Loading ...Celebrating National Arab American Heritage Month: Who was Ibn Battuta?
By: David Hamod / Arab America Contributing Writer
June 2025 marks the 700th anniversary of Ibn Battuta’s first voyage (in 1325) from Tangier, Morocco. Widely considered the most prodigious traveler in pre-modern history, Ibn Battuta traveled about 75,000 miles. That’s roughly the same distance as voyages by Columbus, Marco Polo, and Vasco da Gama combined!
Ibn Battuta left Tangier at the age of 21 to perform a hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. He would not return home for another 24 years.
Over the years, he visited the equivalent of 40 present-day countries, spreading Arab culture across Africa and Asia. He played an instrumental role in promoting governance, jurisprudence, science, culture, navigation, and a thoughtful interpretation of Islam.
During this year’s Iftar dinner of the National U.S.–Arab Chamber of Commerce (NUSACC) – America’s #1 business gateway to the MENA region, I spoke about the remarkable travels of Ibn Battuta. A video of his compelling story is found below.
David Hamod is President and CEO of the National U.S.–Arab Chamber of Commerce (NUSACC), America’s #1 business gateway to the MENA region.
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