can the ancient truth be discovered?

Monday, August 27, 2007

The most famous of all travelers of the medieval world is Marco Polo. He was a remarkable man who ventured into unknown distant lands. He was a man who discovered extraordinary places on his vast journeys, and who told the magnificent tale of his encounters with foreign peoples and unfamiliar cultures. But how many of us know that another man, living and traveling in roughly the same period of history, had journeyed more than Marco Polo? This man was an Arab by the name of Ibn Battuta, the most traveled person of his time, traveling an estimated 75,000 miles. He was also the only medieval traveler to have seen the lands of every Muslim ruler of his time. On what was planned to be his Hajj trip to Mecca, Ibn Battuta journeyed throughout North Africa and Syria. Then he explored the Middle East, Persia, Mesopotamia, and Asia Minor. He traveled to the Indian Subcontinent, spending there nearly a decade at the palace of the Sultan of Delhi. The Sultan appointed him as an ambassador to China. After about 30 years for exploring, around the year 1350, Ibn Battuta started making his way back to his homeland. He went back to Fez, Morocco. There, at the court of Sultan Abu 'Inan, he read out accounts of his travels to Ibn Juzay who made them into a book. This book exists today and is known as Rihla or The Travels. The Rihla told of the adventures Ibn Battuta experienced on his travels. Numerous times he was assaulted, once he nearly drowned in a shipwreck; another time he was close to being executed by a tyrant leader. He married a number of times and had more than one lover, which consequently made him a father to several children along his journeys.

About ~~Ibn~~ Battuta

Back in Fez, the Sultan of Morocco, Abu Inan (1348-1358 C.E), was so impressed to hear Ibn Battuta’s account of his travels, that he commanded him to remain in Fez and store his tales in a book. Then, with the help of an aspiring writer – Ibn Juzayy al-Kalbi (1321-1356 C.E.) – Ibn Battuta composed his popular “Rihla.” The Rihla, or “The Travels” if translated, was comprised of four separate volumes.
Perhaps, Ibn Juzayy has added a little fiction from time to time for the purpose of entertainment and easy communication, but on the whole he is believed to have strictly followed Ibn Battuta’s narrative. Strangely enough, the Rihla did not become popular until relatively recently in the 19 century. This is when increased contacts with Europe introduced the book there and it was translated into French, English, and other European languages. The Europeans valued the records of Ibn Battuta as an important document of historical significance.

After finishing the Rihla, Ibn Battuta, already a man of age, did not make any long traveling through the deserts or elsewhere. He took up a position as a judge and continued to spread the wisdom he had accumulated on his travels. Although there are fewer records for the last part of Ibn Battuta’s life, it is known that he died in 1369 at the age of sixty-five. Long years after this, Ibn-Battuta remained the most traveled man in the world.

About ~~Ibn~~ Battuta

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Place Of Interest

Cairo, Egypt (1326)
"I arrived at the city of Cairo, mother of cities, mistress of broad provinces and fruitful lands, boundless in multitude of buildings, peerless in beauty and splendor, the meeting-place of comer and goers, the stopping-place of feeble and strong. Cairo surges as the waves of the sea with her throngs of folk and can scarce contain them" said he.
Life inside the walled city was crowded and frantic. The narrow streets were filled with people, camels, and donkeys and lined with thousands of shops and markets. Armies of peddlers and vendors also jammed the streets.
He goes on to describe the city's many mosques, colleges, hospitals, and convents, which housed the poor. The amirs/military commanders who competed “with one another in charitable works and the founding of mosques and religious houses” built them.
He was particularly impressed with a maristan/hospital, for its beauty and for its service to the sick. Such hospitals demonstrated Islamic commitment to "charity", one of the Five Pillars of Islam. A later traveler echoed this enthusiasm:
"Cubicles for patients were ranged round two courts, and at the sides of another quadrangle were wards, lecture rooms, library, baths, dispensary, and every necessary appliance of those days of surgical science. There was even music to cheer the sufferers; while reader of the Koran afforded the consolations of the faith. Rich and poor were treated alike, without fees, and sixty orphans were supported and educated in the neighboring school."

Nile Trip
He stayed in Cairo about one month, but he decided to proceed to Mecca on his own by way of Upper Egypt to the Red Sea port of 'Aydhad and from there by ship to Jidda on the Arabian coast. This was generally a safe route under the protection of the Sultan, but it took longer and was less traveled than the route across the Sinai. He was probably interested in being a tourist again and chose this route.
His trip up the Nile took him almost three weeks. He traveled by land rather than on the river, and along the way he lodged at the homes of scholars, qadis/judges, and Sufis or in college dormitories.
He observed the Nile, which usually floods in June and described its importance to the economy and taxation of Egypt.
"If the rise amounts to 16 cubits, the land-tax is payable in full. If it reaches 18 cubits it does damage to their farmland and causes an outbreak of the plague. If the Nile rises 15 cubits, the land-tax will be diminished. If it rises only 14 cubits or less, there will be prayers for rain and there is great misery."

His trip was without major incident. However, he does write about a minor incident showing his attitudes toward modesty.
"One day I entered the bath-house and found men in it wearing no covering. This appeared a shocking thing to me, and I went to the governor and informed him of it. He told me not to leave and ordered the owners of the bathhouses to be brought before him. Articles were formally drawn up making them subject to penalties if any person should enter a bath without a waist-wrapper, and the governor behaved to them with the greatest severity, after which I took leave of him."
Another incident in the town of Hiw was prophetic. Here he met a holy man, a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, who prophesied that he would not make his first pilgrimage except by the road through Syria. He ignored the omen, and continued on his way.
Leaving the Nile, he set out on camel with a party of Bedouin Arabs toward the Red Sea, which took about 15 days. Here, he found that the local ruling family was in revolt against the Mamluk governor. They had sunk some ships and threatened further violence. So he was forced to retrace his steps and proceed back to Cairo and take a northern route to Mecca after all.
Surprisingly, he stayed only one night in Cairo before setting out on the second part of his trip - not directly to Mecca, but to Damascus, Syria. The Mamluks protected this route, and decided to take this northeastward course.
Trade was the life-blood of the Mamluk Empire, and caravanserai was built to encourage trade. One caravanserai for Syrian merchants had 360 lodgings above the storerooms and enough space for 4,000 guests at a time!

About ~~Ibn~~ Battuta

Friday, August 24, 2007

Below: Ibm Tulun Mosque
Built by Ahmed Ibn Tulun in 879, the Ibn Tulun Mosque has an atmosphere of tranquility unlike that of any other mosque in the city. Ahmed Ibn Tulun was sent to govern Cairo by the Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad, which explains the Mesopotamian influence. It is the oldest original mosque and the largest in Egypt.

Below:The madrasa and mausoleum of al-Nasir Muhammad was built by al-Nasir Muhammad who ruled Egypt between 1293 and 1340 (who was ruler when Ibn Battuta visited Egypt). This was the high point of Mamluk culture and art. This complex, built in 1295, has the first cruciform (cross-shaped) designed madrasa in Cairo.

Below:The Attarine Mosque was dedicated to the Christian Saint Athanasius in 370 and converted into a Mosque at the beginning of the Arab conquest.

Below:The mosque of Amr Ibn al-Aas, built in 642 is the oldest existing mosque, not just in Cairo, but the entire African Continent. It was an Islamic learning center and could hold up to 5,000 students.

Below:The Red Sea - 'Aydhab Image of crystal clear waters of the Red Sea

About ~~Ibn~~ Battuta

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Below:Trade was the life-blood of the Mamluk Empire, and caravanserai ("hotels" for caravan travelers) were built to encourage trade. One caravanserai for Syrian merchants had 360 lodgings above the storerooms and enough space for 4,000 guests at a time! Ibn Battuta would be staying at places like this built along the main trade routes.

Below: The Citadel (great fortress) was built by Saladin in 1176, and in 1218 was the residence of Sultan al-Kamil (nephew of Saladin). While it has been expanded, Ibn Battuta would recognize this view.

Below: The coin at the right is a gold dinar used throughout the Islamic world. It was minted in Baghdad (before the Mongol invasion). Dinar were also made of silver.

Below:The silver coin at the left is of the Mamluk period in Egypt. A "dirham" like this would have been used by Ibn Battuta.

Below:Ibn Battuta traveled through much of the territory controlled by the Mamluks, or "slave" rulers of Egypt.

About ~~Ibn~~ Battuta

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

In around 1326, Ibn Battuta at long last performed his pilgrimage to Mecca. After this, he realized that he was interested more than ever in continuing to travel. He had no special destination, and with his only goal being to visit as many lands as possible, he took care in choosing different routes. He traveled across the entire Middle East, from South in Ethipoia to the north in Persia. "Then we traveled to Baghdad, the Abode of Peace and Capital of Islam. Here there are two bridges like that at Hilla, on which the people promenade night and day, both men and women. The baths at Baghdad are numerous and excellently constructed, most of them being painted with pitch, which has the appearance of black marble. This pitch is brought from a spring between Kufa and Basra, from which it flows continually. It gathers at the sides of the spring like clay and is shovelled up and brought to Baghdad. Each establishment has a number of private bathrooms, every one of which has also a wash-basin in the corner, with two taps supplying hot and cold water. Every bather is given three towels, one to wear round his waist when he goes in, another to wear round his waist when he comes out, and the third to dry himself with."

Moving along further North, Ibn Battuta took to exploring the Caspian and Black Sea regions as well as the South of Russia. His more interesting later travels were to be further east in Asia. He reached India, where he impressed the ruling Mongol emperor with his knowledge and tales. The emperor offered him a position at his court, which Ibn Battuta accepted. This gave him a chance to explore the whole of India. Having gained considerable experience during his travels around the country, he was then appointed as the Indian ambassador to China. This occupation was destined to be the final one for Battuta before he decided to return home. Facing a long journey back, he set out to his native lands. He reached north-west Africa around 1351. He made a short trip to Spain and then south to the Sahara before finally coming to Fez, Morocco in about 1353.

About ~~Ibn~~ Battuta

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Ibn Battuta was a North African Arab born in Tangier, Morocco in 1304. His family was a traditional Muslim family of judges. As a youth, he learned Muslim law. In 1325, at the age of 21, he left his hometown of Tangier to perform his Hajj. Through his travels he also hoped to learn more the practice of law across the Arab world.

In the course of his first journey, Ibn Battuta traveled through Algiers, Tunis, Egypt, Palestine and Syria to Mecca. The following is a passage from his own records:

"My departure from Tangier, my birthplace, took place ... with the object of making the Pilgrimage to the Holy House (in Mecca) and of visiting the tomb of the Prophet (in Medina), God's richest blessing and peace be on him. I set out all by myself, having neither a fellow-traveler in whose companionship I might find cheer, nor a caravan whose party I might join, but swayed by an overmastering impulse within me and a desire long-cherished in my bosom to visit these illustrious sanctuaries. So I braced my resolution to quit all my dear ones, female and male, and forsook my home as birds forsake their nests. My parents being yet in the bonds of life, it weighed sorely upon me to part from them, and both they and I were afflicted with sorrow at this separation."

In those years, traveling such great distances and venturing into foreign territories was risky. Ibn Battuta was daring, or at least determined, enough to start his journey alone on a donkey. Along the way, perhaps for safety, he became a member of a caravan of traders, which grew as more and more people joined in. By the time they made it to Cairo, the caravan had several thousand members and was still growing. Ibn Battuta must have been very excited about the progress of his trip. It was a first-hand experience at learning about his primary fascination - the larger world of Islam, or Dar al-Islam. Thus he was able to meet with learned fellow Muslims and to gain increased experience in religion and law.

Upon reaching Algiers, the caravan spent some time outside the city walls where more pilgrims joined the group. As the caravan reached Bijaya, Battuta’s health deteriorated. He was determined to continue however, and decided not to stay behind in spite his poor health. In reference to this incident he said: "If God decrees my death, then my death shall be on the road, with my face set towards ...[Mecca]."

When the caravan traveled through Libya, Ibn Battuta found it appropriate to marry the daughter of a Tunisian trader who was traveling with the caravan for the Hajj. Ibn Battuta married the girl in Tripoli, but soon the marriage was broken because of a quarrel between Ibn Battuta and his new father-in-law. This didn’t seem to bother Ibn Battuta, for he soon approached another girl, a daughter of a pilgrim from Fez. This time, the wedding was a lavish celebration, which lasted a whole day.

About ~~Ibn~~ Battuta

Monday, August 20, 2007

TRAVEL TIPS
When to go: Late spring and early autumn are best. Summer is searing on the desert, while the Khunjerab Pass is the best time to go from November to April.
WHAT TO BRING: Clothing for a large range of temperatures and comfortable shoes are a must. If you plan to make day- hikes or longer off-road journeys, consult trekking manuals and hire a local guide.
ACCOMMODATIONS: In some other towns along the Silk Road, for example Karakul Lake and Tashkurgan, conditions range from rustic to primitive--but that's part of the adventure.
Holidays and Festivals: The Silk Road passes through so many different ethnic areas that a comprehensive list would require pages. Notable, however, is Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting, which should be avoided if possible. During this period it may be difficult to buy food during daylight hours. The dates of Ramadan move up by about 11 days every year; in 1994 it falls between February 11 and March 12. In Pakistan's Northern Areas, fire-pots are put on the mountainsides at night to mark the Prophet's birthday, which falls this year on August 19 (Aug 9 in 1995 and July 28 in 1996). In Gilgit, Nov 1 marks the beginning of a weeklong polo tournament. Turpan has a grape festival during the third week of August.
Briefing about the Silk Road: Stretching from the eastern shore of China to the city of Istanbul, goods were traded as far away as the Roman Empire. Chinese merchants themselves never made an appearance on the Mediterranean Sea, much less in Rome, nor did any Roman trader ever see the Chinese country side, but in many towns and stopping points trade opened China up to the rest of the world.
Spanning a time period of over a hundred years, the Silk Road was found by one Chang Ch'ien who went to war with neighboring cultures. While a prisoner of war he saw many things he thought would benefit his people, and upon returning home he attempted to set up trade with these people for whom he had been a captive for so long. Horses, which was what Chang originally meant to trade, didn't become very popular for trading, but fur, ceramics, iron, lacquer, cinnamon bark, rhubarb and bronze did. These were goods that were in high demand in other countries. In return, China received gold and other precious metals, wool and linens, ivory, coral, amber, precious stones, asbestos and glass.
Trade on the Silk Road was not easy. For one thing, as previously stated, no one merchant followed his goods to their final destination. Secondly, there was a certain amount of natural dangers to be dealt with while traveling on the Silk Road. Usually, a caravan with goods to trade had to battle highwaymen in some areas known for bandits (meaning almost certain battle for any stranger with cargo) and they also had to have good standing in any oasis where they stopped to trade. One extremely dangers area of the Silk Road - though there were many different routes to be taken - was passing through the Taklamakan Desert and its surrounding mountain terrain. A caravan going through icy mountain passes faced the possibility of freezing to death; if there was ice on the path, then there was also the danger of slipping on the ice and falling into the many ravines below. Avalanches were known to kill many people trying to make the trip, and in the desert itself, sandstorms often wiped out whole caravans, killing the travelers and mummifying the bodies of both man and beast alike. These same sandstorms would often bury the goods being carried as well, sometimes for many years. Guides are also needed when going to the Silk Road.

About ~~Ibn~~ Battuta

Sunday, August 19, 2007

The route in which Ibn Battuta travelled

The country in which Ibn Battuta was born

The Asian countries in which Ibn Battuta visited

The Ancient Map of the World

About ~~Ibn~~ Battuta

Friday, August 17, 2007

Timeline of the Life of Ibn Battuta*

1304 Born in Tangier, Morocco.Left home and went across North Africa.

1325 Arrived in Cairo, Egypt.

1326 Traveled through Syria and Palestine.

1326 Went on a hajj to Medina and Mecca.

1326–1328 Sailed down the coast of East Africa, sailed to the Persia Gulf, and returned across land to Mecca.

1328–1331 Went to Asia Minor (Turkey), traveled through Persia and Iraq, and crossed Central Asia.

1332–1333 Reached Delhi, India, and served as a judge.

1333–1341 Trip to China via Maldive Islands, Ceylon, and Malaysia. Traveled in China.

1346 Returned home via India and the Middle East.

1346–1349 Went to Granada (Spain) and returned home to Morocco.

1349–1351 Traveled through West Africa.

1352–1353 Returned home to Morocco.

1354 Died in Morocco.

About ~~Ibn~~ Battuta

Credits

Designer: Cranberrieas - pls don discredit mii. thanxxs