>If you don't have time to read The Rihla itself...
That's sad on multiple levels. Does anyone know of a complete translation to English?
From ~30 years ago, by a member of the SCA: "There seems to be no complete and unabridged translation of his account of his travels. H. A. R. Gibb produced the first three volumes of one (The Travels of Ibn Battuta, by H.A.R. Gibb, Cambridge, 1958, 1962, 1971) before his death. He also produced an earlier abridged translation (The Travels of Ibn Battuta, London, 1929). There are partial translations by several others."
And about medieval Islam:
"Not all, not even most, Muslims were Arabs. Islam may have been the first world civilization; in period it stretched from Spain to Malaya. Muslims might be Arabs, Berbers, East or West African Blacks, Indians, Kurds, Mongols, Persians, Turks, ... . They were all united by a common religion and a common religious language, but divided by numerous religious factions, languages, and cultures"
I have read Vol. 1 of H. A. R. Gibb's translation, and though there are really cool gems in it, it is incredibly dry. I wouldn't recommend it unless you are really interested, and even then, be prepared for it to be a slog.
For something along similar-ish lines, Canetti's Crowds and Power does a good job of weaving together some lessons from Battuta's account with many other primary historical sources.
The Travels of Ibn Battuta / A.D. 1325-1354 … / Volume IV / The translation completed with annotations by C. F. Beckingham / 1994.
Found that listed on the Hakluyt Society's website, which published a edition of the Cambridge volumes for their members. It appears they worked to complete the translation in the 90's.
"Not all, not even most, Muslims were Arabs. Islam may have been the first world civilization; in period it stretched from Spain to Malaya. Muslims might be Arabs, Berbers, East or West African Blacks, Indians, Kurds, Mongols, Persians, Turks, ... . They were all united by a common religion and a common religious language, but divided by numerous religious factions, languages, and cultures"
In a sense, Islam is more Persian than Arab. Just about everything east, and north of Modern day Iran was conquered and introduced to Islam by Persianate. The Golden age of Islam was due to Ibn Sina, Al Khawarazmi, and friends.
> In fact they have brought this to such perfection that if a stranger commits any offence that obliges him to flee from China, they send his portrait far and wide. A search is then made for him and where so ever the person bearing a resemblance to that portrait is found is arrested 30."
I very much enjoyed Travels with a Tangerine: A Journey in the Footnotes of Ibn Battutah (2012) by Tim Mackintosh-Smith. If you enjoy travelogues rather than history books (I enjoy both) then this may be the one for you.
Such a fascinating character. IIRC there is great scepticism that he went as far east as claimed, and that the China adventure may have been mostly fabricated. Echoes of Marco Polo. Anyone know more recent studies of the veracity of his claimed journeys?
He had a universal skill in the places he visited. Think like digital nomads. Also, not trying to diminish his efforts, but he visited Muslim places only (China had a muslim base at the time).
The article explains that he would work as a judge (qadi) in the places he visited. He also benefited from the generosity of his guests.
> Turns out mainly because he was a scholar of fiqh and was therefore in considerable demand wherever he went. Ibn Battuta has stayed to work as a Qadi in several places along the way; this means that you really get a broad sense of the politics and the people in each destination.
> Other than that, it is likely because the Muslim faith inspired people to give money and gifts to travelers. And because Ibn Battuta was a student and eventually a famed traveler, he received many gifts and honors.
[+] [-] vba616|3 years ago|reply
That's sad on multiple levels. Does anyone know of a complete translation to English?
From ~30 years ago, by a member of the SCA: "There seems to be no complete and unabridged translation of his account of his travels. H. A. R. Gibb produced the first three volumes of one (The Travels of Ibn Battuta, by H.A.R. Gibb, Cambridge, 1958, 1962, 1971) before his death. He also produced an earlier abridged translation (The Travels of Ibn Battuta, London, 1929). There are partial translations by several others."
And about medieval Islam:
"Not all, not even most, Muslims were Arabs. Islam may have been the first world civilization; in period it stretched from Spain to Malaya. Muslims might be Arabs, Berbers, East or West African Blacks, Indians, Kurds, Mongols, Persians, Turks, ... . They were all united by a common religion and a common religious language, but divided by numerous religious factions, languages, and cultures"
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/cariadoc/some_sources.html
[+] [-] YossarianFrPrez|3 years ago|reply
For something along similar-ish lines, Canetti's Crowds and Power does a good job of weaving together some lessons from Battuta's account with many other primary historical sources.
[+] [-] smitty1110|3 years ago|reply
The Travels of Ibn Battuta / A.D. 1325-1354 … / Volume IV / The translation completed with annotations by C. F. Beckingham / 1994.
Found that listed on the Hakluyt Society's website, which published a edition of the Cambridge volumes for their members. It appears they worked to complete the translation in the 90's.
[+] [-] robga|3 years ago|reply
Isn’t this all true today?
[+] [-] omeid2|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] shrubble|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] csomar|3 years ago|reply
China. A surveillance state since the 1300s.
/jk of course
[+] [-] robga|3 years ago|reply
Such a fascinating character. IIRC there is great scepticism that he went as far east as claimed, and that the China adventure may have been mostly fabricated. Echoes of Marco Polo. Anyone know more recent studies of the veracity of his claimed journeys?
[+] [-] dang|3 years ago|reply
Ibn Battuta and his adventure - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16687689 - March 2018 (38 comments)
[+] [-] wodenokoto|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] csomar|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] GalenErso|3 years ago|reply
> Turns out mainly because he was a scholar of fiqh and was therefore in considerable demand wherever he went. Ibn Battuta has stayed to work as a Qadi in several places along the way; this means that you really get a broad sense of the politics and the people in each destination.
> Other than that, it is likely because the Muslim faith inspired people to give money and gifts to travelers. And because Ibn Battuta was a student and eventually a famed traveler, he received many gifts and honors.
[+] [-] aliswe|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] f5ve|3 years ago|reply
Like Marco Polo, he likely either fabricated portions of his travels or retold others' stories as his own.
Not that his works weren't immensely valuable to posterity.
[+] [-] mkoubaa|3 years ago|reply
The medieval version of "Pics or it didn't happen"
Or
We have documented evidence that you never went there