Renowned for traveling through much of North Africa, Egypt, Palestine, Syria, and Arabia Ibn Battuta and Shaihu Umar recounted their travels, dictated from memory. Each man experienced life in exceedingly different circumstances including quality of life, social status, and religious customs. Battuta and Umar emerged from distinctive social locations. For Ibn Battuta, Shaihu Umar, two men of God traveling five hundred years apart, religion is governed by their values, experiences, and cultural baggage. Battuta’s narrative includes accounts of societies, customs, and ceremonies he encountered, and provided a record of Islamic life during the fourteenth century. During his travels Battuta sheds light about his own culture in retrospect to the rest of the world. Battuta was highly educated, respected, and regarded, however, he used the power of being a man of the cloth for pleasure seeking. Thus, Battuta was not as pious as he wanted people to believe he was. Moreover, Battuta used religion for personal enhancement, pleasure, and fame. On the other hand, Shaihu Umar narrative answers the questions from a student about where he came from, and his cultural origin because Umar unlike others of Arab decent has the ability to read, write, and speak.
…show more content…
Umar “was one of the men of this world to whom God has given the gift of knowledge,” thus hundreds went to Umar for wisdom and guidance. Throughout traveling Umar encounters similar cultures, customs, and societies, which Battuta had, while trying to reach his family. Umar endured a life of scarcity, and hardships. Thus, Umar used religion as a strategy for survival believing that “[i]t is God who relieves all our troubles.” Thus, Umar remained patient by reassuring that it is God’s will for him to endure and overcome the obstacles he faces. Umar was devoted “to learning, the piety and patience in adversity,” as part of the Islamic values. Thus, hundreds went to Umar for wisdom and guidance. Umar’s travels and life experiences reveals much about the culture, disposition, and history of the time. Furthermore, the novel characterized the Muslim religion as a defense for acceptance and tolerance, while slavery continued through much of Africa. Religion for Umar was a safeguard that enabled him to remain optimistic during the unbearable times. Even within a culture, a person’s beliefs and values are influenced by environmental and social factors. Battuta experienced a life of plenty as he grew up in a middle class family. Thus, throughout the book Ibn Battuta failed to realize that wherever he went the people were providing him with the best, but each arrangement changed depending on the environment and social circumstances. Even though, Ibn Battuta goes into Mali with an open mind, but the local customs did not his expectations out way the reality of the circumstances. For example Ibn Battuta recognized the prevalence of peace within a country, the times of prayer and attendance, the wearing of white clothes on Fridays, and learning the Qur’an by heart. That being said, Battuta appreciates certain aspects of societies that he had observed, but does not hesitate to criticize other aspects he felt were displeasing. For instance, Battuta criticized the role women play in her society. During the time in which Battuta wrote his observations, women were still seen as inferior to men and did not have a male companion outside of their husband. Therefore, Battuta criticized anyone’s culture that had conflicting views from his own. In contrast, Umar was grateful and blessed for everything in life. After being kidnaped at the age of four, enslaved, and adopted; Umar began to use religion as guidance to finding his family. At last Umar found his mother believing “…God has brought us together,” however she no longer had the strength to endure the trip home because she had suffered physically and mentally from losing Umar. Even after suffering the loss of his mother, Umar, continued to have faith in God’s ability to bring him home. In order to proceed home, Umar and the caravan set out for the Saharan desert as a detour. Umar described what looked similar to a “jet black, like a storm cloud, rising up from the ground towards
Umar “was one of the men of this world to whom God has given the gift of knowledge,” thus hundreds went to Umar for wisdom and guidance. Throughout traveling Umar encounters similar cultures, customs, and societies, which Battuta had, while trying to reach his family. Umar endured a life of scarcity, and hardships. Thus, Umar used religion as a strategy for survival believing that “[i]t is God who relieves all our troubles.” Thus, Umar remained patient by reassuring that it is God’s will for him to endure and overcome the obstacles he faces. Umar was devoted “to learning, the piety and patience in adversity,” as part of the Islamic values. Thus, hundreds went to Umar for wisdom and guidance. Umar’s travels and life experiences reveals much about the culture, disposition, and history of the time. Furthermore, the novel characterized the Muslim religion as a defense for acceptance and tolerance, while slavery continued through much of Africa. Religion for Umar was a safeguard that enabled him to remain optimistic during the unbearable times. Even within a culture, a person’s beliefs and values are influenced by environmental and social factors. Battuta experienced a life of plenty as he grew up in a middle class family. Thus, throughout the book Ibn Battuta failed to realize that wherever he went the people were providing him with the best, but each arrangement changed depending on the environment and social circumstances. Even though, Ibn Battuta goes into Mali with an open mind, but the local customs did not his expectations out way the reality of the circumstances. For example Ibn Battuta recognized the prevalence of peace within a country, the times of prayer and attendance, the wearing of white clothes on Fridays, and learning the Qur’an by heart. That being said, Battuta appreciates certain aspects of societies that he had observed, but does not hesitate to criticize other aspects he felt were displeasing. For instance, Battuta criticized the role women play in her society. During the time in which Battuta wrote his observations, women were still seen as inferior to men and did not have a male companion outside of their husband. Therefore, Battuta criticized anyone’s culture that had conflicting views from his own. In contrast, Umar was grateful and blessed for everything in life. After being kidnaped at the age of four, enslaved, and adopted; Umar began to use religion as guidance to finding his family. At last Umar found his mother believing “…God has brought us together,” however she no longer had the strength to endure the trip home because she had suffered physically and mentally from losing Umar. Even after suffering the loss of his mother, Umar, continued to have faith in God’s ability to bring him home. In order to proceed home, Umar and the caravan set out for the Saharan desert as a detour. Umar described what looked similar to a “jet black, like a storm cloud, rising up from the ground towards