The geography of Libya and its urbanization through the manuscript of the Hejaz journey of Ibn Abdul Qadir al-Fassi

1211-1212 H/1796-1797 C.E

Abstract

   Travel books gained special importance in the process of historical writing and at revealing the history of peoples and nations. Moreover, among these trips were the Moroccan Journeys to the Holy Lands, that known in history as the Hejaz trips. Libya had a large share of the writings of these trips especially that the cities, villages and lands of Libya were as the link and the road linking the Maghreb and the East countries. In this research, we aim to knowing one of these the Hijazi trips and work on extracting what mentioned in it about Libya from views and previews recorded by its writer. This trip is still an unpublished manuscript and it is "the journey of Ibn Abd al-Qadir al-Fassi from the city of Fas". Moreover, by using the historical inductive method, which depends on quote historical texts from its sources, then extrapolate it, understand it, and use it afterwards, the study was able to identify the geography and urbanization of Libya through the notes made by the traveler in his manuscript. The study also concluded, after its completion, that the author's information on the geography and urbanization of Libya was accurate, abundant, and rich in details that we did not find it in other Journeys, which made this journey, is distinctive and its manuscript is important. Finally, the study ended with a recommendation to those interested in Libyan history to increase interest in the manuscript of this journey and work on extracting what it contains at historical material, it is useful in revealing the political situation of Libya and knowing the economic, social and cultural conditions of its people at the contemporary period of the journey.