ABSTRACT
AlthoughtherearetravelbooksonIranthatdatebacktoatleast thetimeofAlexandertheGreat,1asizeablenumberof travellers'reportsdidnotbegintoappearuntiltheMiddle Ages.IntheEast,theexpansionofIslamandtheestablishment oftheArabEmpireencouragedandfacilitatedtravel throughoutthevastMuhammadanworld.Thiswasthe"period duringwhichthetravellercouldpassfromtheconfinesof ChinatothePillarsofHercules,fromthebanksoftheIndusto theCicilian(sic)Gates,fromtheOxustotheShoresofthe Atlantic,withoutsteppingoutsidetheboundariesoftheterritory ruledoverbytheCaliphinDamascusorBaghdad."2Factors responsiblefortheever-increasinginterestintravelamongthe Muhammadanswere,inonewayoranother,relatedtoreligion, politics,andcommerce.EveryMuslim,withinthelimitsof healthandfinancialpossibilities,wasobligedtomakethe pilgrimagetoMecca(HajJ)atleastonceinhislifetime.Thus,a constantstreamofpilgrimseveryyearheadedtowardsMecca fromdifferentpartsoftheworld.Ontheotherhand,learning andpursuitofknowledgewashighlystressedinthereligionand theteachingsofMuhammadascanbeinferredfromthe famoussayingattributedtohim,"Seekknowledgeevenifitbein China."3
