Social and Economic Aspects of Life in Southern Oman through Ibn Battuta’s Book Tuhfat al-Nuzzar fi Ghara'ib al-Amsar (d. 779 AH / 1377 AD)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31973/xyx6jq81Keywords:
Oman, Ibn Battuta, social life, economic life, Dhofar, Qalhat, SurAbstract
The travel accounts of explorers who visited the Arabian Peninsula, including Oman, represent an invaluable scholarly resource for researchers studying the region’s political, geographical, and economic history, as well as its human life, social structure, demographics, languages, and tribal composition. In some cases, these writings become foundational sources for historical scholarship, particularly in the area of cultural history.
This study aims to explore the nature of social and economic life in the Omani cities visited by Ibn Battuta—namely Dhofar, Qalhat, Sur, and Masirah—as documented in his famous book Tuhfat al-Nuzzar fi Ghara'ib al-Amsar wa 'Aja'ib al-Asfar. The study is structured into three main sections and a conclusion. The first section introduces the author and his book, the second focuses on the social life in Oman, and the third discusses the prevalent economic activities practiced by the Omani people and their commercial relations with other civilizations. The conclusion highlights the key findings of the research.
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