The holy places of islam in the fourteenth century, as seen through the riḥla of Khālid ibn 'Ῑsà l-Balawī

Abstract

In medieval times there were many believers from the Muslim West (Al- Andalus and the Maghreb) who, during their pilgrimage to Mecca, visited the sacred cities of Medina and Jerusalem, both of great cultural relevance in Islamic civilization. This study focuses on the journey made by khālid ibn „Īsà l-Balawī to these holy cities, analyzing passages of his riḥla Tāŷ al-mafriq fī taḥliyat ‘ulamā’ al-Mašriq, particularly the traveller‟s vision and impressions of the holy places he visited and their people, as can be gleaned from his commentary on the history, religion, science, and architecture of the cities, their social practices and ways of thinking. The passages also reveal aspects and circumstances of the Andalusi society to which al-Balawī belonged, as well as its relations and exchanges with other societies. In addition to the information on the places described, the traveller underlines the special attraction that Andalusis feel to them, affirming the connections and cultural ties through relations with scholars from the West and the Muslim East during the fourteenth century.