Ibn Battuta And Islam : The Rise Of Islam

Pre-Islamic Arabia was a culture knit together by kinship. In this society there was no emperor or ruling elite. The people of pre-Islamic Arabia were bound together by nomadic tribes who made profit by trading and most importantly “raiding”. These raids were often described as small-scale warfare and were instrumented by tribal leaders in order to increase the wealth and power of the tribe (Gordon 5). This was the society in which Islam came to power. Warfare and raiding were essential in order to be successful in pre-Islamic Arabia. The integration of warfare into the Islamic religion created a similarity among Muslims, those who follow Islam, and non-Islamic Arabian people. This relationship and common interest established by the prophet Muhammad helped in the rise of Islam among non-Islamic

Mansa Musa and Ibn Battuta have been claimed as one of the most influential travelers of all time. Mansa Musa was the emperor of the Mali Empire during the 14th century. He became emperor around 1307 to 1312. He was a devoted Muslim. He is famous for many things such as his Hajj experience, his extreme wealth and spending. Mansa Musa helped the spread of Islam. Ibn Battuta was a Moroccan explorer. He is known for his long journey called the Rihla. He travelled for nearly 30 years and covered most of the Islamic world. He was also considered the greatest traveler of the medieval period. Ibn Battuta started at age 21 when he went on the Hajj and visited every Muslim country on the journey. He recorded details about the social and political life he witnessed. There are many similarities and differences in achievements of Mansa Musa and Ibn Battuta during the medieval period. Mansa Musa and Ibn Battuta had very similar successes during the medieval period being that they were both of Islamic faith and were also great travelers as they both traveled to Mecca for the Hajj. However, of the many things they had in common one big difference was that Mansa Musa and Ibn Battuta had different profession in their society’s. They share some of the same qualities as well as differences such as traveling to many different continents and their very different professions.

Unlike Ghana, the Mali Empire was dominated by Islam, due to the widespread Islamic merchants and conversions that occurred in during kingdoms. This is significant because it demonstrates that goods weren’t the sole exchange and that religion was able to penetrate West Africa and impact the native people. The main motive for this mass adaptation of Islam as the dominant religion stems from strategic aims, from previous kingdoms, to diminish possible attacks from Muslim territories across the Sahara. This created alliance between Mali and other Arab powers, “the might of the [Mali] Empire was such that the Arabs at times called on it for military aid” (Diop, 93). This was extremely beneficial for Mali because it was the premier power of antiquity, and also had progressive relationships with other Islamic kingdoms throughout the world.

Musa, a heartfelt Muslim built multiple mosques across grounds that in some way were influenced by the political and religious existence of Mali; additionally, his pilgrimage journey to Mecca earned him recognition across both as historical records well as then-contemporary. This was done not only through his widespread wealth and relationship with sultan of Egypt, Al-Nasir Muhammed, but also because of his genuine kindness. Musa gave up a large portion of his wealth to numerous cities which he visited, and was reported to have built a Mosque each Friday in many of the cities he stopped at 6. Mansa Musa transformed Timbuktu into one of the world’s most recognized cultural centers. Being Muslim, this put him in a primary position to make Muslim influence tangible over the province, and with a single city playing the role as a focal point for Islamic influence, it soon dispersed over many other regions as

Mali: Gold and Salt trade; reached its peak in 14th century; Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage to Mecca; Islam

Mansa Musa, also known as Kanka Musa, ruled the West African empire of Mali. He gained political and cultural power. Under his reign, Mali expanded its territories and strengthened its control of West Africa’s salt and gold trades. Mansa Musa expanded trade and territory, had religious tolerance, and made a pilgrimage to Mecca.

How did all of the scholars, government bureaucrats, merchants, and architects and Mansa Musa’s wealth contribute to Mali becoming a site of cultural exchange and what were the effects of them going to Mali? Because of the massive amount of gold that Mansa Musa had, he was able to create people to construct mosques and universities. “Mansas also used their wealth to build mosques and madrassas in the cities. One of the major trade cities of Mali was Timbuktu” (Ucdavis). As a result of Mansa Musa large amount of money, he used a large portion of it to build mosques, religious centers, and universities, learning centers. These buildings are a result of Mansa Musa’s wealth. Mosques, or religious center were a place where religion was spread and people were free worship whichever god(s) they wanted.

Mansa Musa ruled over one kingdom that had both traditional and Islamic culture. Mansa Musa was the most important of the Muslim Negro Kings. He ruled over many countries that made up his entire empire. Mansa Musa was able to rule over Mali fairly, with both traditional and Islamic Cultures, and still have peace as well.

After the conquest of Constantinople in 1453, Islam, then the official religion of the Ottoman Empire, gained heavy importance. The highest position in Islam, the caliphate, was a position to be held by the sultan, after the Mamluks — young slaves of the Abbasids forced into military — reached their defeat. The sultan was to be a devout and honest Muslim to lead as caliph.

A group of pilgrims going on Hajj. People on Hajj, circling the Ka’aba as part of their ritual.

Many Islamic beliefs determined the nature of average Muslim citizens in the early Muslim empires.  The religion of Islam began with one faith-driven individual named Muhammad, who laid the foundation in which a large and expanding empire would be built on. In the beginning, Muhammad had gained only a few loyal followers, but once he had gained control of the prominent city of Mecca, thousands of converts were led to the monotheistic religion of Islam. After Muhammad’s death, his revelations

Ibn Battuta traveled 73,000 miles in 30 years through 40 countries. He stayed in palaces, fought great battles, and kept a detailed travel log called, "The Journey". This Moraccan lawyer also explored places that were not know by many people. His faith was the most important thing to him, so his Sufi ideas shaped his travel. He took his first pilgrimage when he was 21, but didn't return home for 24 years. When he came back, his parents were dead and his land was under threat from invaidors. Much of his army was killed by the black death, and people believed that it spread through air. Ibn Battuta then went to Granada, which now has been converted to a church. His legacy lives on through "The Journey" and a mall in Dubai inspired by his travels.

Ibn Battuta’s remarks of his travels say a great deal about his own culture and norms. Almost every place he travels to he brings up women and how they are treated, as well as what their status is in that society. He is also very amused with the décor of the buildings in terms of gold and silver decorations. It seems as though he does not come from a wealthy society or his family is not on the wealthy status level. Battuta also seems to bring up the cleanliness of each area he travels to.

“A traveler in this country carries no provisions, whether plain food or seasonings, and neither gold nor silver.”

After Ibn Battuta returned to Fez in 1354, Abu Inan Faris, the sultan of Morrocco, listened to his report on Mali as well as his other adventures and ordered him to stay in Fez. The sultan wanted to have these stories written down for the amusement of his family and others. So Ibn Battuta was commanded to dictate an account of the cities which he had seen in his travel, and of the interesting events which had clung to his memory, and of the rulers of countries whom he had met.