Category: Ibn Fadlan (Page 2 of 3)

Ibn Fadlan visits Khwarazm after he and his group leave Bukhara. He mostly focuses on the people he encounters here, as opposed to any descriptions of the city itself. Ibn Fadlan describes the meeting he had with the ruler of Khwarazm. He writes, “He showed us honor, admitted us to his presence and lodged us in a house” (Fadlan 7). The ruler was very hospitable and allowed the group to stay in a house. However, a conflict arose when Ibn Fadlan requested that the ruler grant them passage to travel to the land of the Turks. The ruler tells him that he cannot, in good conscience, permit them to go to the land of the Turks because it is too dangerous. The ruler also believed that there was some kind of “trick” involved in all of this, and that they would need to ask the amir to ask the caliph for permission for the group to continue on their journey (Fadlan 7). Eventually, with some convincing and flattery, the ruler was convinced and allowed them to pass through. Ibn Fadlan also describes the people of Khwarazm in a very unflattering way: “The Khwarazm are the most barbarous of people, both in speech and customs” (Fadlan 7). He describes their language and speaking as “the cries of starlings,” meaning that it is hard on the ear and the equivalent of a squawking bird (Fadlan 7). He also denotes their currency, the tazja, and claims that they are “false, adulterated with lead of bronze” (Fadlan 7). He believes that this currency is inadequate and continues to compare it with his own currency, the dirham. 

Ibn Fadlan arrived in Khwarazm in mid-to-late 921. He left after about a week due to the amount of time it took for him to convince the ruler to carry on with their journey to the land of the Turks. Ibn Fadlan and his group arrived at Khwarazm from Bukhara by boat. They travelled across the river and in “intense cold” for many days (Fadlan 6). Once they got to Khwarazm, they stayed in a house provided by the ruler of Khwarazm. They eventually left Khwarazm by boat and went to Jurjaniya. 

Ibn Fadlan, the writer, clearly demonstrates his purpose for this journey and for whom this book was intended: the caliph who sent him on this mission to spread his faith to the land of the Turks. Ibn Fadlan intently describes his conflict with the Khwarazm Shah Muhammad ibn Iraq, the ruler of Khwarazm, and does not fail to boost his own image while simultaneously questioning the ruler’s thoughts and opinions. Ibn Fadlan quotes the ruler, “‘The caliph has been misled in all of this…You must write to the noble amir, so that he can get in touch with the caliph – may God strengthen him! – by letter’” (Fadlan 7). Ibn Fadlan specifically writes down that the ruler thinks that the caliph is being fooled, which the caliph will not look kindly on. He is a powerful ruler and commands respect from all, which is why Ibn Fadlan also incorporates the “may God strengthen him!” message every time the caliph is mentioned throughout conversations. However, Ibn Fadlan highlights the fact that he has a letter from the caliph that approves of the continuation of this journey: “‘Here are the orders of the Commander of the Faithful and his letter. Why refer to him again on this subject?’” (Fadlan 7). This portrays Ibn Fadlan as someone who trusts the caliph’s word and does not want to waste his time, which is how an employee would like to be viewed by their boss. Ibn Fadlan wants the caliph to know that he is focused on his task and that he is honoring the caliph every step of the way. He does not shy away from sacrificing others’ images in the eyes of the caliph to promote his own. He wants this record of information about his journey to reflect what a great job he did on behalf of the caliph.

The first major stop that Ibn Fadlan describes is his caravan’s stay in Bukhara. This is a settlement some miles away from the Jayhun river (Amu Darya). Ibn Fadlan must cross the Amul desert via camel and rent a boat to cross the river. He then stays in Baykand before finally ending up in Bukhara (4).

                  The nature of their stay is different from their other stops (which are primarily utilized to rest and recharge). Ibn Fadlan and his caravan are expecting to meet Ahmad Ibn Musa during the first few days of their stay in Bukhara. The Amir, Nasr ibn Ahmad, is supposed to give the money (taken from a Fadl Ibn Musa’s estate due to a form of legal action) to Ahmad Ibn Musa so the caravan can bring it to the King of the Bulghars (5). However, Ibn Fadlan waits for twenty-eight days, and Ahmad Ibn Musa never shows up, so the caravan must carry on because of the weather.

                  While in Bukhara, Ibn Fadlan does not mention much about the place or the people. He does, however, write about the money in Bukhara: “I saw different kinds of dirhams in Bukhara, some called ghitrifidirhams, made of copper, brass and bronze” (6). He says this form of money is used to pay marriage dowries and the selling of slaves and property. He iterates this in a neutral way; however, he does mention that the coins are “counted out, without being weighed” (6). This remark makes Ibn Fadlan come off as skeptical like he does not trust this method of payment. Considering he is encountering this different form of payment for the first time, he could have added this passage to inform others (the Caliph and anyone else who may read his writing) and exercise caution around new coinage as it may not be exact in worth. Additionally, Ibn Fadlan’s interest in the coinage of Bukhara is likely because the caravan stopped there to collect a sum of money and failed. Therefore, he writes about the money and its possible fraudulence as a mode of defense.

                  In this passage as a whole, Ibn Fadlan is very detailed when talking about meeting with the Amir and what happened to Ahmad Ibn Musa (he gets captured by people working for Fadl Ibn Musa). He is also very certain of himself when reiterating what happened to Ahmad Ibn Musa (despite the likelihood that he did not find out Ibn Musa’s fate for some time) using phrases like “in fact” and “he wrote as follows” (5). Ibn Fadlan’s purpose for this could be to defend himself and his caravan from retaliation from the Caliph or the King of the Bulghars due to their failure to obtain the money. Ibn Fadlan writes that he was told, “If we stay any longer, winter will come and we will not be able to travel” (6). For the sake of the mission as a whole, the caravan had to leave. Ibn Fadlan is making sure to write this down; they had no other choice, and they did all they could.

Ibn Fadlān. Ibn Fadlān and the Land of Darkness: Arab Travelers in the Far North.Translated by Paul Lunde, Penguin Classic, 2012.

Map Link:

Category key:

The different icons correspond to the category I selected for each location, which describes Ibn Fadlan’s experience with that location. 

The star icon – Mark Ibn Fadlan’s home and destination for this journey. 

The bed icon – Places where Ibn Fadlan and his group only visited because they needed to break up the trip, and did not do much more than sleep. 

The lightning bolt icon – The places where Ibn Fadlan faced difficulties.

The walking icon – Locations where Ibn Fadlan and his group passed through to get to the next location. 

Mapping Link: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1KkXuoGbWTl7zwncmnP96q1LLvaqz4sc&usp=sharing

Key For Categories

Link to map 

Map color Key:

Red=Major locations that have been detailed in depth/own sections:

Baghdad: Where he begins,

Bakhara: Where he stops and gives a first look into another culture

Khwarazm(Kath): Where he gives his second account of Culture

Bulghar: His end location, where he spends a great amount of time discussing their culture and conversion.

Blue=Locations that are mentioned with some detail (about their journey, not these places’ cultures):

Rayy: We learn that they waited for Ahmad ibn (they were in the wrong location)

Jit: They got stuck due to the snow and had to stay for two days so their camels could walk through the snow

Yellow=Locations that are mentioned in passing with no additional information:

Nishapur: The only information is that they made it here with the concealed caravan, but no additional trip info is given (no time, no weather, etc.)

Sarakhs: Absolutely no information is given

Nahrawan: We only know they stayed one day

Simnan: Once again, no information is given

Ibn Fadlan, on his trip to Bulghar, stops in Khwarazm, where he makes many comments on these people’s customs and culture. Fadlan started his journey in Baghdad, setting out for Bulghar. His total trip length to get to and from Bulghar was about a year and a half. According to the provided map, it was a little over 900 miles to get to Khwarazm from Baghdad. We know it took at least forty-one days to reach Khwarazm, but it most likely took longer (as Fadlan only gives information about how long he stayed in each place, not the travel time). Fadlan doesn’t state exactly how long he stayed in Khwarazm, but we know it was at least three days. In his journey to Khwarazm, we know he was accompanied by a “caravan”; the exact number of people he traveled with is not known. He states they took a boat to Khwarazm; they hired a boat to go up the river, which I assume means someone else was steering the boat. He states that it was so cold they had to break up the trip into multiple days. We don’t know how long this boat ride lasted, but he stated it was “200 farsakhs” from where they rented the boat (6).

            Khwarazm is one of the only places in his travels where we get a glimpse of his lodging situation. Fadlan states that when they arrived in Khwarazm, they went to find the “ruler of the town.” (7) The ruler allowed them to stay in a house in the town. “He admitted us to his presence and lodged us in a house” (7). He describes no other aspect of the house he stays in. We know the weather was very cold on the boat trip to Khwarazm; however, he states that the cold lasted until Khwarazm. Fadlan doesn’t give any other information about the weather there. However, the statement about the cold ending at Khwarazm shows it had to be warmer than on the river.

            In Khwarazm, Fadlan heavily focuses on the coinage and the language of the people; Basically, neglecting any other information about this place. He tells the names of their money: Ki’ab, Dawamat, and Tazja’s. He compares their money directly to his own currency. He states that their Tazja is equivalent to the Dirham. He also reports on the weight of the Tazja, which is four and a half Danaqs; a Danaq was a unit of mass and a kind of currency. When discussing the language, he only passes judgment on the way they speak, rather than giving details about their language. They say that their language sounds like “ the cries of starlings.” (8) This is the only statement he makes regarding their language.

            As stated in the last post, Fadlan was working for the Calif in a position where he was attempting to convert the people he came in contact with. His audience is the calif who is of the opinion that all these people are bad and different. In this, we see Fadlan pass judgment on the people he encounters. His descriptions of language are quite rude throughout his accounts. He also compares all of their currency in terms he is familiar with. This makes sense as the frame of reference that his audience has is less broad than Fadlan’s. The best way to convey his discoveries is in terms his audience understands. The last thing Fadlan tells us about the Khwarazm people is their disbelief in the “ legitimacy of the commander of the faithful.” (8) In other places, he spends a lot of time discussing their religious practices and beliefs. In Khwarazm, however, he spends one sentence describing their beliefs. To me, this shows that he throws in that information for the sake of the Calif, rather than including it because he is personally perturbed. In Khwarazm, Fadlan is fairly nice about their culture and customs. The farther north he gets, the more judgmental he becomes, which makes sense as that is consistent with the Islamic view of the world at this time. In Khwarazm, he isn’t that judgmental, presumably because it is more southern.

On pages eight through ten, Ibn Fadlan records his time in Jujānīya which is located near the Jayhún river and “fifty farsakhs” from Khwārazm when traveling on the river (7). Ibn Fadlan and his group stay in Jurjānīya for many days before the river began to freeze. Once this happens, they are stuck for about three months here. He relates the months as those of “Rajab” (the end of said month) “Sha’ban, Ramadān and Shawwāl,” and records that it was around “the middle of the month of Shawwāl 309/ February 922” that they were able to finally leave (8-9).

            During their three months stay, Ibn Fadlan focuses largely on the weather, He is very specific about the cold weather. He says the Jayhún river was covered in “ice [that] was seventeen spans thick” and that “when snow falls, it is always accompanied by a rough and violent wind” (8).

            He seems relatively indifferent about the specific people in this region. He does not say anything judgmental nor very descriptive of who they are. Although, he does mention that they were friendly. He records the prices of their firewood. He only mentions two customs. One being that when a person wants to invite a person over out of gratitude they say, “Come to my house where we can talk, for there is a good fire there” (8). Additionally, it is custom that the beggars in this area just walk right into the houses and warm up before asking for food. Ibn Fadlan also writes of a story he heard about two men forgetting their tools to make a fire, so after a night in the cold, their camels died (9).

            Ibn Fadlan, in this section, does relay information about his own experience with the cold in Jujānīya, most of which are negative. He says his beard froze after he washed. He says his lodgings were “a house, inside which was another, inside which was a Turkish felt tent” and despite these precautions and the addition of many blankets, his face froze to the fabric of his pillow (9). Ibn Fadlan also details the vegetation, specifically trees, breaking in half from the cold.

            When he and his companions leave, they gather enough food for three months, some camels, and boats made from the skin of camels to make their journey. Additionally, they must dawn “a tunic,” “caftan,” “a cloak of sheepskin,” “a felt outer garment, with a head covering,” “ a plain pair of trousers and another padded pair, socks, horse-hide boots and over those boots, other boots” (9-10).

            This entire section entirely relates back to the freezing weather Ibn Fadlan is experiencing. Every detail, custom, and experience he mentions can be tied to the weather. While there is very little emotion in his words, it is clear he is dismayed and bewildered by the extent of the cold weather. He even expresses disbelief with the amount of clothes they needed to wear to leave this region and that it was “twice as bad as [he] had been told” (9). His indication of seeing the cold’s effect on nature showcases his growing fear: “I saw the Earth split” (9).

            In class, we talked about the climes, and how the further north one travel’s the closer to hell they get (in Islamic belief at that time). Hell is bad and cold. It is also where the dangerous tribes of Gog and Magog are trapped behind a wall. In this section Ibn Fadlan says this experience was “a gate to the cold of hell” (8). He believes he is approaching more danger than just the weather with his continued journey. This predisposes his later thoughts of the Ghuzz Turks to already be negative, because it is cold, and he is closer to hell. Additionally, Ibn Fadlan is only about halfway through his journey to Bulghar. Which means, he believes his journey and the climate are only going to get worse (and they are already bad). Overall, there are slightly sarcastic/dismayed undertones to this section which is likely a message to the Caliph expressing how much worse Ibn Fadlan’s journey is going to get, and how he is very upset about it.

Ibn Fadlān. Ibn Fadlān and the Land of Darkness: Arab Travelers in the Far North. Translated by Paul Lunde, Penguin Classic, 2012.

Between pages 11 and 21 of the text, Ibn Fadlan describes his encounter with the Ghuzz Turks. The overall location of this section is unknown, however, he describes having left a place called Jīt before this section begins, and he mentions crossing a river called the Yaghindī (which does not appear on the map) and another called Jām (which is shown on the map). Since Ibn Fadlan describes the Ghuzz Turks as being nomadic, the lack of specified town or territory makes sense as they would be in constant movement across the land (11). He also walks through the territory encountering different groups of Turks throughout this section (although they are all under the same rule).

                  Ibn Fadlan focuses heavily on the customs of the Ghuzz Turks. He records his disgust of their lack of washing. He is similarly dismayed that “their women do not veil themselves” (12). Both situations he experienced as a first-hand account, although, most of the information he is reiterating from another unknown source. The most prevalent themes of their culture he discusses are marriage, punishment, and responsibility. He also discusses religion with their leader and a few of the people. Interestingly, he specifically mentions the gifts he gives the leaders. Ināl, the first leader, is given “a caftan (…), a piece of cloth [pay-baf], round loaves of bread, a handful of raisins and a hundred walnuts” (17). Later on Tarkhan is gifted “a robe of honour” and the others, “pepper, millet and round loaves of bread” (21).

                  There are few physical aspects of Ibn Fadlan’s actual journey within this region. The first authority figure they meet is Ināl, but they do not seem to stay very long. The next stop they run into a Turk who refuses to let them continue until they gift him bread. Their final stop is with Atrak, “the commander of their troops,” and his location is past the end of their territory (19). They get stuck here due to the distrust of Atrak and his trusted personnel. They did not believe Ibn Fadlan and his fellow envoys were on a legitimate mission as they had never heard of such a mission before. After seven days, they are allowed to leave. It is mentioned they are travelling on horse and/or camels. Additionally, they are travelling with an interpreter, meaning that there is a language barrier.

                  The sections where Ibn Fadlan is more critical are largely about cleanliness, lack of modesty, and travel. The two former themes coincide with the Islamic practices of ritual washing and women wearing the veil. Ibn Fadlan clearly feels strongly about his faith as a scholar of Islamic law, but he also feels strongly about other people following the rules of Islam. However, in this section he does not record telling the Turks what is considered correct to him. This implies his trip is not necessarily about converting the people as much as the leaders (Atrak receives a letter about conversion). If the leader converts, perhaps it is assumed their people will also convert. Additionally, he is very judgmental about the Ghuzz Turks being nomads. This suggests his dismay with either not settling down or consistent travel. He is on this journey for the Caliph, and it is implied that the Turks have never really encountered many envoys from Baghdad. So, Ibn Fadlan’s journey may be the first of its kind sent out in a long time, and possibly his first travel experience. His disapproval of nomadic lifestyle could be reflective of his own dislike of travel, inexperience, or overall preference of settling in one space.

                  Some of Ibn Fadlan’s remarks are less critical and more descriptive. These are likely updates for the Caliph on the condition of the people under his rule. One thing that specifically sticks out however is the gifts for the leaders. It could be Ibn Fadlan’s written evidence that he is following the Caliph’s orders (if he ordered gifts to be given). Considering the introduction of the travel narrative and Ibn Fadlan’s warning (in reference to the money he and his envoy were unable to secure, in which he writes about the blame not falling on him), it is clear he likes to be meticulous as to remove blame from himself if something goes awry. In this case, it may be for the sake of book keeping and proof that he is carrying out proper customs (providing gifts to leaders).

Citation:

Ibn Fadlān. Ibn Fadlān and the Land of Darkness: Arab Travellers in the Far North. Translated by Paul Lunde, Penguin Classic, 2012.