Riḥlah
رحلةDefinition
Journey or travelogue — the Arabic literary genre to which Ibn Battuta's account belongs. More than a simple travel diary, the rihla was an established form of Islamic scholarship that recorded geography, culture, religious practice, scholarly networks, and personal encounters, preserving a world that would otherwise be lost to history. The genre arose partly from the Islamic obligation to seek knowledge — the rihla fi talab al-'ilm (journey in pursuit of knowledge) was a recognised and honoured practice among Muslim scholars. Ibn Battuta's Rihla stands as the genre's masterpiece, covering more of the world with greater detail than any comparable work in any medieval language.
As understood in the classical tradition of Ibn Battuta and the scholars of his school.
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