When Ibn Fadlan reaches Khwarazm, he first describes the weather. It is incredibly cold because of winter, which he admits to being warned about, and yet he still travels to the city of Khawarzm via boat. In fact, he writes, “it was impossible to travel all day because of the intense cold,” (6).

Once he arrives in Khwarazm, Ibn Fadlan goes directly to see the ruler of the “town, the Khwarazm Shah Muhammad ibn ‘Iraq,” who lodges him in a house (7). Three days later, Ibn Fadlan is “summoned” to discuss his intent to visit the land of the Turks, which Ibn ‘Iraq is strictly against and refuses Ibn Fadlan permission. He claims that “this is all a trick” and that “between the country of which you speak and where you are now, there are a thousand tribes of unbelievers,” (7). Ibn Fadlan continues to request permission to continue, which eventually, Ibn ‘Iraq grants, however reluctantly.

While still on the topic of Khwarazm, Ibn Fadlan briefly mentions the monetary systems of the city as well as the language, which he describes as sounding like “the cries of starlings” as well as the language of a nearby village in which ‘their speech sounds exactly like the croaking of frogs,” (8). Ibn Fadlan also finds it prudent to mention that these people “deny the legitimacy of the Commander of the Faithful…at the end of each prayer” (8).

The tie between religion and safety is evident in this passage, particularly in the statement of Ibn ‘Iraq when he warns Ibn Fadlan of the “thousand tribes of unbelievers” he would have to travail in order to continue his journey. The juxtaposition of Ibn Fadlan’s journey as a “trick” paired with the statement and reasoning that he cannot continue because of these “unbelievers” suggests that there is danger in passing through a territory of non-Muslims, especially for a Muslim traveler such as Ibn Fadlan. This also implies that there is an assumed level of safety guaranteed by passing through Muslim territory. Not only does this statement on behalf of the ruler of Khwarazm signify unity and cohesion within the Islamic Empire, but it also illustrates the fear of other, non-Muslim religions. The view of the “unbelievers” is rooted in both a fear of those not like themselves as well as a degraded, prejudiced view of those who are not Muslim. Though we later learn that Ibn Fadlan fares well in the land of the Turks, both Ghuzz and Bashghird, there is the underlying sense of fear and judgment that he carries with him, based almost exclusively on religious practices and cultural differences that directly or indirectly oppose those of Islam.

Ironically, though, Ibn Fadlan likens the language of the Khwarazm people to the sounds of animals, both starlings and frogs, displaying a degree of disrespect for them, despite the presumed alliance between himself and their ruler. He describes them as “the most barbarous of people, both in speech and customs,” and although we do get a description of what he finds so “barbarous” in their speech, he gives us no hints towards customs, so one can only imagine that he is referring to their denial of “the legitimacy of the Commander of the Faithful…at the end of each prayer,” (7, 8). This perception would fall in line with Ibn Fadlan’s trend of disregarding people who do not practice the same rites that he hold dear, and even a small difference such as this leads him to label them as “barbarous.”