Advanced Arabic reading

Ibn Battuta the Traveller in Arabic

ابن بطوطة المسافر

Ibn Battuta the Traveller is a Advanced-level Arabic reading text about Ibn Battuta’s long journeys and the record of his travels. Its fully vocalized Arabic helps learners read each word accurately, while the sentence-by-sentence English translation supports understanding. The story also includes optional Arabic audio, useful vocabulary, comprehension practice and a focused language point. It works well for independent reading, a short classroom lesson or shared practice with a parent.

Read the Arabic story with English translation

Read each Arabic sentence from right to left. Use the speaker button to hear the sentence, then check its English meaning underneath.

وُلِدَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَطُّوطَةَ فِي طَنْجَةَ بِالْمَغْرِبِ سَنَةَ ١٣٠٤ مِيلَادِيَّةً.

Muhammad Ibn Battuta was born in Tangier, Morocco, in 1304 CE.

غَادَرَ مَدِينَتَهُ وَهُوَ فِي الْحَادِيَةِ وَالْعِشْرِينَ مِنْ عُمْرِهِ لِأَدَاءِ فَرِيضَةِ الْحَجِّ.

He left his city at the age of twenty-one to perform the Hajj.

كَانَ يَظُنُّ أَنَّ رِحْلَتَهُ سَتَكُونُ قَصِيرَةً، لَكِنَّهَا اِسْتَمَرَّتْ سَنَوَاتٍ طَوِيلَةً.

He thought his journey would be short, but it continued for many years.

زَارَ بِلَادًا كَثِيرَةً فِي إِفْرِيقِيَا وَآسِيَا وَجُزْءٍ مِنْ أُورُوبَّا.

He visited many lands in Africa, Asia, and part of Europe.

رَكِبَ السُّفُنَ وَالْجِمَالَ وَالْخُيُولَ، وَوَاجَهَ مَخَاطِرَ وَمَشَقَّاتٍ كَثِيرَةً.

He travelled by ships, camels, and horses and faced many dangers and hardships.

تَعَرَّفَ إِلَى شُعُوبٍ مُخْتَلِفَةٍ، وَوَصَفَ عَادَاتِهِمْ وَمُدُنَهُمْ وَطُرُقَ عَيْشِهِمْ.

He met different peoples and described their customs, cities, and ways of life.

بَعْدَ نَحْوِ أَرْبَعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ سَنَةً مِنْ رَحِيلِهِ، عَادَ إِلَى الْمَغْرِبِ.

About twenty-four years after his departure, he returned to Morocco.

أَمْلَى أَخْبَارَ رِحْلَاتِهِ عَلَى الْكَاتِبِ ابْنِ جُزَيٍّ، فَدَوَّنَهَا فِي كِتَابٍ عُرِفَ بِالرِّحْلَةِ.

He dictated accounts of his travels to the writer Ibn Juzayy, who recorded them in a book known as The Rihla.

تُسَاعِدُنَا كِتَابَاتُهُ عَلَى فَهْمِ الْعَالَمِ فِي الْقَرْنِ الرَّابِعَ عَشَرَ.

His writings help us understand the world of the fourteenth century.

وَلِذَلِكَ يُعَدُّ ابْنُ بَطُّوطَةَ مِنْ أَشْهَرِ الرَّحَّالَةِ فِي التَّارِيخِ.

For this reason, Ibn Battuta is considered one of the most famous travellers in history.

New Arabic words from the story

These words all appear in the story. Listen, repeat and find each one in the text above.

فَرِيضَةُ الْحَجِّ The Hajj pilgrimage
رِحْلَةٌ Journey
مَخَاطِرُ Dangers
مَشَقَّاتٌ Hardships
عَادَاتٌ Customs
أَمْلَى Dictated
دَوَّنَ Recorded
رَحَّالَةٌ Traveller

Reading comprehension questions

Choose one answer for each question. Your score updates after every first attempt.

Score: 0 / 6

1. Why did Ibn Battuta first leave Morocco?

2. Who wrote down Ibn Battuta’s travel accounts?

3. Why did Ibn Battuta first leave Tangier?

4. About how long was he away before returning to Morocco?

5. How were his travel accounts turned into a book?

6. What do Ibn Battuta’s writings help us understand?

Learn Arabic from this story

وَهُوَ describes a simultaneous situation

غَادَرَ مَدِينَتَهُ وَهُوَ فِي الْحَادِيَةِ وَالْعِشْرِينَ مِنْ عُمْرِهِ لِأَدَاءِ فَرِيضَةِ الْحَجِّ.

He left his city at the age of twenty-one to perform the Hajj.

وَهُوَ introduces a circumstantial clause: it tells us Ibn Battuta’s age at the time he left.

Another example: سَافَرَ وَهُوَ شَابٌّ. — He travelled while he was young.

For parents and teachers

Read the story in sections and discuss the ideas connected with travel, historical biography and time expressions. Ask the learner to summarize each section, explain character motives or causes, support inferences with evidence from the Arabic, answer the comprehension questions, and finish with a short written or creative response.

Questions about Ibn Battuta the Traveller

What level is Ibn Battuta the Traveller?

Ibn Battuta the Traveller is marked Advanced. The full tashkīl, English translation and sentence audio provide extra support for developing readers.

What can learners practise in Ibn Battuta the Traveller?

Learners practise connected reading, listening, comprehension and vocabulary related to travel, historical biography and time expressions.

How should this Arabic story be used?

Read one sentence at a time, listen to the audio, repeat the Arabic aloud, check the English only when needed, and then answer the questions from memory.

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