The Journey of Ibn Battlan: An Objective and Artistic Study

Abstract

 Literature in general reflects the reality of nations in every time and place, especially travel literature, which enables the author to travel here and there to witness the reality of different peoples, record their observations and experiences. Thus, travel literature has become a rich record of the events of the era, serving as a witness to it. The value of travel lies in the information it contains, mixed with the culture of its writer. For this reason, Arabs have been interested in it, both in the past and present. It has become fertile ground for many research and studies. Recognizing the importance of travel literature, we have chosen the topic of "The Journey of Ibn Battlan: An Analytical Study." The aim of this study is to reveal the importance of travel literature in portraying reality and the character of our protagonist, Ibn Battlan, as well as the factors that led him to undertake his journey. This research is not the first of its kind, as there have been numerous studies that have shed light on the path ahead of us. Thus, this study serves as a successor to previous studies and a precursor to those that will follow. As for the structure of the research, we have divided the scientific material into three sections. The first section discusses travel literature and the translation of Ibn Battlan. Then, the second section describes our protagonist's journey, highlighting its importance and revealing its content. Finally, the third section introduces us to the distinctive characteristics of the content of this journey.