The narrative of "The Dark Side of Europe" commences by establishing Madjrit as a unique fusion state where Arabic is the de facto national language, yet Catholicism is still a persistent element. Christians are categorized as tolerated, second-class subjects of the Sultanate, required to pay a special tax known as the Jizya to avoid conscription or worse. Jewish populations receive similar treatment, being tolerated and left unmolested as long as they remit the Jizya. Christian minorities are primarily concentrated in rugged terrain like Catalonia, where their lives are largely unchanged despite early fears of total cultural and religious subjugation.

The demographic complexity deepens with rumors of "Crypto-Christians," individuals who convert to Islam to avoid the Jizya and gain economic footing but secretly maintain their Christian faith. Although Arabic serves as the realm's Lingua Franca, Iberian languages such as Catalan, Aragonese, and Portuguese persist as significant minority languages, particularly among the isolated Christian mountain communities. Arabized Mozarabs frequently use Mozarabic-Castilian as a second language. Madjrit formally divides its population into "Madjriti Citizens"—those of Islamic faith and an Arabic dialect who hold the political and military authority—and "Madjriti Subjects"—a broader collective comprising non-Muslims or non-Arabic primary speakers, whose loyalty remains continuously suspect by the elite.

Madjrit's population is ethnically diverse, despite the prevailing external perception. The Muwalladun are assimilated Iberians who form the demographic foundation of the Sultanate. The Arab Elite pride themselves on pure Arabic lineage, concentrating in major cities such as Madjrit and Cordoba, and dominating the highest governmental and religious spheres. The Amazigh comprise various North African groups (like the Rifians and Tuareg) who serve as the military's backbone, notably as elite guards and desert scouts. Lastly, Afro-Madjritis, often former slaves known as Haratin (Freedmen), are granted full citizenship due to their Islamic faith, though they still face social stratification; they work as sailors and artisans in port cities. This expansive diversity ensures that Madjrit is far from the wholly monolithic Islamic state imagined by the Pope.

The focus then shifts to the Sicilian Emirate, which is widely perceived by Christian Europe as being even more intensely "Mohammedian" than Madjrit due to its proximity to the Papacy. However, Sicily’s demographic reality mirrors Madjrit’s nuanced structure: while the ruling administration consists of Arab and North African elites, this group quickly becomes a minority away from the major centers. In the hinterlands bordering the Papacy, the population is predominantly Italic-Christian, with little Arabic spoken and Sunday Mass being a common occurrence. These Italic-Christians constitute the lowliest tier of citizenry, subjected to the highest rates of the Jizya Tax. Ultimately, both Madjrit and Sicily are presented as Islamic strongholds in Europe that are internally far more complex and possess more in common with their Christian European counterparts than the prejudiced views of Christendom would allow.