Cultural Memory and Islamic Identity In Ten Poems Of Al-Andalus During The Umayyad Dynasty: A Literary-Cultural Perspective

Abstract

The literary heritage of Al-Andalus occupies an essential position in understanding the intellectual development of the Islamic world in medieval Spain. Andalusian poetry functioned as a cultural medium that recorded historical transformations, social experiences, and the construction of collective identity. This study analyzes ten selected poems from prominent Andalusian poets through a literary-cultural perspective. The objective is to investigate how poetry contributed to preserving cultural memory and shaping Islamic identity during the Umayyad Dynasty in Al-Andalus. This study employs qualitative descriptive research using textual analysis and a literary-cultural approach. The selected poems represent various themes, including love, exile, nostalgia, political decline, and civilizational consciousness. The findings reveal that Andalusian poetry served as a repository of historical memory while simultaneously articulating a dynamic Islamic identity influenced by local Iberian traditions and broader Islamic intellectual networks. The poems demonstrate that literature played a crucial role in negotiating relationships between religion, politics, and cultural diversity. Furthermore, Andalusian poets transformed personal experiences into collective narratives that transcended temporal boundaries. This study contributes to understanding Al-Andalus as a center of intellectual production whose literary legacy continues to influence contemporary discussions about Islamic civilization, cultural pluralism, and historical memory.