IBN BATTUTA: A great traveler of 14th centurty AD

Ibn Battuta or Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Battuta was a Muslim Scholar and traveler of 14^th century from Morocco. He was born in February, 1304 AD (703 Hijri), in Tangier, Morocco. He was commonly known as Shams ad Din. He belonged to the family of Berber origin that was highly respected, religious, educated as theologian and had a tradition of service as judges. He received education in Islamic law and then he chose to travel to different places. He is considered as one of the greatest travelers of all time, and is known for the accounts of his travels and excursions.

Initially, Ibn Battuta left his native city Tanjier for performing Hajj (pilgrimage to holy place Mecca) in 1326 AD (725 Hijri), when he was twenty one years of age. He continued his journey for at least thirty years. His journeys were mostly by land. Ibn Battuta began his journey riding solo on a donkey and then linked up with a pilgrim caravan. He usually chose to join a caravan to reduce the risk of being attacked. During his travels, he survived wars, shipwrecks and rebellions.

He explored the lands of the North Africa, West Africa, Southern Europe and Eastern Europe to the Middle East, Indian subcontinent, Central Asia and South East Asia. He first traveled through Algiers, Tunis and Cairo, Egypt in North Africa. In Egypt, Ibn Battuta studied Islamic law and toured Alexandria and metropolis of Cairo, which he called “peerless in beauty and splendor”. Then he went through Palestine and Syria in the Middle East to reach Mecca on the Arabian Peninsula. After visiting Mecca, he visited Iraq, Persia, Azerbaijan, Shiraz in Iran, and Mesopotamia and went back to Mecca to perform Hajj.

He stayed in Mecca for three years and then traveled to the port city of Jeddah from which he went to Yemen by Red Sea. He visited Kenya (then Mombasa) in Eastern Africa. After that he proceeded to Oman, Hormuz, Siraf and Yamama and then returned to Mecca to perform another Hajj in the year 1332 AD.

After performing his second Hajj, Ibn Battuta revisited Egypt, Palestine and Syria. Then traveled across Anatolia and visited Sinope (city situated on the northern edge of the Turkish side of Black Sea coast). After crossing the Black Sea by ship, he journeyed through southern Ukarine to reach Constantinople, Razavi and Afghanistan. After getting into Afghanistan, Ibn Battuta went through Ghani and Kabul and then finally reached India’s northern border. He visited the places of Karachi, Sukkur, Multan, Sirsa, Hansi and Delhi in 1332. 

In India, Ibn Battuta was greeted open heartedly by the Sultan of Delhi, Muhammad bin Tughluq (the founder of Tughluq Dynasty). There he was appointed to the position of a Judge. He stayed in India for a period of eight years and then left for China. To reach China, Ibn Battuta travelled through Central India to Cambay in Gujrat and then reached Goa by ship and then he visited Malabar Coast, Maldive Islands and reached the Island Celon (Sri Lanka). After that he travelled through Ma’abar, Kamrup, Sylhet, Sonargaon, Sumatra, Malaya and Cambodia and finally landed in Canton also known as Guangzhou (a city located on the Pearl River in southern China).

After his visit to China, Ibn Battuta returned to India and reached Calicut (Kozhikode) in Kerela. Athen he sailed to Muscat in Oman and passed through places such as Iran, Syria, Palestine, Egypt and then reached Mecca again to perform yet another Hajj in 1348 AD.After that, Ibn Battuta left for another adventure in 1352 AD. He then went south, crossed the Sahara desert, and visited the African kingdom of Mali.

His travel book entitled “Tuhfat al anzar fi gharaaib al amsar wa ajaaib al asfar” (A gift to those who contemplate the wonders of cities and the marvels of travelling) is commonly referred to as “Ibn Battuta’s Rihla” (Rihla means Journey) or “Travels of Ibn Battuta”. The Rihla provides an important account of many areas of the world in the 14^th century.

                                                                 Ibn Battuta's Rihla

When Ibn Battuta finally returned homeland Tangier in Morocco in 1335 AD, he was commissioned by Abu Inan Faris, the Sultan of Morocco to produce an account of his travels. He settled in Fez and dictated his story to the poet Ibn Juzayy al- Kalbi at the court of Sultan Abu Inan.  After the completion of his Rihla in 1355 AD, Ibn Battuta was appointed as a judge in Morocco and died in 1368. He died in 1369 AD in city of Fez (Morocco) at the age of 64-65.