Charif Muhammed Al-Idrissi was born in Ceuta, in Morroco, in 1100 C.E., which was then ruled by the Almoravides but is now part of Spain. Al-Idrissi would do his studies in Cordoba, which was a major capital city of what was then part of Muslim Spain called El-Andalus. It is said that he was a descendant of the Prophet Muhammed of Islam (pbuh). Also, it is said that while he was still in his teens, he loved to travel and visited the North African countries, the Mediterranean regions and also Spain. Later, he would become a scientist and geographer and cartographer. He would draw the first map of the then-known world and would eventually come to be hailed as the “the greatest Arab geographer and cartographer of medieval times.”
In fact, in 1145 C.E., Al-Idrissi would become an advisor to King Roger II of Sicily, who had hired him for his knowledge in cartography, among others, as he was eager that Al-Idrissi created for him a map of the world.Al-Idrissi would spend eighteen years at King Roger II’s court. He set himself to work diligently on his main assignment, which was “to create a map of the world.” He began collecting data from all sources he could get but more particularly from Muslim travellers, who went for Hajj to Mecca from different parts of the world. In fact, the Hajj is a religious obligation incumbent upon all adult Muslims to accomplish at least once in their lifetime – and which was always a long and arduous and often perilous journey that demanded staunch faith, courage and patience, to fulfill. He would use the data gathered to create an up-to-date map of the then known world and wrote all the details in a classic book of research in Arabic, titled: “The Excursion of One who is eager to Traverse the Regions of the World.” The book was also released in 1154 A.D. and which would lead critics later to acclaim him as “the greatest Arab medieval geographer.” As a matter of fact, Al-Idrissi would not follow or copy anyone; instead, he would correct the data of others to produce “the most accurate map of medieval times – the planisphere.”
As history tells us, many Muslim scientists and mariners, in the medieval times, would be closely connected with sea-navigation. In fact, they would either invent or improve on the already existing navigational instruments that helped facilitate and improve sea-travels in the high seas at the time. Here, we are tempted to think of such pioneering navigational gadgets like the astrolabe, the quadrant, the celestial sphere, the sundial and the compass, among others, that would help propel sea-navigation in the high seas and, eventually, lead the Europeans – notably, the Portuguese – to venture in the Indian Ocean, hitherto dominated by the Arab seafarers and challenge their supremacy in the Indian seas, thereby ending their dominance in the lucrative trade in spices, iron, gold and silk, among others, in the region. The Portuguese would be the first ones to venture in the Indian Ocean. In fact, one of them, Vasco da Gama, helped by an Arab-mariner, Ibn Majid, rounded the Cape of Good Hope in 1497, and reached the Indian port of Calicut (now Kozhikode) in Kerala, South India, –thus opening a new chapter in colonial history. In fact, the Portuguese would become the first European navigator to do so and his historic trip would eventually open a new chapter in the imperialist history of the European countries in the coming years.
Al-Idrissi, after gathering the necessary data and other information for his global map, would meticulously analyze and study them and create the first Global planisphere of the world – the Tabula Rogeriana — mostly showing the southern part of the globe. That map would remain the most influential world map throughout the medieval years.
Mauritius, as history tells us, was known to the Arab mariners long before the Portuguese ‘discovered’ it in early 16th century and called it Cirné. But the Arabs never established any settlement on the island. They certainly used it as a port of call for food and water, so much so, it would fall to the Dutch to ‘re-discover’ it and claim it as a colony and start a settlement on the island, which they named “Mauritius” after Prince Maurice, Stadtholder of their country.
However, in the ensuing years, the Dutch would fail to establish a settlement on the island. After almost a century during which time they depleted the island of its ebony trees and also caused the extinction, among others, of the Dodo bird that existed nowhere else but on the island, they left. It would fall to the French, as the world knows, to claim it a few years later, and call it “Isle de France” and start a colony of their own that would evolve and become a thorn to the British forays in India at the time, that it led the latter to take it altogether by force in 1812 and rename it “Mauritius”. It would stay a colony of the British crown till March 12, 1968, when it obtained its independence as a free island nation.
Mauritius, as everybody knows, was of interest to the Arabs in our island – not to appropriate it and exploit as a colony but because of its strategic importance before the opening of the Suez Canal for maritime traffic in the Indian Ocean and the more so, because of its closeness to the trade routes to the Far East. So much so, Mauritius would not be ignored for long. It was propelled into history as the French and British realized its important strategic position and how crucial it was in their imperialistic designs on India – among others. In 1810, the British tried to take over the island from the French because of the negative role it played in their attempts to control India. A naval Battle was fought between the two countries at Grand Port in 1810 and France lost only to be overwhelmed by a huge British invasion soon after when they had no choice but to surrender.
The year 2010 marked the bi-centennial of the Battle of Grand Port. On that significant occasion, the Government of Mauritius and the Government of Qatar joined together to commemorate, in a joint celebration of ‘Arab sea-faring in the Indian Ocean.’ The two Governments collaborated in a joint publication on the ‘Maritime History of the Indian Ocean’ and the Qatari Government took care of its publication. The book would highlight the significant contributions of the Arabs — not only as mariners, geographers and cartographers but also that would showcase the role the Arabs mariners had played in the region and their significant contribution to sea-travel and trade.
So much so, both Mauritius and Qatar decided to salute and give credit where credit was due: in a book on the maritime history of the Indian Ocean, titled “The Maritime History of the Indian Ocean” edited by Khal Torabully and Ameenah Gurib-Fakim. It would comprise relevant chapters contributed by Mauritian historians on different aspects of the history of the Indian Ocean “From Al-Idrissi to ibn Majid and beyond.”
The book was published by the Government of Qatar. It turned out to be a significant addition to the histography of the Indian Ocean. The Government of Mauritius, for its part, also erected a monument to the memory of Charif Al-Idrissi, the geographer and cartographer, whose work led to the eventual discovery and colonization of our island by the Europeans and which was known to the Arabs as “Dina Arobi”.
The monument was unveiled by then Prime Minister of Mauritius, Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, with the Qatari Government representative in attendance. The project was hailed as a landmark as it saluted one of the greatest geographers in history, whose work, directly or indirectly, led to the ultimate discovery and colonization of our island, which, has turned out to be – particularly since March 12, 1968 – into a one-of-a-kind island-nation in the Indian Ocean east of Africa. Indeed, Mauritius, after centuries of colonial rule, successively, by the Dutch, the French and the British, achieved its independence in 1968 and has evolved into what can be called a beautiful jewel of an island-nation in the Indian Ocean by virtue of its natural landscapes with glittering sandy beaches and colourful diverse society that form its population. Indeed, little Mauritius is a window and, definitely, a shining model of peace and harmony to the world.
Would it all have been possible without Charif Al-Idrissi’s map? This is a moot point! There is no doubt that Mauritius has had a colourful history, and, like many countries, it also has had a history of pain, sweat and tears. But, in the end, when all is considered, Mauritians have good cause to be proud of their unprecedented success story both in terms of the human as well as at the political, economic, social and cultural levels. Mauritius is a jewel in its own right!