Explain briefly the relations between Ibn Battuta and Muhammad Tughlaq, the Sultan of Delhi, while in his service.
1. Ibn Battuta had come to India during the reign of Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq. He was a famous African traveller. He was born in Tangier on the 24th January, 1304. His real name was Adbulla Muhammad. He was very fond of travelling from his childhood. Passing through Sind, Multan and the Punjab he had reached Delhi. Sultan Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq extended a grand welcome to him at his court in Delhi. He spent about eight years in India.
2. Whatever he himself saw in the reign of Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq or felt or heard from people was described by him in his ‘Safarnama’. This travel account is also known as ‘Rihala of Ibn Battuta’ in history. The Sultan had appointed him as the Qazi. Since he did not know Indian languages, the Sultan had appointed two Qazis to help him.
3. His historical account is very detailed and important. In his account he has given a detailed description of the laws of Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq, various customs and institutions of contemporary Indian society.
4. As an impartial historian he describes the Sultan to be a cruel and blood-thirsty Sultan. He makes a favourable mention of the severe penal code and impartial justice of the Sultan. He has also praised the charity of the Sultan.
5. Ibn Battuta stayed in India from 1333 to 1341. His account is not totally devoid of faults. His account is doubtful on three grounds. Firstly, because he was ignorant of Indian languages himself, so he has mostly written in his book whatever he could follow. Secondly, he was not well acquainted with the geography of India so at many places he has described the routes and places incorrectly. Thirdly, he did not write his account while in India but after he went back to his own country.
