto to translate this historical document and shed light on it. In the hope of filling this major deficiency in our Arab library academia and archives I will add my contribution translating these important historical documents. Perhaps, this academia will be the opening of a gate to further investigation, study, and analysis in those eras of the history of the Arab and Islamic legacy and heritage.