The era in which Ibn
Baṭṭūṭa traveled to the East was exciting but turbulent, cursed by the
Black Plague and the  fall  of mighty dynasties. His chronicle provides a
first-hand account of increased globalization due to the rise of 
Islam, as well as the relationship between the Western world and India
and China in the 14th century. Readers are  given insight into the
complex power dynamics of the time as well as a personal glimpse of the
author’s life as he sought to survive them, always staying on the move.
The Riḥla is of great value as a historical document and for its
religious commentary, especially regarding the marvels and miracles that
Ibn Baṭṭūṭa encountered. It is  also an entertaining narrative with a
wealth of anecdotes, often humorous or shocking, and in many cases 
touchingly human. The book records the journey of Ibn Baṭṭūṭa, a
Moroccan jurist who travels to the East, operating at high levels of
government within the vibrant Muslim network of India and China in the
14th century.  It offers fascinating details about the cultures and
dynamics of that region, and a dazzling narrative that goes well beyond
the standard travelogue.