Soul Traveling

 I fall in love with Ibn Jubayr every time I read his book. A Medieval Muslim from Spain, he had the misfortune of working for a really crappy boss. When his boss discovered that he had never drunken alcohol he filled seven goblets and forced Ibn Jubayr to drink them all or be dismissed. When he saw how drinking the wine affected Ibn Jubayr’s conscience he became conscience stricken himself. He filled the goblets with gold and gave it all to Ibn Jubayr. This gift enabled Ibn Jubayr to go on Hajj, something he hadn’t hoped to do.

Ibn Jubayr kept a beautiful journal about his journey to Makkah/Mecca. He recorded the cities he visited, people he observed, and the benefits and struggles of all the ways to get there and back. His devout faith, compassion for others and gift for metaphor transforms what would otherwise be an interesting travelog into a man in amber. 

Growing up in the era of the Gulf Wars and 911, my image of Muslim men wasn’t positive. It was also hazy and suspicious. The only reason I picked the book up was the opportunity for my Crowhook readers to read about transportation experiences in the medieval period. From the very first chapter Ibn Jubayr made it so much more. He does get cranky with Christians at the end, but I put that down to general crankiness due to Ramadan and being close to home but not there yet. If you need a more authentic view of men of the Muslim faith read The Travels of Ibn Jubayr. He is not perfect, but he is kind, sweet, and devoted to God.