Sharjah International Book Fair reveals the legacy of medieval globetrotter Ibn Battuta’s 700-year-old book, The Rihla, which is still used by historians, linguists, and cultural scholars today. Rihla is an Arabic word that means “journey.”
A discussion at the 41st Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) at Expo Centre Sharjah focused on The Rihla, a 14th-century book by Moroccan adventurer Ibn Battuta.
“It’s a masterpiece, a treasure from which we can learn everything,” said Dr. Claudia Maria Tresso, an Arabic language and literature professor and the translator of The Rihla from Arabic to Italian in 2006.
“Ibn Battuta is one of the greatest medieval travelers of the Muslim world. He has even mentioned the style of fashion in each country. He mingled with the rich and the poor and everyone – he cared about the masses. He was interested in telling the next generation what he saw during his travels.”
Dr. Tresso, who spoke in fluent Arabic throughout the session, added: “He has even written about the problems people were facing, such as the black death. It is very rare in history to find people who are not interested in power or politics. Ibn Battuta’s book focuses on Arab heritage, and researchers from all corners of the world are still using it to learn about Islamic culture.”
Ibn Battuta was born in Tangiers, Morocco, in 1304 and left home in 1325 to make a pilgrimage to Mecca. When he first began traveling, Ibn Battuta resolved to see as many places as possible. It is estimated that he spent nearly 30 years traveling 75,000 miles across Africa, the Middle East, India, and Southeast Asia.
Dr. Layla Al Obaidi, a Tunisian professor of Arabic language and literature, explained a significant difference between a travelogue such as an ordinary voyage and a travelogue such as Ibn Battuta’s ordinary voyage.
She added, “When we read his book, we get anthropological and historical information about that period in time. Ibn Battuta was a globetrotter. His narrative is unique and special; he describes what people are eating and how they are dressing. A true traveler travels from one country to another and conveys everything he sees truthfully.”
The Sharjah International Book Fair was held this year from November 2 to 13.