Compare And Contrast Battuta And Umar

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 …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