IBN BATTUTA: THE GREATEST TRAVELLER

IBN BATTUTA: THE GREATEST TRAVELER

Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Battuta is one of the greatest travelers the world has ever seen. Astonishingly, he travelled about an staggering 117,000 km ( 73,000 mi) leaving behind Zheng Hi with about 50,000 km (31,000 mi) and Marco Polo with about 24, 000 km (15000 mi). He is more commonly known as Ibn Battuta. Beginning from Tangier, Morocco in 1325, he travelled extensively for twenty-nine years and in his journey visited hundreds of realms, one even more overwhelming and bizarre than the other. The more he travelled, the more he wondered about the mysteries of the world. During his illustrious journey he encountered mystical Sufi saints, powerful and rich Sultans, bands of dreaded dacoits, flamboyant merchants, magicians, fire-eaters and spotted magnificent historical monuments. He traveled extensively through land and sea with the blue sky being his only constant companion.

During his journey he married ten times, worked as a Judge and a merchant and often fought with invaders. Additionally, his journey was also a spiritual one and he learned from the great Sufi Saints. The eventful journey took him to the end of the known world. An adventurer, explorer, warrior and a student, likes of which the world has never seen.

Chapter One

Tangier – The Voyage Begins

Ibn Battuta was born in Tangier, Morocco on the 24th of February, 1304. It was the western frontier of the golden Islamic empire. This is where the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean connect and the distance from the Moroccan coast to Spain is merely 15km. Gladly, being in the middle of a port is a privilege, for it is a land of stories from far away landscapes. Hence, it’s easily comprehendible that Ibn Battuta must have been easily smitten by the travel bug. His family was a reputed one and had a history of serving their community as judicial Judges. Thus, Ibn Battuta received education in Islamic Law and became a Judge. He had a profound knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence.

Traveling is encouraged in Islam and is advocated by Prophet Muhammad’s quote as, “Seek knowledge, even if it takes you to China.” One of the five pillars of Islam is Hajj. It is a religious pilgrimage to the city of Mecca and Madina. Moreover, every capable Muslim must perform the holy pilgrimage once in his/her lifetime. Ibn Battuta, a devout Muslim, he began his journey to perform the holy pilgrimage, known as Hajj, at a young age of twenty-one. He gave up the comforts of his house, bade adieu to his family and departed like a bird which forsakes its nest.

He writes about beginning his journey in his book. He was overwhelmed with emotions and had no companion.

 “I set out alone, having neither fellow companion, whose company I might I enjoy, nor caravan, whose party I might join, but swayed by an over-mustering impulse within me and a desire long cherished in my bosom, my age at that time was twenty-two lunar years.”

Chapter Two

May God Protect Alexandria

In the early spring of 1326, after a journey of over 3,500 km (2,200 mi), Ibn Battuta arrived at the port of Alexandria. It was ruled by the Mamluk dynasty and the empire stretched from Egypt to Syria. it was one of the largest port cities in the Mediterranean and really in the world, and had been from its founding by Alexander the Great in the fourth century BCE. Aside from being a major port of entry/exit for Egyptian trade it was a vital waypoint on the trade from India to Europe. In 1326 it was in a period of great importance–the chaos caused by the decline of the Mongols in the Middle East made the Egyptian route the preferred choice for merchants moving goods from the Indian Ocean into the Mediterranean.

 Egypt at the time was relatively stable, under the Mamluk Sultanate. It had been the Mamluks who stopped the Mongols from invading Egypt at the Battle of Ayn Jalut in 1260, and so kept Egypt out of their eventual dynastic decline. It was busy port city in the fourteenth century and was a home to merchants from all over the world. He saw all the fine novelties of the world here. Ibn Battuta had a way with women. He picked up his first wife here, although he divorced her after an argument with his father-in-law and later married another woman.

Ibn Battuta later wrote about Alexandria as one the best cities he had ever visited. Ibn praised Alexandria with his words:

“She is a well-guarded frontier citadel and a friendly and hospitable region, remarkable in appearance and solid of construction, furnished with all that one could wish for in the way of embellishment and embattlement, and of memorable edifices both secular and religious. Noble is her dwellings, graceful her qualities, and to imposing size her buildings glow with architectural perfection.”

Chapter three

Al Murshidi: The Interpreter of Dreams

Bitten by a travel bug, Ibn Battuta didn’t stay for long in Alexandria. He headed towards a little village towards the river Nile delta, about thirty miles from Alexandria to meet someone religious and humble.  Apparently, he heard about a famous saint, Al Murshidi from another saint.  People talked about his miraculous power to interpret dreams perfectly, a miracle bestowed upon by the Saint by Allah.

He writes, “I met Al Murshidi in the afternoon and he embraced me. He was wearing a green cloak and a green turban. We ate together. Then, when I wanted to sleep, he sent me up on the roof because of summer heat.”

He adds, “That night, I dreamt of a large bird and sitting on its back, the bird carried me to Mecca, then towards Yemen and then to a dark-greenish country.”

“I woke up the next day and narrated my dream to Al Murshidi. He said, “You’ll go on a pilgrimage, then to Yemen and Iraq. You will travel the land of the Turks and Central Asia. You’ll also travel to India where a great danger would befall you. But worry not; a spiritual brother of a Great Saint in Egypt will help you in India.””

Ibn Battuta was amazed at his protection and he felt an unfathomable desire to visit these places.

He bid farewell to the Great Sufi Saint and headed towards the historical city of Cairo, a city with a population of half million people. It was a seat of Science, Art and Literature. It even had an eye hospital for cataract operations. It was Al Azhar University of Cairo and it is the oldest functioning University in the world, it was founded three centuries before the first Oxford College. Ibn Battuta took every opportunity to study under eminent Islamic scholars, brushing up his Qur’an reading and comprehending skills. The University retains its magnetic pre-eminence even today, serving students from all over the world.

Not staying for too long anywhere, Ibn Battuta was also overwhelmed by the majesty of river Nile. He writes about it as, “A river which is a sea.” There is no other river in the world that people call a sea.’ Travelling on land with the river side-by-side he explored the Egyptian cities one by one.  Although, the pyramids of Giza and Sphinx are barely mentioned in his travelogue for now he was on a spiritual journey.

Chapter Four

Rumi and the land of the Turks

When Ibn Battuta was travelling, Islam was at its glittering height. By the time he reached Turkey in 1331, he had already journeyed thousands of miles, visited North Africa, Mecca for pilgrimage, Iraq, back again for another Hajj, Jerusalem and Syria.

Konya (present day Turkey) was his spiritual destination in the land of the Turks. The glory of a mystical Sufi Saint – Jalal-ud-din Rumi was like a magnet for backpackers seeking divine knowledge. Rumi is also known as Mewlana in Iran and Turkey, which literally translates into, ‘My teacher.”

 He found himself engulfed in the couplets written by Rumi, reading his amazing compilations like a sincere student. In Konya Ibn Battuta encountered another mystical sect founded by Rumi – The Dervish and their holy dance. The Darvish’s swirled round and round until they attained a meditative state. They wore long hats representing a tombstone, their dress was neat white representing a death shroud and their hands rose to the shoulders representing mystery of Allah. It was both melancholy and enlightening.

He learned from the wise of Konya and also mentioned in his book about the Turkish women as,

“A remarkable thing which I saw in this country was the respect shown to women by the Turks, for they hold a more dignified position than the men. ... I saw also the wives of the merchants and common [men].”

Next, he crossed the Black Sea and reached Crimea (Ukraine). In those days it was the land of Uzbek Khan (Batu Khan), the great King of the magnificent Golden Horde. 

Surprisingly, now Ibn Battuta felt the need of something materialistic, money. He received much needed assistance from the nomad Sultans of Anatolia. While working he learned about the riches of the East and about a wealthy King who ruled India. He now wished to make a fortune in the East.

Chapter Five

The Indian Odyssey

He joined a caravan moving from Anatolia towards the east and now his destination was India. He travelled through Iraq and Iran all the while witnessing the carnage inflicted of numerous cities by the marauder Mongols. Ibn Battuta reached the Indian realm in 1333 AD through the high mountains of Afghanistan (Hindu Kush Mountains) and the river Indus. He made his way to Delhi at the time when the Tughlaq dynasty was at its height.

 He was looking forward to make a fortune and he knew exactly what he needs to do. He bought and presented Sultan Muhammad Bin Tughlaq of Delhi with elegant gifts. His plan had worked and was offered a job in the King’s court as a judicial Judge. A posh lifestyle was achieved in a few years in India. Soon his temptation to gain wealth was over. He began to search for a spiritual retreat. His quest for spiritual knowledge brought him to the threshold of someone he needed dearly to quench his thirst in seeking Allah. He heard about a Sufi Saint living in a cave, on the outskirts of Delhi and relinquished working in the court and darted to meet this holy man.

The holy man practiced unbelievable austerities and considered Prophet Muhammad as his benchmark. Kamaluddin Al Ghari (Kamaluddin Dada Peer) – the cave dweller and a man of extreme Godliness and humility. Ibn Battuta took a spiritual plunge, became a devout student of this humble saint. The first lesson Ibn Battuta learned from Dada Peer was to get rid of his ego and pride, consequently he donated most of his materialistic earnings to indigent. He fasted for forty days, prayed and recited the Qur’an. From the beginning of his journey Ibn Battuta was always fascinated by the mystical world of Sufi Islam. After Gamaluddin Al Ghari, Ibn Battuta visited the shrine of Nizamuddin Auliya and Amir Khusro. Unexpectedly, Ibn Battuta had to abandon his spiritual retreat for an offer made by the Sultan, an offer he couldn’t resist to refuse. The Sultan requested him to visit the Chinese Emperor as his ambassador. He readily agreed to it.

Chapter Six

A Fifteen Year Old Prophecy Comes to Pass

The most favorable route to China was from the port city of Calicut in South India. The entourage to China was bestowed with wonderfully expensive gifts by the Sultan. Eventually, the caravan began its journey from Delhi towards South India. But, a calamity was about to befall the company. The pomp and heavily secured caravan wasn’t aware of the danger lurking outside Delhi. As soon as it reached a tiny village of Jalali, Ibn Battuta and his convoy were attacked by local peasants as a sign of revolt against the Sultan. The comprehensive battle saw twenty-five soldiers of the entourage being killed. Ibn Battuta kept himself hidden in a cave for three days and three nights, until a man saw him and offered to help. Ibn Battuta asked him his name, he said,

 “My name is Dilshad and I am friend of an Egyptian Sufi Saint.”

Ibn Battuta was astonished to hear his name. He knew that fifteen years ago Al Murshidi had foretold, during a great danger a man by the name ‘Dilshad’ will help him.

Dilshad requested Ibn Battuta to climb up on his shoulders and repeat the following words,

“Allah is an excellent protector.”

Ibn Battuta did the same but fell asleep after a few minutes.

Next morning, when he woke up, he searched for Dilshad, but the man was found nowhere. The first thing Ibn Battuta did was to thank Allah for protecting him.

In the comprehensive battle at Jalali, the twenty-five soldiers killed and were buried ceremoniously.

Thankfully, the soldiers were able to hold on to the gifts and presents addressed for the Chinese Emperor. The caravan continued, unaltered by the unforeseen dangers on the road.

Chapter Seven

Meeting Abyssinians in Western India and Tragedy Strikes in Calicut

The extravagant caravan halted in Ahmadabad near the West Indian coastline via Khajuraho through Central India. Ibn Battuta hired an Abyssinian bodyguard; apparently these Africans were renowned for their military skills. He learned that the very first Abyssinians arrived in India from East Africa and the first one to settle down in India was a Sufi Saint called, Khwaja Mehmood, better known as Dariya Dulha (Bridegroom of the river). Ibn Battuta witnessed an amalgamation of Indian, African and Islamic culture and was mesmerized by it.

Unstoppable for long, Ibn Battuta arrived in Calicut, the ancient South Indian city. It had a flourishing port and was a pit-stop of travelers from around the world. Calicut was one of the busiest ports in the world and was famous for exporting spices all over the known world. Although the city boasted of an exquisite variety of spices, the most sought after was, Pepper or Black Gold, as it was then called. Ibn Battuta explored the city and hired a ship for his royal visit to China. The ship was loaded and was ready to sail. It was Friday and Ibn Battuta went into a Masjid to attend the afternoon prayer.

A terrible event occurred. A violent storm came up, those on land were unable to embark on a ship, and those on ship couldn’t disembark from the ship. Because the harbor was not very deep, the captains ordered the ships to wait out the storm in deeper water out to sea. Ibn Battuta waited helplessly on the beach all night and the next morning watched in horror as two ships were pushed onto shore, broke apart, and sank. Some of the crew on one of the junks was saved, but no one survived from the other ship - the one that he was supposed to be on.

Ibn Battuta writes, "The slaves, pages, and horses were all drowned, and the precious wares either sank or washed up on the beach, where the [governor's soldiers] struggled to prevent the townsfolk from making off with the loot."

Ibn Battuta was heartbroken; he was almost broke save a few dinars. Additionally, he was too embarrassed to go back to Sultan of Delhi. With only a few dinars saved in his pocket he decided to sail to Maldives. His voyage wasn’t Royal anymore.

Chapter Eight

Discovering Paradise in Maldives

The merchant ship docked in Maldives and Ibn Battuta found himself surrounded by a never before seen surreal beauty manifested by the Islands. The Maldivians used cowry shells as currency for trading. Ibn Battuta had not planned to spend much time here as he arrived at the capital, Male. But the rulers happened to be looking for a chief judge, someone who knew Arabic and the laws of the Qur'an. The rulers were delighted to find a visitor that fit their requirements. They sent Ibn Battuta slave girls, pearls, and gold jewelry to convince him to stay. They even made it impossible for him to arrange to leave by ship - so like it or not, he stayed.

He wandered the Island like a royal and married four women.

He tells us about marriage and divorce in the Maldives at the time:

"It is easy to marry in these islands because of the smallness of the dowries and the pleasures of society which the women offer... When the ships put in, the crew marries; when they intend to leave they divorce their wives. This is a kind of temporary marriage. The women of these islands never leave their country."

Never before Ibn Battuta had such a great feeling of contentment and happiness which he experienced in Maldives. While exploring an Island, he saw a humble cottage built with reeds and leaves. In the cottage he saw a woman with her children and saw her husband fishing in the sea on a canoe. He felt a desire to settle on the Island and dreamt of living a life alike the fisherman.

Nevertheless, his desire to explore China overcame his desire to settle down in Maldives. Although, he came back to Maldives again in order to meet his wives and children.

Ibn Battuta finally made preparations to depart. The long sea route to China was infested with pirates and uncontrollable weather. But Ibn Battuta also had a heart of a warrior along with that of an adventurer. The journey had to be made, so he hitchhiked his way to Calcutta and continued to do so for he had no other choice.

Chapter Nine

China: The end of the world

Evading the pirates and the monstrous sea, finally Ibn Battuta reached the South West coast of China. He disembarked the ship in the port city of Quanzhou (Zaitoon), on the coast of Fujian Province.

Throughout his journey he was encouraged by Prophet Muhammad’s motivational quote which encouraged traveling and learning in China, “Seek knowledge, even as far as China.”

Quanzhou was a multicultural society; people from all over the known world came here to trade in silk and other commodities. He admired the Chinese culture, he wrote,

“Silk is used as clothing even by poor monks and beggars and porcelain is the best pottery in the world.”

He met a Chinese Muslim community in Quanzhou and learned about a man named, ‘Shing Si Ding” or Shams-ud-din in Arabic. He came to Quanzhou from Arabia and settled here, thereby starting a dynasty.

Ibn Battuta was also impressed by Chinese painters and artists. He writes that nobody, neither European nor Greek, rivals the Chinese in paintings.

Next, he went on a journey to the city of Guangzhou. Although, he adored the landscapes of the city but he was absolutely horrified by Chinese food. It distressed him so much that he mostly stayed indoors. He also disliked the religious practices of the Chinese nor did the Chinese women appealed to him. China was the only country where he didn’t marry. He walled himself and found solace among the small settlement of Muslims in the city and explored their markets.

Chapter Ten

A legacy and the End of a Kaleidoscopic Journey

Twenty-nine years ago he departed from Morocco, like a bird which forsakes its nest; it was time to return to where he was born. Morocco – from where everything started was calling Ibn Battuta, he felt homesick now. His heart felt heavy with the desire to be back in his homeland. Having reached the edge of the known world, he finally turned around and journeyed home to Morocco, arriving back in Tangier in 1349. Both of Ibn Battuta's parents had died by then, so he only remained for a short while before making a jaunt to Spain. Ibn Battuta stayed in Tangier only a few days before leaving to visit North Africa, Spain, and West Africa (Mali). He returned from that trip in 1354 to Fez, Morocco, where the local Sultan commissioned a young literary scholar to record Ibn Battuta's experiences. The book was named, The Rihla or “A Masterpiece to Those Who Contemplate the Wonders of Cities and the Marvels of Travelling.”

Apparently, very little is known of Ibn Battuta’s life after he ended his journey. Ibn Battuta died in 1368/69 or 1377 in Marrakesh, Morocco, leaving behind one of the greatest travelogues of all times. Truly, the journey never ends.