Ibn Battuta

Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Battuta (February 24 1304 to 1368 to 1377, year of death uncertain) was born in Tangier, Morocco during the time of Merinid Sultanate rule in the Islamic calendar year 703, into a Berber family. He was a Sunni Islamic scholar and jurisprudent from the Maliki Madhhab (a school of Fiqh, or Sunni Islamic law), and at times a Qadi or judge. However, he is best known as an extensive traveller or explorer, whose account documents his travels and side-excursions over a period of almost thirty years, covering some 75,000 miles (120,700 km). This journeying covered almost the entirety of the known Islamic world, extending also to present-day India, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia and China, a distance readily surpassing that of his prior, near-contemporary and traveller Marco Polo.

Related Topics:
February 24 - 1304 - 1368 - 1377 - Tangier - Morocco - Merinid Sultanate - Islamic calendar - Berber - Sunni Islam - Jurisprudent - Maliki - Madhhab - Fiqh - Qadi - Explorer - India - Maldives - Sri Lanka - Southeast Asia - China - Marco Polo

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His name may alternatively be rendered ibn Batuta, ibn Batuda or ibn Battutah. He is also sometimes known by the appellation Shams ad-Din, a title or honorific at times given to the names of scholars particularly in the Islamic East, meaning "the Sun of Religion". His full title and name is given as Shams ad-Din Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Muhammed ibn Ibrahim Ibn Battuta al-Lawati al-Tanji.

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At the instigation of the Sultan of Morocco, Abu Inan Faris, several years after his return Ibn Battuta dictated an account of his journeys to a scholar named Ibn Juzayy, whom he had met while in Granada. This account, recorded by Ibn Juzayy and interspersed with the latter's own comments is the primary source of information for his adventures. The title of this initial manuscript may be translated as A Gift to Those Who Contemplate the Wonders of Cities and the Marvels of Travelling, but is often simply referred to as the Rihla, or "Journey". Whilst apparently fictional in places, the Rihla still gives as complete an account as exists of some parts of the world in the 14th century.

Related Topics:
Abu Inan Faris - Ibn Juzayy - Granada - 14th century

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Almost all that is known about Ibn Battuta's life comes from one source – Ibn Battuta himself (via Ibn Juzayy). In places the things he claims he saw or did are probably fanciful, but in many others there is no way to know whether he is reporting or story-telling. The following account assumes the former where it is not obviously the latter.

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