Ibn Battuta was a Muslim traveler from the 14th century from Tangier. In 1325, he left his home town to go on the hajj to Mecca and did not return for thirty years, choosing instead to travel the Eastern Hemisphere. Upon his return, he documented his travels with extensive detail through his point of view. The way in which Ibn Battuta described the people and places he encountered, as well as the way in which he viewed religion and society, reveal what life was like for the Muslim world in the 1300s. The first element of Ibn Battuta’s biography that showcases what life was like in his world is the way in which he depicts the people he met and the places he went. For instance, many of Ibn Battuta’s opinions on the people and places are influenced by his religious beliefs. When it comes to the places, he tends to focus specifically on details surrounding the religious sanctuaries and the holy men who lived there. In regards to the people, he commented on their morality and generosity.…show more content… Although he seemed to be a committed Muslim, it appeared that Ibn Battuta considered spirituality to be a quality which made up worthy men. Therefore, it seemed that perhaps he decided to be religious almost entirely so that he could appear righteous. That being said, it has been previously stated that his religious beliefs affected his opinion of people and places, leading to possible discrimination and bias. This could be rooted in his belief that he was a worthy and ethical man due to his religion, so thus he became very judgmental, especially regarding religious matters. For instance, Ibn Battuta greatly respected those who performed rituals and believed a good citizen to be one who is faithful and discrete. Overall, this suggests that men of the Muslim faith in the 1300s were critical of others due to their belief that their spirituality made them
