Ibn Battuta Visits Mecca

PerformingtheHajjpilgrimageWesawbeforeoureyestheillustriousKaaba,likeabridedisplayedonthebridalchairofmajestyandtheproudmantlesofbeauty....Wemadetheseven-foldcirculationofarrivalandkissedtheHoly[Black]Stone.WeperformedtheprayeroftwobowingsattheStationofAbrahamandclungtothecurtainsoftheKaababetweenthedoorandtheBlackStone,whereprayerisanswered.WedrankofthewaterofthewellofZamzamwhich,ifyoudrinkitseekingrestorationfromillness,Godrestoresyou;ifyoudrinkitforsatiationfromhunger,Godsatisfiesyou;ifyoudrinkittoquenchyourthirst,Godquenches

it....PraisebetoGodWhohashonoredusbyvisitationtothisHolyHouse.ThepiouskindnessofthepeopleofMeccaTheinhabitantsofMeccaaredistinguishedbymanyexcellentandnobleactivitiesandqualities,bytheirkindnesstothehumbleandweak,andbytheirkindnesstostrangers.Whenanyofthemmakesafeast,hebeginsbygivingfoodtothosewhoarepoorandwithoutresources.Themajorityoftheseunfortunatesaretobefoundbythebakeries,andwhenanyonehashisbreadbakedandtakesitawaytohishouse,theyfollowhimandhegiveseachoneofthemsomebread,sendingawaynonedisappointed.Evenifhehasbutasingleloaf,hegivesawayathirdorahalfofit,cheerfullyandwithoutanygrudgingness.Thepeopleherearesogenerous.ThecleanlinessofthepeopleofMeccaTheMeccansareveryelegantandcleanintheirdress,andmostofthemwearwhiterobes,whichyoualwaysseefreshandsnowy.Theyuseagreatdealofperfumeandmakefreeuseoftoothpicksofgreenarak-wood.TheMeccanwomenareextraordinarilybeautifulandmodest.Theytoomakegreatuseofperfumestosuchadegreethattheywillspendthenighthungryinordertobuyperfumeswiththepriceoftheirfood.TheyvisitthemosqueeveryThursdaynight,wearingtheirfinestapparel;andthewholesanctuaryissaturatedwiththesmelloftheirperfume.Whenoneofthesewomengoesawaytheodoroftheperfumeclingstotheplaceaftershehasgone.

Ibn Battuta Visits Constantinople (Byzantine Empire) ImpressionsoftheCityThecityisenormousinsize,andintwopartsseparatedbyagreatriver…thecityontheeasternbankoftherivercontainstheresidenceoftheEmperor,thenoblesandtherestofthepopulation.Itsmarketplacesandstreetsarespaciousandpavedwithflagstones;eachmarkethasgateswhicharecloseduponitatnight,andthemajorityoftheartisansandsellersinthemarewomen.Thecityliesatthefootofahillwhichprojectsaboutninemilesintothesea.OnthetopofthehillthereisasmallcitadelandtheEmperor'spalace.Roundthishillrunsthecity-wall,whichisverystrongandcannotbetakenbyassaultfromtheocean.Withinitthereareaboutthirteeninhabitedvillages.Thegreatchurchisinthispartofthecity…

VisitingtheHagiaSophia…OfthegreatchurchIcanonlydescribetheexterior(outside),forIdidnotseeitsinterior(inside).TheycallittheHagiaSophia…ItisoneofthegreatestchurchesoftheGreeks,andisencircledbyawallsothatitlooksasifitwereatown.Ithasthirteengatesandasacredenclosure,whichisaboutamilelongandclosedbyagreatgate.Nooneispreventedfromenteringthisenclosure,andindeedIwentintoitwiththeking'sfather;itresembles

aconcerthallwithmarble,andhasasteamwhichcomesfrombehindtheChurch.Outsidethegateofthishallareplatformsandshops.…Iwastoldthatthenumberofmonksandpriestsinthischurchrunsintothousands…andthatinsidethereisanotherchurchjustforwomenwhereanumberofagedwomenwhodevotethemselvestoreligiouspractices.Itisthecustomoftheking,thenoblesandtherestofthepeopletocomeeverymorningtovisitthischurch…

Ibn Battuta Visits Mal i (West Africa) AGiftFromtheKingofMaliIbnal-Faqihcamehurryingoutofhishousebarefooted,andenteredmyroomsaying,"Standup;herecomesthesultan'sstuffandgifttoyou."SoIstoodupthinking--sincehehadcalledit"stuff"--thatitconsistedofrobesofhonourandmoney,andlo!,itwasthreecakesofbread,andapieceofbeeffriedinnativeoil,andacalabashofsourcurds.WhenIsawthisIburstoutlaughing,andthoughtitamostamazingthingthattheycouldbesofoolishandmakesomuchofsuchapaltrymatter.JudgmenttheCharacterofthePeopleofMaliThenegroespossesssomeadmirablequalities.Theyarefair,andhaveagreaterhateofinjusticethananyotherpeople.Theirsultan(ruler)showsnomercytoanyonewhoisguiltyoftheleastactofit.Thereiscompletesecurityintheircountry.Visitorsandpeoplewholivetherehavenothingtofear.Therearenorobbersormenofviolence.TheReligiousityoftheMaliansTheyarecarefultoobservethehoursofprayeraswell.OnFridays,ifamandoesnotgoearlytothemosque,hecannotfindacornertoprayin,onaccountofhowitcrowdeditgets.Itisacustomoftheirstosendeachboytothemosquewithhisprayer-mat;theboyspreadsitoutforhismasterinaplacebefittinghim[andremainsonit]untilhecomestothemosque.Thisisalmostlikereservingaspottopray.Anotheroftheirgoodqualitiesistheir…desiretolearntheQuranbyheart.Theyputtheirchildreninchainsiftheyshowanybackwardnessinmemorizingit,andtheyarenotsetfreeuntiltheyknowitbyheart.TheNakednessoftheWomenAmongtheirbadqualitiesarethefollowing.Thewomenservants,slave-girls,andyounggirlsgoaboutinfrontofeveryonenaked,withoutastitchofclothingonthem.Womengointotheruler'spresencenakedand

withoutcoverings,andhisdaughtersalsogoaboutnaked.CourtCeremonyofMansaSulaymanThenegroesareofallpeoplethemostsubmissivetotheirkingandthemostabjectintheirbehaviorbeforehim…Ifhesummonsanyofthem…thepersonsummonedtakesoffhisclothesandputsonwornoutgarments,removeshisturbananddonsadirtyskullcap,andenterswithhisgarmentsandtrousersraisedknee-high.Hegoesforwardinanattitudeofhumilityanddejectionandknocksthegroundhardwithhiselbows,thenstandswithbowedheadandbentbacklisteningtowhat[theking]says.Ifanyoneaddressesthekingandreceivesareplyfromhim,heuncovershisbackandthrowsdustoverhisheadandback…likeabathersplashinghimselfwithwater.Iusedtowonderhowitwastheydidnotblindthemselves.Ifthesultandeliversanyremarksduringhisaudience,thosepresenttakeofftheirturbansandputthemdown,andlisteninsilencetowhathesays.