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Safarnama Rum-o-Misr-o-Sham
1894 book by Shibli Nomani From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Safarnama Rum-o-Misr-o-Sham (Urdu: سفرنامہ روم و مصر و شام) is an Urdu travelogue written by Shibli Nomani, based on his journey through Turkey, Egypt, and Syria in 1892, and published in 1894. It is regarded as the first Urdu travelogue about the Turks. The book provides detailed observations on education, presents an eyewitness account of the Islamic Empire, and records the social, cultural, and political conditions of Syria, Egypt, and Turkey. It is also a refutation of the attitude of the Orientalists and reflects the author’s perspective on national dignity and identity.
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Background
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The idea for this journey arose when he planned to write his historical work Al-Farooq. Shibli believed that the historical sources available in India were insufficient and that important Islamic manuscripts were preserved in the libraries of Egypt, Syria, and Turkey.[1] He was also motivated by his plan to compile the Namwaran-e-Islam (Eminent Figures of Islam) series, which required authentic materials from original sources. Shibli also had an intellectual interest in and respect for Turkey, which further encouraged his journey.[1]
He set out with Thomas Walker Arnold on 26 April 1892, leaving Aligarh and reaching Bombay on 30 April.[2] They boarded a ship the next day, arriving at Aden in May and at Suez on 13 May. On 14 May, the ship reached Port Said, where Arnold departed for Europe, while Shibli continued toward Constantinople (Istanbul), arriving on 23 May.[2] He stayed in Istanbul for about three months, studying libraries and educational institutions and meeting local scholars. From there, he travelled to Beirut for a week, then to Jerusalem for a few days, and continued to Alexandria and Cairo, where he stayed for more than a month. His six-month journey ended in November 1892 when he returned to India.[2]
During his travels, Shibli visited major cultural and religious sites, examined the condition of Muslims in different regions, and studied their educational, political, and economic systems. He collected research materials for Al-Farooq and visited several madrasas and libraries. The journey provided him with direct exposure to contemporary Muslim societies and their scholarly traditions.[1][2]
Upon returning to India, Shibli was received by colleagues and residents in Aligarh, who organized a reception in his honor.[3] Although he initially had no intention of writing a travelogue and described his journey as that of a student,[4] his associates encouraged him to document his experiences.[1] According to Shaista Khatoon, he hesitated because he lacked the detailed administrative, commercial, and architectural information typically included in travel accounts.[5]
Sulaiman Nadvi later suggested that his hesitation was also due to political considerations. At that time, Indian Muslims expressed strong sympathy for Turkey, while the British government was unsympathetic toward the Ottoman Empire and discouraged such sentiments. For this reason, Shibli postponed writing the travelogue.[5] Nadvi noted that, regardless of its scholarly focus, Shibli’s journey established an early intellectual link between India and Turkey.[5]
Eventually, when it was agreed that the work would focus on cultural and academic matters and avoid political commentary, permission for its publication was granted.[5] Mohammad Jafar Ahrari mentioned that after Shibli’s return, Syed Ahmad Khan and others at Aligarh College were concerned about the influence of his foreign experiences, and the travelogue was published only after certain passages were omitted.[6][7] The first edition of Safarnama Rum-o-Misr-o-Sham appeared in 1894.[8] It was later translated into Bengali by Hasan Muhammad Sharif as Nil Sabujer Deshe (In the Land of Blue and Green) and published by Maktabatul Hira in 2017.[9]
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Content
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Shibli begins with a short description of the ancient and modern history of Constantinople. He writes about Turkish life, culture, climate, prosperity, justice, mosques and madrasas, government, law, industry and crafts, architecture, navigation, and agriculture.[10] He also describes the structure of colleges and schools, boarding arrangements, the character of professors and students, and their academic abilities. He provides an overview of Turkish knowledge and literature, including newspapers, magazines, libraries, printing presses, and other scholarly activities.[10]
He then describes major landmarks of the capital, such as charitable inns, recreation areas, and well-known sites. His account also includes Muharram in Constantinople, the royal Friday procession (Salami), and the Sultan’s Eid procession. At the end of these descriptions, he adds one of his own mathnawis in which he portrays the scene of the occasion.[11]
Shibli discusses the morals and customs of the Turks, their social life, and the education and upbringing of women.[11] He mentions their manners, clothing, modesty, and domestic refinement. From Constantinople he travels to Beirut, where he observes colleges, associations, newspapers, and printing presses, noting that Beirut’s scholarly progress was largely due to Christian communities.[11]
After passing through Jerusalem and the Syrian coast, he enters Egypt. There he examines libraries, schools, and colleges, and gives a detailed account of Al-Azhar University.[11] In the travelogue, he also responds to statements made by some European writers about the Caliphate. While expressing respect for Arabs and Turks, he also points out the weaknesses he observed in their educational institutions and scholarly work.[11]
He discusses psychological and social matters that, in his view, show the nature of a nation and the reasons for its rise or decline.[12] He studies both traditional schools and the medical institutions of Constantinople and Cairo. He observes student housing, clothing, and daily routines, and offers suggestions for the hostels at Aligarh based on these observations.[12]
He also lists about twenty individuals he met during the journey, including chiefs and companions.[13] Shibli comments on the education of Ottoman women, describing it as a system that combines elements of both European and Asian approaches. He writes that Turkish women are educated but not taught immodesty, and although they remain within a system of seclusion, they are neither uneducated nor unaware of the world.[14]
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Methodology
The travelogue is mainly written in an informative and narrative style. In some parts—such as his description of local customs—Shibli becomes more expressive and uses a literary style.[15] Besides recording events, he also discusses the methods of travel writing and criticizes some approaches used by Western writers.[16] Shibli paid attention to details and followed the same approach in this work.[17] He stressed that information should not be superficial, conclusions should not be drawn from limited knowledge, and guesses should be used carefully, without relying on assumptions or suspicions. He also noted that information from others should be checked to see if the source is trustworthy, fair, and attentive.[17] Shibli viewed the places he visited as a Muslim scholar and, throughout the book, recorded the early Islamic history of the cities using reliable Muslim historians, providing material of interest for readers concerned with the Islamic past of Rum, Egypt, and Syria.[11]
Reviews
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The work has been widely recognized in academia. Sirajul Haq of Delhi University stated that Shibli 'presented the conditions and events in an excellent manner' and considered the work Safarnama Rum-o-Misr-o-Sham 'distinct and special' among Urdu travelogues.[11] Abdul Hafiz of Indira Gandhi National Open University emphasized its importance from political, social, cultural, intellectual, and educational perspectives, noting that it 'possesses all the qualities of the genre' and combines scholarly content with 'charm and elegance of language and expression.'[8] Arzu Ciftsuren of Istanbul University observed that it is 'the first Urdu travelogue about the Turks.'[18] Munshi Muhammad Ubaidullah described it as an 'education report,'[19] while Sahib Ali noted that it 'does not merely reflect Shiblis views on education and training; many aspects of his personality also shine through,' revealing his national pride and concern for the condition of Muslims.[20]
Shiblis style has been widely commented on. Shaista Khatoon of Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University described the travelogue as 'highly scholarly' with a distinctive style,[12] while Md Nasir of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bihar University observed that its language is 'straightforward and clear' and that Shibli exercised caution under the restrictions of the time, resulting in less emotional expressiveness than in his other works.[21] Sabahuddin Abdur Rahman described the style as 'mostly factual' but noted that emotions appear in specific passages, such as customary greetings or Sultan Abdul Hamids Eid prayer, which Shibli captures 'with remarkable attention to detail and clarity.'[16]
Some scholars addressed the travelogue's purpose and reception. S. M. Ikram considered it 'balanced and fair' but noted that the argumentative preface might suggest a narrower aim than intended.[12] Mohd Jafar Ahrari of Jawaharlal Nehru University stated that Shibli 'does not appear satisfied with his travelogue, because in it his voice seems subdued and somewhat frightened,' and observed that it 'was not viewed with approval in the court of Syed Ahmad Khan,' possibly leading to later disagreements.[22] Khaliq Anjum of Anjuman-i Taraqqi-i Urdu remarked that the work 'is not merely a travelogue, but a reflection of the thoughts of a broad-minded, enlightened, and compassionate scholar regarding the conditions of certain Muslim countries in the late nineteenth century, which now belongs to literature and history.'[23]
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