7. Ibn Battuta and the ‘Un-Islamic’ Mali Empire
When the renowned Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta visited the Mali Empire in the 14th century, he was quick to criticize local Islamic practices for differing from those of his homeland. He overlooked the distinct West African interpretations of Islam, judging the empire through his own cultural lens.
As described in Britannica, his account reflects a broader human tendency to misunderstand unfamiliar societies by expecting them to mirror one’s own.
