Naser-E Khoshraw’s Book of Travels

It is an account of Khusraw’s seven-year journey through the Islamic world. He initially set out on a Hajj, the obligatory Pilgrimage to Mecca. Departing on March 5, 1046, Khusraw took a less than direct route, heading north toward the Caspian Sea. Throughout his travels he kept a minutely detailed journal which clearly describes many facets of life in the Islamic world of the 11th Century.

In the remaining sections of the Safarnama, Khusraw describes cities and towns along the path of his journey, with particular focus on Mecca, Jerusalem, and Cair, the capital of the Fatimid Caliphate at the time. Khusraw’s work is appreciated for its detailed descriptions of these cities, with precise accounts of civic buildings and markets.