Answer:
N THE year 1325, a young man set out from Tangier, Morocco, on the first of a number of journeys that would take him to some of the most distant parts of the then-known world, including China, India, Indonesia, Mali, Persia, Russia, Syria, Tanzania, Turkey, and all the Arab lands. The man was Abu Abdallah ibn Battuta, and he traveled some 75,000 miles (120,700 km)—a feat unequaled before the age of steam.
Ibn Battuta has been called the traveler of Islam and the greatest traveler of premodern times. His memoirs, recorded on his final return home after nearly 30 years of travel, shed light on many facets of life and culture during the 14th century, especially in the medieval Muslim world.
Pilgrimage to Mecca
Ibn Battuta left Tangier to visit the holy places and to perform the hajj, the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, which is required of every adult Muslim who is financially and physically able to travel. Mecca lies some 3,000 miles (4,800 km) east of Tangier. Like most pilgrims, for safety Ibn Battuta attached himself to caravans that would help him toward his destination.
Because his father was a qadi or local judge, Ibn Battuta received a qadi’s education, the best Tangier could offer. Learning of this, his fellow travelers made him their judge to settle any disputes en route.
