The Arab influence in Spain dates back to a period before it was one country under the name of Spain. In the year 711.

It is important to remember that the Muslims in Spain at the time (the name Spain will be used for the sake of convenience) introduced momentous cultural innovations such as alchemy (the origin of chemistry), algebra, the game of chess (called ajedrez in Spanish), the use of Arabic numbers instead of Roman numerals, the number zero, and Aristotelian philosophy which had been lost in the rest of Europe. Read more at: The Arabic influences in Spain

Classical Islam ruled Spain for 800 years (711-1492)