What did Ibn Battuta see in Granada?
Ibn Battuta crossed to al-Andalus late in his travels and recorded Granada under the Nasrids, its scholars and its gardens.
8 passages from 2 books in the library
When Ibn Battuta entered Granada its king was Sultan Abu al-Hajaj Yusuf, whom he did not meet because of the Sultan's illness; the Sultan's mother sent him gold dinars. He met the judge Abu al-Qasim al-Husayni al-Sabti and the preacher Abu Abdullah al-Bayani, and spent several days at the zawiyah of the jurist Abu Ali Umar ibn al-Mahruk outside the city, visiting with him the Ribat al-Aqab on a mountain about eight miles away. He notes many poor Persians had settled in Granada because it resembled their homeland. He went on to Malaga and Ronda.
Drawn from the classical sources below — in the scholars' own words.
The classical approach.
These passages are drawn from 2 books by Ibn Battuta — part of the classical Sunni tradition that carries over a thousand years of reflection on the Qurʾān, the authentic Sunnah, and the consensus of the early community. Nothing below is a paraphrase. The words are the scholars' own, translated from the original Arabic manuscripts.
14th century · Tangier, Morocco
The Riḥlah — a 30-year, 75,000-mile journey across three continents, and the most important travel account of the pre-modern world.
More on Ibn Battuta →
· Provenance →
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"mosque at the top of Rab Najd outside of Granada, connected to Mount Sabiqa. He was a sheikh to the adherents among the poor. In Granada, there are numerous poor Persians who settled there due to its resemblance to their homeland, among them, Hajj Abu Abdullah Samarkandi, Hajj Ahmad Tabrizi, Hajj Ibrahim Kanawi, Hajj Hussain Khorasani, and the two Hajjas Ali and Rashid al-Hindia, among others. Then I traveled from Granada to Al-Hama, then to Velez, then to Malaga, and then to the fortress of Daquan, a beautiful fort abundant with water, trees, and fruits. From there I journeyed to Ronda, and then to the village of Banu"
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"among them, the jurist Abu Ali Umar, son of the righteous, pious Sheikh Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn al-Mahruk. I spent several days at his zawiyah, spiritual retreat outside Granada, and he honored me most graciously. I accompanied him to visit the renowned and blessed zawiyah, known as the Ribat al-Aqab. An aqab is a mountain overlooking the outskirts of Granada, about eight miles away, adjacent to the ruined city of Al-Bayda. I also met his nephew, the jurist Abu al-Hassan Ali ibn Ahmad ibn al-Mahruk, at his zawiyah attributed to the mosque at the top of Rab Najd outside of Granada, connected to Mount Sabiqa. He was a sheikh"
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"Ibn Juzay said, Were it not for the fear of being accused of bias, I would have elaborated extensively on describing Granada, yet what is well known like its fame does not need extended description. As our master Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Shirin al-Basti, a resident of Granada, aptly said, God bless the diverse beauty of Granada that delights the sad and shelters the outcast. My companion became weary when he saw its snowy landscapes turn cold again. It is the frontier, may God protect its inhabitants, and what good is a frontier that does not remain cool?"
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"turn cold again. It is the frontier, may God protect its inhabitants, and what good is a frontier that does not remain cool? The king of Granada when I entered it was Sultan Abu al-Hajaj Yusuf ibn Sultan Abu al-Walid Ismail ibn Faraj ibn Ismail ibn Yusuf ibn Nasser. I did not meet him due to his illness. His virtuous, righteous mother sent me gold dinars, which I benefited from. In Granada I met several of its distinguished individuals, including the prestigious and eloquent judge of the community, Abu al-Qasim Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Husayni al-Sabti, the scholar and preacher, Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Bayani, and its scholar and"
14th century · Tangier, Morocco
The Riḥlah — a 30-year, 75,000-mile journey across three continents, and the most important travel account of the pre-modern world.
More on Ibn Battuta →
· Provenance →
-
"Instead, it is entrusted with the prominent members of his community until its rightful owner comes forward. This nobleman, Abu Gura, has a brother named Qasim who resided in Granada for a period. There, he married the daughter of the nobleman, Abu Abdullah ibn Ibrahim, known as the Maqi. Later, he moved to Gibraltar, where he lived until he was martyred in Wadi Qura near Al-Ghasiris."
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"the jurist Abu Umar ibn al-Walid ibn al-Hajj al-Tijibi, originally from Cordoba but born in Granada, residing in Damascus, and alternating the role of imam with his brother. May Allah have mercy on them. The Hanafi imam at that time was the jurist Imad ad-Din al-Hanafi, known as Ibn al-Rumi, a prominent Sufi, who also served as the leader of the Kanka al-Kanutiya, as well as having a kanka in the upper sharaf. The Hanbali imam at that time was Sheikh Abdullah the Blind, one of the senior Quran reciters in Damascus."
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"At the time, I was twenty-two years old." Ibn Juzay states, Abu Abdullah informed me in Granada that he was born in Tangier on Monday, the seventeenth of Rajab in the year 703. My journey began in the days of the commander of the faithful and defender of the faith, the warrior in the path of the Lord of the worlds, whose generosity's news and the might of his chain of transmission are widespread."
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"returned without completing my circumambulation. I laid my cloak on the ground and walked upon it until I reached the colonnade. At that time in Mecca was the minister and elder of Granada, Abu al-Qasim Muhammad bin Muhammad bin the jurist Abu al-Hassan bin Malik al-Azdi, who circumambulated 70 circuits each week, except during the oppressive midday heat."
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