It is important to pause here to mention that the Arab invasion of North Africa occured in 639 AD which led to rampant spread of Islam. I don’t mean to bog you down with too many historical facts, but I just want to build out the setting with present day landmarks that you can google or even visit to totally immerse yourself in the story. Tarif ibn Malik was one of the commanders under Tariq ibn Zayak who the Rock of Gibraltar was named after. The “Tarifa” Moorish mention now known as “Tarif” is a port also located in Andulasia referenced in “The Alchemist.” It was named after another African/Moor named Tarif ibn Malik according to, “When We Ruled” by Robin Walker.

Students flocked from France, Germany and England to learn from Math, astronomy, botany, philosophy from the Moors. According to Lane-Poole, the Moorish kingdom was known for its literature, Art and science.

The castle/forte covers approximately 35 acres, and was built in 889 CE. Its sheer mass made it a great observation point to survey oncoming attacks.

The limestone Rock of Gibraltar is 1398 feet high which is almost equivalent to a 100 story building. His army built a fortress in the immediate area around the large limestone rock in the 8th century and used it as a home base in preparation for battle. He was an African Govenor of Mauritania that led an army of 6,700 African soldiers along with 300 Arab translators to the area. Gibraltor was known to the Moors as “Gebel Tarik“ after Moorish Govenor Tarik ibn Ziyad (also spelled Tariq).

The story of the alchemist