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Ibn Battuta
Abu Abdallah Muhammad Ibn Battuta
* 24. Februar 1304 in Tanger Marokko;
+ 1368 oder 1377 in Marokko
war ein muslimischer Forschungsreisender des 14. Jahrhunderts. Mit 21 Jahren ging er auf muslimische Pilgerfahrt nach Mekka. Nachdem er diese abgeschlossen hatte, reiste er jedoch weiter, wobei er insgesamt mehr als 120.000 Kilometer durch die gesamte islamische Welt und darüber hinaus zurücklegte. Seine Aufzeichnungen unter dem Titel Rihla (Reise) berichten von seinen Erlebnissen.
Quelle + kompletter Artikel: de.wikipedia.org
Escape from Delhi to the Maldive Islands and Sri Lanka: 1341 - 1344
Through the Strait of Malacca to China: 1345 - 1346
On to Sri Lanka
Ibn Battuta visited Sri Lanka on his way to China so that he could go on a pilgrimage to a holy site there: Adam's Peak. The mountain was sacred to Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists alike, for near the summit was a depression in a rock that looked like a huge footprint. For Buddhists it was the footprint of the Buddha, for Hindus, the print of Shiva. For Muslims it was the footprint of Adam, the first man and first prophet who, pilgrims believed, had been thrown there by God from the seventh heaven. There he stayed for a thousand years before meeting Eve, the first woman.
When Ibn Battuta arrived on Ceylon, he met with the king. The king was interested in his travel stories, and he entertained Ibn Battuta's party for three days. The king gave them permission to climb Adam's Peak - and he gave Ibn Battuta a small purse with pearls and rubies, two slave girls, and supplies as a parting gift.
The small party of pilgrims climbed to the summit up the nearly vertical cliffs by means of little handholds held in the stone by iron pegs. Making it to the top, they camped there for three days which they spent in prayer and admiration of the spectacular view.
Quelle + kompletter Artikel: orias.berkeley.edu