Offering Portuguese Muslims refuge in Spain did not prove Spanish tolerance

Evidence

In fairness, it must be said that when the conversion was put into effect in Portugal, the Muslims were given the option of leaving Portugal across its land frontier into Spain! This superficially puzzling circumstance has been used to argue9 that Spanish policy was not motivated at this point by any anti-Islamic sentiment. The Portuguese Muslims, it is pointed out, were accorded not simply permission to exit through Castilian territory, but given explicit rights of permanent settlement there. I think such an interpretation is misguided. — L. P. Harvey, Muslims in Spain, 1500 to 1614, 118

Categorization

• QUESTION: If the author thinks this interpretation is misguided, what is the actual explanation for the land-exit option? Curiosity worth resolving in later chapters.