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The Travels of Al-Masudi
by Meam Wye
Al-Masudi, full name: Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn Ali al-Mas'udi, was a 9th century traveler, Historian & Geographer who was born in 896, Baghdad, Iraq and died in 956, Cairo, Eygpt. He was a descendant of Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).
Al-Masudi started traveling in the year 915 (or earlier) and spent the remainder of his life in travel. He visited East Africa, China, Arabia, Indus valley and other parts of India, Sri Lanka, Syria, Egypt, Central Asia and Turkistan. Al-Masudi sailed on the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, the Mediterranean and the Caspian Sea.
Al-Masudi wrote the accounts of his travels, the history and geography of the places he visited and the people he met in his books. His last book was ‘Al-Tanbih’ in which he mentioned that thirty-four books had been written by him; unfortunately only four out of his thirty four works have survived. Two of his most important works are ‘Akhbar az-zaman’ (The History of Time) - a 30 volume book and ‘Muruj adh-dhahab wa madin al-jawahir’ (The Meadows of Gold and the Mines of Gems) that established his reputation as Historian and he was compared with the ancient Greek Historians ‘Herodotus’. Az-Zaman is now almost completely lost; Muruj adh-dhahab contains abridged text from Az-Zaman besides other text. The earliest translation of Muruj adh-dhahab is that in French, by Barbier de Meynard and Pavet de Courteille, between 1861-77.
In ‘The Meadows of Gold and the Mines of Gems’, Al-Masudi writes:
“The object of these journeys has been to satisfy our thirst for knowledge, and to learn the peculiarities of the various nations and parts of the world, by witnessing them, and the state of foreign countries, by seeing them; in this way we travelled to India , Ez-Zinj , Es-Sinf, Ez-Zanij. We have also traversed the East and the West. Sometimes we were in the extremity of Khorasan, other times in the centre of Armenia and Adherbuan , Er-Rin And El- Bailkax , then again in EL-Irak and in Esh-Sham (Syria). We went from one quarter of the earth to the other as the sun makes his revolutions. As some poet says: " We rambled through the different parts of the country, sometimes we were in the extreme east and other times in the west, like the sun, the ardour of the mind which remains unimpaired, is unsatisfied until it reaches the region (the other world,) which cannot be approached by traveling." "
On his travels, he met and interacted with people from religions other than Islam. Camilla Adang in ‘Muslim writers on Judaism and the Hebrew Bible: from Ibn Rabban to Ibn Hazm’ writes about Al-masudi:
“Wherever he went, Al-Masudi sought the company of the representative of different religions and sects. Thus he visited fire temples in Iran and discussed Zoroastrianism with mobeds and herbads; he consulted Christian priests and laymen in Takrit and Antioch, and met Sabians in Harran. It is therefore not surprising to find him in discussion with eminent Jewish scholars in Raqqa, Tiberias and Baghdad.”
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November 23, 2009 4:00 PM
Another fascinating peek into history. Sad that most of Al-Masud's books are gone; wonderful that some of his work remains, and that you are introducing it and its author to us.
November 27, 2009 9:17 AM
It indeed is very sad and unfortunate that so many of these great books (and obviously the lives)have been lost in various waves of destruction. Historians who have translated these works to English deserve our special gratitude. Thank you for your kind words.
November 27, 2009 2:07 PM
Meam, Thank you very much for doing this great job of writing this great reminder of the shining history Muslims had in our past. I have added many blogs in my favourites but this one has become my top favourite for it's unique content. Mashaallah.
November 27, 2009 2:07 PM
Meam, Thank you very much for doing this great job of writing this great reminder of the shining history Muslims had in our past. I have added many blogs in my favourites but this one has become my top favourite for it's unique content. Mashaallah.
November 27, 2009 5:58 PM
I feel honored. Thank you!
November 28, 2009 8:35 PM
I have always love to learn something about the cultures of different nations.... and it is indeed frustrating that most of Al Masudi's great works was gone :-(
Thanks for sharing. You've been doing a great job.
December 3, 2009 8:54 PM
Meam,
I've been here twice to enjoy your post. This traveler, Al-Masudi is a person I would love to know more about!
We in the West know so little about many of the writers, doctors, or even the people of your part of the world. I wish we could see and honor with more studies of these parts of your world. They are tantalizing and so interesting to read for the history lover in me.