Author: rices (Page 2 of 2)

During his pilgrimage to the city of Mecca, Ibn Battutah visits the city of Damascus and stays for several weeks during the month of Ramadan. Battutah, both leading up to and during his stay in Damascus, constantly praises the city for its beauty and importance. His narrative especially focuses on the city’s religious nature and the ways in which the Islamic faith influences people, architecture, and culture. Battutah’s status as an Islamic scholar, then, positively affected his time spent in the city as it granted him increased respect and hospitality. During this section of his narrative, Battutah provides insight into the ways which religious customs and beliefs, particularly those of Islam, can act as the foundation of a thriving city.

The first section of Battutah’s narrative while in Damascus describes the Mosque of the Umayyads in terms of its history, its appearance, and its role in the everyday lives of Damascus’s people. He establishes the historical importance and religious power of the mosque by explaining the way it was created. While the building was originally divided into two separate parts, one being a Muslim mosque and the other a Christian church, a group of Muslims eventually invaded the Christian church as in act of service to God and made the entire building a mosque; this invasion showed the combined power of Muslim people and supported the notion that, as His servants, God would lead and protect them (37). The implications associated with the creation of the Mosque of the Umayyads align with Battutah’s religious beliefs about the power and greatness of Islamic people. Battutah shows such admiration towards Damascus and its people because the city’s values so closely align with his own. Referencing this story shows the importance of the Islamic faith in Damascus’s history, which Battutah then connects to the still influental role of Islam in present day Damascus.

After describing the city’s mosque, Battutah goes on to write about the city’s inhabitants and their customs. He notes the generosity of the people and specifically focuses on the large number of endowments given to those in need. Endowments were granted to a wide range of people for a number of reasons, such as,  “[assisting] Pilgrimages… supplying wedding outfits… freeing prisoners… [supporting] travelers… [and] paving the streets” (40). By endowing their money to those in need, the people of Damascus uphold their religious duty to perform good, charitable, and selfless deeds. 

Along with being charitable, Battutah also describes Damacus’s people as being helpful and hospitable. He explains several situations in which the city’s people provide the needy with not only food and shelter, but also with education, occupation, and religious opportunities. People during the medieval era typically viewed vagabonds and people of low economic status in a negative light and treated them poorly, but those in Damascus go against this trend by giving above and beyond what is expected. Similar to the nature of the endowments, these actions align with the guiding principles of Islam and show that the people of Damascus uphold their religious duties. 

Battutah praises these practices for being “the best of good works”, and claims that these good deeds will lead to recognition and rewards from God (40). Through this comment, Battutah shows his approval of the city and its people. He considers Damascus a great city not because of its physical beauty or upstanding universities, but because of the people who live in the city and the pious, charitable nature of these people. This shows that, above all else, Battutah cares about the real-life application and promotion of the Islamic faith.

Ibn-Baṭṭūṭa Muḥammad Ibn-ʿAbdallāh, and Tim Mackintosh-Smith. The Travels of Ibn Battutah. Translated by Gibb Hamilton Alexander Rosskeen, Picador, 2002.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1v_j1_xc2MJ3secg0L-3Cmcfvh6qtxqJO&usp=sharing

Key for Location Icons:

Light Blue Monument-  Battutah stopped at this location and engaged in cultural/religious rituals

Dark Blue Figures Walking- Battutah stopped at this location out of physical necessity

Worksheet: Mapping Modern Map Assignment (1).docx

In his travel narrative, Ibn Battutah describes visiting the city of Jerusalem in 1326 during his pilgrimage to the Holy Mecca. Both during the trek to Jerusalem, which includes a stop in Bethlehem, as well as his week-long stay in the city, Battutah describes the religious monuments he sees and the different ways in which the Islamic and Christian faith perceive the monuments. In this section, the narrator shows his knowledge and devotion to the Islamic faith in a detailed, reverent way that reinforces the general purpose of his pilgrimage to Mecca.

Although the main purpose of Battutah’s journey is to reach Mecca, his detour to Jerusalem shows the ways in which medieval travelers would take advantage of their journey and see as many significant locations as possible. Battutah stops in Bethlehem while traveling via caravan from Ghazza to Jerusalem so that he can see the birthplace of Jesus. This event takes less than a day and does not contribute to Battutah’s main goal of reaching Mecca, but it shows that he is willing to take the time and energy to engage in meaningful, religious experiences whenever possible. Battutah even acknowledges that Jerusalem does not hold the same significance as Mecca, calling it “third in excellence after the two sacred mosques of Mecca… and the place of ascension of the Apostle of God” (26). Although it is not Mecca, Battutah chooses to make the most of his long pilgrimage and takes time to appreciate Jerusalem for what it’s worth. Visiting these smaller, but still important, cities and monuments throughout the pilgrimage shows that it is not only the final destination, but also the journey, that holds significance. Pilgrimages exist as a way to search for spiritual meaning and purpose, which cannot occur unless the journey is emphasized as much as the destination.

Once in the city, Battutah focuses on the physical beauty of religious structures and monuments. His specific word choice praises the creators of the structures in addition to the structures themselves. He claims that the roof of a particularly spectacular mosque shows “the utmost perfection of architecture and skill in execution” while the monument The Dome of the Rock shows “excellent workmanship…and such brilliance of execution as to defy description” (27). Referencing the execution and workmanship of these beautiful buildings shows that Battutah respects not only the monuments and their spiritual significance, but also the laborers who made these feats possible. Battutah does not ignore or take for granted the work of other people, and instead highly praises it. He does not let his religious status get in the way of his spiritual obligations, so he remains mindful and modest when regarding the work of others.

Throughout this section of his narrative, Battutah references several overlaps between the Christian and Islamic faith. He notes that both religions recognize Bethlehem as the birthplace of Jesus, and that they both have religious monuments in Jerusalem regarding the ascension of religious figures. Battutah does not describe the Christian beliefs in a negative way, but he still claims that the Christian faith “lies and persuades” its followers to believe in untrue sentiments. (28). It is surprising how Battutah acknowledges the differences in Christian and Islamic faith, claiming his faith as superior, without attacking Christianity. Other religious travelers of the time negatively looked upon foreigners or those with different religious beliefs, but Battutah does not engage in this practice. Once again, this shows that he not only promotes, but also practices, the notions of respect and kindness within the Islamic faith. 

Ibn-Baṭṭūṭa Muḥammad Ibn-ʿAbdallāh, and Tim Mackintosh-Smith. The Travels of Ibn Battutah. Translated by Gibb Hamilton Alexander Rosskeen, Picador, 2002.

During Ibn Battutah’s pilgrimage to the Holy House in Mecca, he spent a considerable amount of time in Alexandria (al-Iskandariyah), Egypt, to explore the city and its culture. Battutah arrived on April 5, 1326, via a travel caravan from Tunis, and he stayed in Alexandria for several weeks. This section of Battutah’s travel narrative reflects his interest in the city’s culture, both via descriptions of cultural monuments as well as descriptions of the individuals with whom he interacted. He frequently expresses extreme awe towards the city from a visual, economic, and social perspective, and relays several positive experiences during his time there.

Battutah’s positive attitude towards Alexandria is first shaped by its beautiful and practical visual features. He specifically focuses on the city’s architecture, as it is not only visually appealing but also has aspects of functionality. The city includes a large citadel, secular buildings, religious edifices, and an impressive sea port. While describing the various structures in the city, he claims that they are built “in the way of embellishment and embattlement” that reflect “architectural perfection”(6). Battutah’s use of the word “embellishment” refers to the physical beauty of the city’s structures, while “embattlement” focuses on their strength and functionality. With his word choice,  Battutah does not appreciate outward beauty without simultaneously considering its rational purpose. This reflects Battutah’s cultural values as a practicing Muslim; members of the Islamic faith express disdain towards waste and extravagance, so it makes sense for Battutah to justify Alexandria’s outward beauty and extravagance with its practicality and purpose. 

While describing the city’s architecture, Battutah goes on to explain the structure and purpose of the city’s port. He credits some of the port’s success to its well-built structure, but also considers Alexandria’s geographic location as a key factor to its success. He refers to the city and its port as a mediator between the East and the West, indicating its vital role in the world of trade, communication, and travel. When describing the city as a whole, Battutah focuses on the man-made features; when describing the port, however, he references the man-made features as well as the geographical features in relation to the city’s success. The narrator’s shift in description shows that Alexandria’s success, especially in regards to trade, communication, and travel, relies on civilization competence just as much as geographic luck. For cities to thrive, they need to be in an economically beneficial location; this was especially true in the medieval ages because limited knowledge and resources made it more difficult to overcome limiting geographic features.

Battutah’s narrative also describes his interactions with the citizens of Alexandria. He considers all of the city’s people to be friendly and hospitable, but mainly interacts and describes his time spent with other educated, religious individuals such as Burhan al-Din the Lame and Shaikh Yaqut al-Habashi. In his narrative, Battutah describes these two individuals based on those with whom they interact. For example, he explains how Burhan al-Din the Lame has family in India and China, and mentions that Shaikh Yaqut al-Habashi has relations with a famous saint named Abul Hasan al-Shadhili (9). Describing people based on their relation to other people supports the trend of network communication via word of mouth. The limited nature of medieval travel and communication made it so that networks of “people who know people who know people” could be used to communicate. So, while interacting with Burhan al-Din the Lame and Shaikh Yaqut al-Habashi, Battutah also learns about other people and places to visit. This information is incredibly influential, as it actually leads Battutah to alter the trajectory of his journey to visit a pious figure known by Shaikh Yaqut al-Habashi. Because all of this information is delivered via word of mouth, though, its accuracy and truthfulness inherently comes into question. Errors can easily occur when people speak to each other, yet Battutah does not address this potential issue. It remains unclear whether this is due to ignorance or acceptance of his inability to solve the issue. 

Ibn-Baṭṭūṭa Muḥammad Ibn-ʿAbdallāh, and Tim Mackintosh-Smith. The Travels of Ibn Battutah. Translated by Gibb Hamilton Alexander Rosskeen, Picador, 2002.