Eventually, he made his way into the Indian subcontinent, arriving at the court of Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq in Delhi around 1334. The Sultan, impressed by Ibn Battuta’s knowledge and intellect, appointed him as a qadi (judge). He remained in India for several years, during which he became embroiled in the volatile politics of the Delhi Sultanate.
To the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia
From India, he was sent as an ambassador to China, a journey that took him via the Maldives—where he married and served as a judge—then to Sri Lanka, and onward to Southeast Asia, including Sumatra. In each region, Ibn Battuta recorded meticulous details of religious practices, social customs, political structures, and local economies.
His descriptions of the Maldivian matriarchal society, the religious diversity in Sri Lanka, and the maritime trade in Java and Sumatra are invaluable to modern historians and anthropologists.
The Far East: China and Beyond
Though some scholars debate the accuracy of his travels in China, Ibn Battuta claimed to have reached Quanzhou and Beijing, observing the customs of the Yuan Dynasty. He marveled at the paper money system and urban infrastructure, though he confessed discomfort with what he perceived as non-Islamic aspects of Chinese life.
Despite cultural differences, he acknowledged China's impressive order, commerce, and sophistication, describing it as "the safest and best country for the traveler." shutdown123