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Questions and Answers
Which country was Ibn Battuta born in?
Which country was Ibn Battuta born in?
At what age did Ibn Battuta begin his travels?
At what age did Ibn Battuta begin his travels?
Where did Ibn Battuta go after visiting almost all the Muslim countries of the time?
Where did Ibn Battuta go after visiting almost all the Muslim countries of the time?
Which position did the Sultan of Delhi give to Ibn Battuta in India?
Which position did the Sultan of Delhi give to Ibn Battuta in India?
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Where did Ibn Battuta travel to after visiting China?
Where did Ibn Battuta travel to after visiting China?
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Study Notes
Ibn Battuta: Key Facts
- Born in Morocco, specifically in Tangier in 1304, which was part of the larger Islamic world.
- Began his travels at the age of 20, motivated by his desire to learn and experience the world.
- After exploring nearly all Muslim countries, he traveled to the Maldives, an archipelago known for its unique culture and trade.
- The Sultan of Delhi, Muhammad bin Tughlaq, appointed Ibn Battuta as a justice, recognizing his knowledge and legal expertise.
- After his journey in China, he continued to explore the regions of Southeast Asia, including the islands of Sumatra and Java.
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Description
Ibn Battuta came from a family of well-known Muslim qadis (judges) and was born in the year 1304 in Tangier, Morocco. He became the greatest medieval Muslim traveler and wrote one of the world’s most famous travel books, the Rihlah (“Travels”).
His travels began at the age of 21, when he left his parents and went on the hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca. The journey to Mecca took 16 months – but then he decided to continue with his travels. He visited almost all the Muslim countries of the time. He eventually went to India, where the Sultan of Delhi, Mohammad bin Tughluq, gave him the position of grand qadi and later sent him to China with messages and gifts for the Chinese emperor. In 1345, after many adventures in the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Sumatra, he finally arrived in China and traveled as far as Beijing.
Ibn Battuta returned to his hometown in 1349, but after just a few days, he started on his travels once again. This time he went west and saw Granada in Spain and the great African kingdom of Mali. In 1353, the Sultan of Morocco, Abu Inan Faris, asked Ibn Battuta to write a book about his experiences. He told his stories to a writer, Ibn Juzayy, who made the Rihlah we have today.
