The early Mohammedans did not believe in simply asking other people to become Mohammedans.They brought people into their religion by saying to them，“Be a Mohammedan or we’ll kill you.”So the Mohammedan religion spread quickly from Arabia where it started，for the Arabs were great conquerors.Eastward it spread，farther and farther，through Persia and across India.Bagdad became the capital city of these eastern Mohammedans.Westward the Arabs pushed across Egypt，across northern Africa till they came to the Strait of Gibraltar.This did not stop them.They built boats and sailed across to Spain.Through Spain they spread until they got as far as France.All Europe would probably have become Mohammedan if the French had not stopped the Arabs in a battle fought at the town of Tours，in France.
No.77-1ARABESQUFS IN THE ALHAMBRA，GRANADA（格林纳达阿尔汉布拉宫的阿拉伯图案）
But much of Spain did become Mohammedan.The Arabs in Spain were called Moors.The Moors set up a capital at Cordova for all the Western Mohammedans，just as Bagdad was the Eastern capital just as the Roman Empire had once had an Eastern and Western capital—Rome and Constantinople.For over seven hundred years the Moors ruled in Spain until they were finally driven out about the time of Columbus.
In Cordova the Moors built a huge mosque which is still standing there.You remember how the Mohammedans turned the Christian church of St.Sophia in Constantinople into a mosque.Well，in Cordova just the opposite happened.For when the Moors were finally driven out of Spain the Christians turned the Mohammedan mosque into a church.And a church it still is.
But by far the most famous Mohammedan building in Spain is the Alhambra.The Alhambra was built by the Moorish kings of Granada in Spain as a kind of fortress palace.The Alhambra is on a tall hill of rock with steep cliffs that helped keep back enemies.Inside the different buildings were guard rooms and halls，gardens and courts，all decorated with thousands of arabesques.The Court of Lions is one part of the Alhambra that you may have heard of.It looks something like a cloister，for round its four sides are arcades.In the middle is a big marble basin，held on the backs of twelve lions，which is used as a fountain.
And now I’m sure you are going to ask an embarrassing question.It’s embarrassing because I can’t answer it.
“How could the Moors have marble lions if they were not supposed to carve statues of living things？”
No.77-2THE COURT OF LIONS IN THE ALHAMBRA（阿尔汉布拉宫的狮子庭院）I don’t know.Maybe the lions were an exception that proved the rule.Maybe the lions were carved by Christians and captured and brought to the Alhambra by the Moors.Maybe ...But who knows？On page 367is a picture of them.Do you see any arabesques？
Another noted building in Spain left by the Moors is called the Giralda Tower.Giralda meant weather-vane.The weather-vane is naturally on the very top of the tower.It is a figure of Faith that swings with the wind.The top three stories of the tower are Christian Renaissance architecture，because when the Christians finally drove the Moors out of Spain they used the Mohammedan buildings for their own needs and often added to them.
Now I’m going to take you from Spain in the West to India in the East.In Agra，India，lived a Mohammedan ruler who erected a building in honor of his wife.You will be surprised to hear what kind of building it was.It was a tomb！And yet his wife was still alive when he built her tomb.
No.77-3THE GAJ MAHAL（泰姬陵）
That seems strange to us，but it was the custom there.It was a sensible custom，at that，for the ruler and his wife used the tomb as a kind of pleasure house where visitors were received and parties were held.Then when the rulers died they were buried there.
This tomb is called the Taj Mahal.As it was a tomb，it was crowned with a dome.Many travelers who have seen it have called it the most beautiful building in the world.They have even placed it ahead of the Parthenon.The Taj Mahal is built all of marble and shines in the sun like a beautiful white jewel.Around the building are gardens，trees，lawns，and fountains and right in front of it is a long rectangular pool of water that reflects the trees and the Taj Mahal too.
And with the Taj Mahal we will end our story of Mohammedan buildings，saying as Ali Baba might say to close the chapter，“Shut sesame.”
【中文阅读】
阿里巴巴来到四十大盗的洞口，发现洞门紧闭。“芝麻开门。”阿里巴巴一喊，门就开了。
阿里巴巴和《一千零一夜》故事里所有搞笑的人物，如水手辛巴达、王子阿吉卜一样，都是伊斯兰教徒。
“芝麻开门。”我们来看看这个魔语能否打开这一有关伊斯兰建筑瑰宝大门的篇章。
伊斯兰教徒信奉《古兰经》，就像基督徒信奉《圣经》。《古兰经》禁止任何伊斯兰教徒创作任何有关动物的肖像或图画。所以，你也许会自然而然地联想到伊斯兰教的寺院或清真寺，肯定与哥特式大教堂极为不同，因为哥特式教堂上刻有成百上千人像和动植物雕像。
如果你在伊斯坦布尔或其他穆斯林城市，可能还会立刻注意到另外一个不同点，那就是这些城市有数不清的圆顶。这些圆顶通常不是圆形，而是椭圆形，就像半个鸡蛋或半个洋葱那样，而顶部还常呈尖形，就像一颗粗大的芜菁根或甜菜根。但并不是所有的清真寺都有圆顶，因为清真寺的圆顶是坟墓的象征，只有当某座清真寺用作某人的坟墓时，才会建一个圆顶。
当你走近一座伊斯兰教建筑物时，你会注意到，即便他们的宗教不允许雕刻活物的像，但建筑师们必须同时也是出色的石匠或大理石雕工。他们雕刻的图案，有直线和曲线的，有方形和圆形的，有星星状和菱状的，还有Z 字形和十字形的。有些雕刻非常精美，形成网状，看起来就像石刻花边。
建筑内部的雕刻和装饰要比外部丰富得多。这些装饰叫做阿拉伯式图案，因为最初的伊斯兰教徒是阿拉伯人，而且阿拉伯人用这种图案装饰了许多清真寺。有时阿拉伯图案还会采用《古兰经》的文字。阿拉伯字母优雅，可以做成许多好看的装饰。我们在伊斯兰教建筑的内部还会看到另外一种在其他建筑里看不到的装饰类型。
在圆顶下方的穹顶（就是各个房间的天花板）上你常会看到一种奇怪的雕刻作品，看上去就像悬挂在屋顶上数不清的小小的冰石柱。
在伊斯兰教信徒的村庄里都至少建一座光塔或宣礼塔，这样宣礼人便可每天五次登塔呼唤人们祈祷。有些清真寺在每个拐角处都建一座宣礼塔。
“快来祈祷，快来祈祷。真主安拉，先知穆罕默德。”宣礼人吟诵道，然后所有虔诚的伊斯兰教信徒都跪下来，朝着圣城麦加的方向祈祷。麦加是伊斯兰教创始人穆罕默德出生和生活的地方，所以就成了圣城。每一座清真寺在最靠近麦加方向的墙壁上都安置一个神龛或挖一个空洞。这些神龛就相当于教堂或神庙里的祭坛。
早期的伊斯兰教徒认为用简单的劝说方式不可能使人皈依伊斯兰教。他们为了让人皈依就说：“要么入教，要么去死。”所以伊斯兰教便迅猛从发源地阿拉伯向外扩展，因为阿拉伯人都是了不起的征服者。伊斯兰教就这么一直向东传，穿越波斯，跨越印度。巴格达成为这些来自东方伊斯兰教徒们的首府。阿拉伯人向西，横扫埃及，跨越北非，直抵直布罗陀海峡。他们并不罢休。他们开始造船，跨海到达西班牙。他们穿越西班牙，直抵法国。要不是法国人在图尔斯的一个小镇上以一场战斗阻止了阿拉伯人，也许现在整个欧洲都信伊斯兰教了。
但大部分西班牙人还是皈依了伊斯兰教。在西班牙的阿拉伯人被称为摩尔人。摩尔人在科尔多瓦为所有西部的伊斯兰教徒设立了首府，就像巴格达是所有东方伊斯兰教徒的首府一样，就像罗马帝国曾一度有东西两都——罗马和君士坦丁堡一样。摩尔人在西班牙统治了七百多年之久，直到哥伦布时代他们才最终被赶出西班牙。