São Paulo – A key historic document from Islam has just been translated from Arabic into Portuguese. “Journey to Russia: A Tenth-Century Traveler from Baghdad to the Volga River” tells the story of Ahmad Ibn Fadlan’s 10th-century journey from the then-caliphate’s capital, Baghdad, to Kazan, Russia, by the banks of the Volga River. The book retraces the authors steps chronologically as he travels over 4,000 km over the course of a year.
The travelogue was translated from classical Arabic into Portuguese by Pedro Martins Criado and released by publisher Carambaia in a bilingual edition, based on a version edited in 1939 from excerpts found in 1923 by a Turkish historian. According to Criado, who also wrote an introduction, the account is valuable because it provides firsthand descriptions and is the oldest document of its kind that’s still available. The story remained unknown for over 1,000 years. “Although the book is bureaucratic in tone, it features exotic curiosities from the places it portrays, and it provides a diplomatic perspective as the narrator encounters different peoples. It has ultimately become a great study on the history of Russia,” the translator told ANBA this Monday (13).
Criado explained that the Slav king Almas Ebn Yaltwar wrote a letter calling on caliph Almuqtadir Billah to send out a delegation to spread the law and faith of Islam, as well as money to build a mosque and a fort in his territory. “The king felt threatened by the neighboring Khazar tribe, which had already kidnapped his children. It’s as though the Slav king were asking for the caliphate’s blessing and protection,” Criado said. Fadlan responded by taking the 4,000 km-plus journey from Baghdad to the Volga. The trip took him a year, and he met the Persians, Turks, Slavs and Rus’ Vikings along the way.
Fadlan’s account ends in Khazar territory, before his return to Baghdad – which he did, as per the accounts from a 13th century geographer which are included in the book.
The translator
Pedro Martins Criado holds a baccalaureate degree in Languages with majors in Arabic and Portuguese from the University of São Paulo (USP), and is currently pursuing a master’s in the same subject. His first translation from Arabic into Portuguese to be released was “The smartest guy on Facebook,” by Syria’s Abud Said, in 2016.
Even though he is not a descendant of Arabs, Criado has always been interested in that people’s culture. “I really appreciate history, especially that of the Middle Age, and Islamic intellectuals were very prolific during that era. The Arabs have always been interested in knowledge,” he said.
He also said translations play a pivotal role in spreading Arab culture and history. “The West has a stigmatized view of Islamic culture. That needs to be addressed, and this work begins with translations,” he said.
Fact sheet
Viagem ao Volga – Relato do Enviado de um Califa ao Rei dos Eslavos (Journey to Russia: A Tenth-Century Traveler from Baghdad to the Volga River)
Author: Ahmad Ibn Fadlan
Translated by Pedro Martins Criado
Publisher: Editora Carambaia
ISBN 978-85-69002-40-6
144 pages
BRL 67.90Available from the publisher’s website
Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum