The modern-day Ibn Battuta: From Morocco to Uzbekistan

The modern-day Ibn Battuta: From Morocco to Uzbekistan
Mohammed Khamouch is a Moroccan man determined to follow in the footsteps of great Muslim 'wanderers', embarking on a journey that took him to the far reaches of Asia.
3 min read
23 April, 2016
Khamouch was particularly interested in the Muslim heritage in China [AFP]
"Understanding human nature begins by exploring our vast world," says Mohammed Khamouch, describing what motivated him to embark on a journey that took him from El-Araish in northwestern Morocco to Central Asia and the Far East.

Khamouch was born in 1964 in Morocco, before his family moved to Britain in 1974. After returning to his native country, he said he felt that he did not belong there.

Thus began his mini-trek inside the kingdom. He took his camera and set off to explore the cities, towns and villages of Morocco, and to "find" himself.

Influenced by Moroccan bands like Jil Jilala and Nass El Ghiwane, Khamouch started bands in Britain, including Sawt al-Maghrib – the Sound of Morocco.

But it was not until 1994 that the idea of an "epic" journey came to him. He was primarily influenced by great Arab travellers like Ibn Battuta, Abu Zayd al-Sirafi and Sulaiman al-Tajir.

"I was looking for a role model, and I found him in Ibn Battuta," Khamouch says.

It took Khamouch seven months of research in the pre-internet era to collect information on the countries he wanted to visit.

"I was working day and night to collect enough money for the trip and for the costs of photography."
Over the span of a year, he visited Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Kashmir, the Himalayas, Tibet, China, Singapore and other countries. At the end of his trip, he had 73 hours of film and 6,000 pictures
Over the span of a year, he visited Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Kashmir, the Himalayas, Tibet, China, Singapore and other countries. At the end of his trip, he had collected 73 hours of film and 6,000 pictures.

"I had to obtain visas to these countries, many of which were still under Soviet rule," he said. "I travelled by land after I got the needed vaccines."

He was particularly interested in the Muslim communities living across Asia.

"I visited the first mosque ever built in China in Quanzhou, known as Zayton [olives in Arabic]. I visited the tomb of Imam al-Bukhari in Bukhara and I remember at the time the police interrogated me. They were surprised to see an Arab in those parts," he added.

The Moroccan explorer climbed Mount Everest during his travels, explored jungles, stayed in Buddhist temples and spent a significant time living in Tibet, experiencing the difficult conditions and cold temperatures there.

As a Muslim accustomed to strict burial rituals, Khamouch was particularly shocked by the cremation of the dead in India.

"Every explorer should have a spiritual pricinple, or the journey could change him," he said.

On the other hand, one of his greatest concerns has been preserving his photo albums.

"I had to spend a lot of money to ship them to Britain. I told my mother to keep them in the refrigerator, away from the light."

Khamouch has collected his research and experiences on Islamic monuments and Muslim communities in the countries he visited into books and articles, including Jewels of the Muslim Chinese Heritage.
Khamouch even studied Muslim influence on the martial arts, noting that Muslims have their own schools of martial arts separate from the known Chinese ones
He even studied Muslim influence on the martial arts, noting that Muslims have their own schools of martial arts separate from the known Chinese ones.

His research and photos proved invaluable to the UK-based Foundation for Science, Technology and Civilisation, and was made available for free on the Muslim Heritage website. 

Khamouch, who is nicknamed the Little Ibn Battuta in Morocco, is now preparing to publish a major work that includes his pictures, observations and research on Muslim Asia.

He has one piece of advice to young people: travel, explore, write and take pictures. He also thinks there should be more interest in the feats of Ibn Batutta, who he said invented the travel writing genre. 

"We [Arabs and Muslims] are the most worthy of his legacy."

Original Arabic article by Wisal al-Cheikh

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