Ibn Battuta In Black Africa

n Said Hamdun and Noel King's book Ibn Battuta in Black Africa, they point out some especially important contributions still lasting to modern day studies of society. In the year 1331 c.e, the world's major civilizations were in fact growing and advancing at an astonishing rate. Historians know quite a bit about a few cultures and empires of this time. These societies such as the Romans, Greeks, and Chinese to name a few kept written records of daily life and events. Accounts of these societies, for example, are also briefly stated in records in societies of which they interacted. In Ibn Battutas' travels, he not only visited the known societies but the unknown as well. Travelers such as Marco Polo did the same, but not to the extent that Ibn Battuta did. Without the journals of Battuta, we in modern times would know far less than we do now about "less" publicized cultures such as the ones he visited in East and West Africa. In his writings,
Some of the customs that he confronts pleases him and others do no more than enrage him. In this period of time it was proper among Islamic believers to be very hospitable. This sharing in the world of Islam meant that he could travel without money or without fear of being without a place to stay. One of the many things he commented upon arrival at a new destination was the way in which he was treated. For example, there was his recount of his visit to the town of Iwalatan. When there he went to the house of Ibn Badda, for whom he claimed was an excellent man. Upon his arrival, as it was customary, he and his caravan were invited to a warm reception where they would eat and be entertained. After the food was brought out, Ibn Battuta said to them "Was it for this the black invited us?" He then quoted that then he became sure that there was no good to be expected from them (Hamdun "and" Noel