945-1000

Arab Traveler

Muhammed ibn Ahmad al-Maqdisi, an Arab traveler and writer, is best known for his geographical work Ahsan al-taqasim fi macrifat al-aqalim. This extremely influential text was designed for readers at all levels of society, and appealed to merchants as well as to commoners. Al-Maqdisi, who was born in Jerusalem, traveled extensively in order to gain material for this work, which provided a clear and detailed account of the medieval Muslim world. In the process, he developed an almost scientific method for collecting information and examining the human geography of the region.

Al-Maqdisi constructed Ahsan al-taqasim fi macrifat al-aqalim as an articulation of a human geography. His prose depicts the lives and customs of the people he met. Likewise, al-Maqdisi wrote in an elegant style. Much of the book is in rhymed prose and skillfully intertwines personal observation with popular...