Introduction
The primary source chosen for the discussion is focused on the Holy Sites of Jerusalem, written by Ibn Battuta. At the beginning of the 14th century, Ibn Battuta, a Muslim researcher from North Africa, traveled by water and land over a significant portion of the region (Gomez 145). Ibn Battuta wrote about his journeys after they were accomplished, including information regarding the countries he saw, their traditions, and their travel difficulties (Booth 59). Ibn Battuta was especially interested in the role of religion and the customs in each location. Ibn Battuta’s journal regarding the Holy Sites of Jerusalem provided readers with information about the region’s religious life, which was critical in establishing commercial and cultural relations.
Analysis of Ibn Battuta’s Writings as a Primary Source
Cities and Citizens
The discussed source provides information about the city and its inhabitants. When Ibn Battuta undertook his trip, Jerusalem was an insignificant town with an estimated population of roughly 10,000 (Gibb 55). He stated that the city’s defensive fortifications were in decay, that most of its drinking water required to be hauled in, and that it was far from any significant commerce routes (Gibb 55).
Nonetheless, it was an essential element of Ibn Battuta’s trip due to its considerable temples and religious sanctuaries. Ibn Battuta wrote in his journal that Jerusalem was the most important spiritual place for the Muslims after Medina and Mecca, where Muhammed ascended (Gibb 55). For this reason, the scholar concluded that Jerusalem was a sacred place for the Islamic population.
Religious Places
There were several places of religious interest in Jerusalem that Ibn Battuta described in his text. The first was the Dome of the Rock, and the second temple was the Sacred Al-Aqsa Mosque (Gibb 56). The Dome of the Rock is considered one of the most sacred temples for Muslims (Starkey 37). Before Muslims started to pray while facing Mecca, they used to look at the Dome of the Rock, which supports its unique position in the Islamic faith (Gibb 56). As Ibn Battuta claims in his journal, this place is so holy that if the person prays there for one time, it is similar to 500 prayers in another mosque that has no such history and sacred spirit (Gibb 56). These details reflect Jerusalem’s religious and cultural aspects in the 14th century.
The traveler also describes the interior of the Holy Places he sees in Jerusalem, which allows modern people to imagine how those temples looked in the past. For instance, he writes that the Hole Rock is in the center of the Dome and was regarded as the sanctuary for Muhammad the Prophet (Gibb 56). Ibn Battuta believed the rock ascended from the divine realm (Gibb 56). There is also the cave under the temple, and there are many steps the faithful person has to make to descend there (Gibb 56). These details show that Jerusalem’s sacred places have religious and historical significance for believers.
Conclusion
The 14th century’s Islamic civilization in Southwestern Asia and North Africa was critical in connecting Asia, Africa, and Europe into an interconnected system that enabled commerce and the exchange of culture that drove worldwide exploration and international development. The writings completed by Ibn Battuta were critical in researching the previously unknown lands and informing traders about those territories. The descriptions of the Holy Sites of Jerusalem allowed Ibn Batutta’s contemporaries to learn more about the religious side of life in that place, which increased public awareness of the region.
Works Cited
Booth, Marilyn, editor. Migrating Texts: Circulating Translations around the Ottoman Mediterranean. Edinburgh University Press, 2019.
Gibb, Hamilton A. R., editor. Ibn Battuta Travels in Asia and Africa (selections). Routledge & Sons, Ltd., 1929.
Gomez, Michael A. African Dominion: A New History of Empire in Early and Medieval West Africa. Princeton University Press, 2018.
Starkey, Paul and Janet, editors. Pious Pilgrims, Discerning Travellers, Curious Tourists: Changing Patterns of Travel to the Middle East from Medieval to Modern Times. Archaeopress, 2020.