In Khwarazm
4
Hearing that Abdullah ibn Bashthu and others warned me that winter was approaching, we left Bukhara and turned back towards the river. There, we rented a boat to go to Khwarazm. The distance from where we rented the boat to Khwarazm was more than two hundred farsakhs. We only traveled during part of the day, as we could not continue traveling all day due to the severe cold. Thus, we finally arrived in Khwarazm.
Notation Translation/Annotation Farasaf A unit of distance. Since its length varies depending on the era and region, we have retained the original numerical value without converting it to modern distances in this context.
We visited Muhammad ibn Iraq, the ruler of that land, known as Horamishah. He treated us generously, welcomed us warmly, and provided a place for us to stay.
Three days later, he called us together and we discussed entering the country of Turkey. And then, he said:
"I will not allow such a thing. I cannot stand by and watch you put your lives in danger. I know that this was the scheme of one young man. It is Takin. He works as a blacksmith for us, and he has been involved in the iron trade with foreign lands. He deceived Nazir, spoke to the leader of the believers, and arranged for the letter from King Sakariba to be delivered.
If there is a way, the one who would be suitable to deliver a sermon and hold services in that country, bearing the title of "leader of believers," would be the noble chieftain, namely the chieftain of Khorasan. Furthermore, between you and that country you are aiming for, there are thousands of pagan tribes. This is deceiving the ruler. I have given my warning.
Send a letter to the noble chief, and in the letter, state that it is necessary to discuss with the chief about the monarch – may God help him. You all should stay until you receive a reply.”
That day, he left his place and visited again later. We repeatedly approached him gently and calmed him down, saying the following:
"This is an order from the leader of the believers, and this is the letter that confirms it. What need is there to inquire about it again?"
Thus, he finally gave us permission. We descended the river from Khwarazm and headed towards Jurjan. From Khwarazm to there, it is fifty farsakh by waterway.
I saw Dirham coins from Khwarazm. There were counterfeit ones, lead ones, lower-quality ones, and brass ones. They called the Dirham coins "tarsaj," and their weight is four daniqs and a half. Their merchants sell things like ankle bones, tops, and Dirham coins.
Their words and temperament are more rough than those of any other people. Their speech is most similar to the chirping of thrushes. There is a village called Ardaqū on the road for a day's journey, and its inhabitants are called Kardaliyya. The language of these people is most like the croaking of frogs. At each prayer service, they recite something at the end that indicates their disassociation with the leader of the believers, Ali ibn Abi Talib. May God be pleased with him.
Notation Translation Note In terms of language and temperament, they are more rough than any other people. Author's evaluation. The following metaphors about birds and frogs also indicate how the author perceived the foreign language in a different place. Ali ibn Abi Talib An early Islamic leader. Here, he is referred to as "leader of the believers." The prayer for Ali is the author's words and is distinguished from the villagers' words.