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When Ibn Battuta returned to Morocco he told the Sultan of the country about his explorations. The Sultan told the explorer to make his stories into a “travelog” or a Rihla. Ibn Juzayy was hired to transcribe Battuta’s stories into the Rihla which was written between 1354 and 1355. The book had a small impact on the Muslim world but eventually, European scholars would find it and translate it into languages such as German, French, and English. This book helped people to understand the different aspects of the Muslim world by describing its social, cultural, and political features at that time. Not much is known about the end of Battuta’s life. He passed in either 1368 or 1369. Ibn Battuta traveled around 75,000 miles and explored most Muslim countries and a few non-Islamic countries by the end of his journey. These explorations have led him to be called “the traveler of Islam”.

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Ibn Battuta observed the culture and atmosphere of China. He commented on their use of silk, porcelain, and how it makes great pottery, and even poultry. Though he praised these things about China, he did experience culture shock which is a feeling of discomfort from being in a culture you don’t understand. Since China wasn’t a Muslim country he felt uncomfortable about the way their culture worked. He even said that he stayed indoors most of the time. Batutta made a trip to Beijing, the capital of Mongol China, but he was so vague in his descriptions that most historians don’t even believe that he went to the city. After staying in Mongol China, the explorer decided to return home. This was the beginning of the end of his journey.

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Ibn Battuta went to Delhi looking to be employed. The explorer worked as a judge under the Sultan of India, Muhammad Tughluq. He was given assistants to help with his job since he wasn’t able to speak Persian well. Battuta indulged in the high end lifestyle by going on hunting expeditions with the Sultan and other “higher-ups”. This way of life pushed the explorer into debt but Tughluq paid it off for him. While in Delhi, Battuta got another job which was to take care of the Qutb al-Din mausoleum.  Eventually, Ibn got involved with people that had problems with the Sultan. He was friends with a man that disobeyed Tughluq. The man was eventually beheaded. The Sultan requested a list of the man’s friends and Buttata’s name was included. He feared that he was going to be punished as well. When he was called to meet with the Sultan he requested to go on another Hajj but Tughluq decided to make Ibn an ambassador for the Mongol court of China. He took this opportunity and made his way to the country.

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Battuta had the plan to work under the Sultan of India after studying and going on his third Hajj to Mecca. The Sultan was known to give high-paying jobs to scholars and judges, but the explorer needed to find a guide that knew how to speak Persian and was familiar with India. He wasn’t able to find a guide after months of looking, so he decided to continue exploring. He visited many towns in Anatolia. Battuta noted that the Turks were very hospitable which is an important part of Islam. He often stayed at important figures’ homes during his time in Anatolia and was given many “gifts” such as money, robes, and even slaves. Ibn Battuta set off from Anatolia in November of 1331 to complete the next part of his trip with a few friends and slaves.

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Mecca was one of the most important locations in Battuta’s travels because of his religious beliefs. Ibn participated in the traditional rituals during his Hajj. He wrote about the “Standing of Arafat” which is an important part of Hajj. Ibn and the other pilgrims visited a plain known as Arafat. “Here they stood before the Mount of Mercy, where Adam prayed and where Muhammad gave his farewell sermon in 632.” (Berkeley Orias, 2022) At Arafat, they listened to sermons and also said prayers. They also took part in other traditions. Battuta stayed in Mecca for three weeks. He visited other places and also studied with other men. By this point Battuta now has the status of “al-Hajj” which means that he’s completed his pilgrimage to Mecca. Ibn Battuta had completed three more trips to Mecca in his lifetime. Though completing a Hajj was his reason for traveling, he decided to keep exploring to gain more knowledge as a scholar.

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Battuta visited Cairo when he first started traveling. It was one of his stops before reaching Mecca to complete his Hajj. He mostly wrote of the culture of this city. The explorer described Cairo as a cosmopolitan city which means that the people there had different backgrounds and cultures. Ibn talked about how the population varied, some people were rich while others were poor. He mostly wrote about the people who were considered important such as the Sultan of Egypt and the Islamic leaders or amirs of Cairo. Battuta also wrote about the buildings in Cairo. He spoke of the mosques, convents, colleges, and hospitals. “Ibn Battuta was particularly impressed with a maristan, or hospital, for its beauty and for its service to the sick.” (Berkeley Orias, 2022) Battuta also wrote about the importance of the Nile to Cairo’s economy.

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Tangier, Morocco: Battuta's Place of Birth

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Tangier, Morocco: Battuta's Place of Birth

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Ibn Battuta is a Muslim scholar and explorer. He was born on February 24, 1304. The men in his family were traditionally judges and legal scholars. They strongly valued education. Ibn received an education in Islamic law, but there was no form of higher education in Tangier. The explorer’s solution to this problem was to gain knowledge by traveling to different cities and studying there. He also wanted to go on Hajj which is the pilgrimage to Mecca. Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam. “Undertaking the Hajj at least once is a duty for Muslims who are physically and financially able to make the journey to Makkah.” (The Embassy of The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, n.d.)