Sulayman al-Tajir | |
|---|---|
| Born | Siraf, modern-day Iran |
| Occupation | Merchant, Traveler, Writer |
| Language | Persian |
| Nationality | Persian |
| Period | 9th century |
| Genre | Travel literature |
| Notable works | Account of his voyages to India and China |
Sulaymān al-Tājir (Arabic:سليمان التاجر,lit. 'Solomon the Merchant') was a 9th-centuryMuslimmerchant,traveler and writer initially fromSiraf in modern-dayIran. He traveled toIndia andChina and wrote an account of his voyages around AD 850, often associated with a related travelogue byAbu Zayd al-Sirafi.[1] He is mostly known for his travel toGuangzhou,Tang China, and marveled at the excellent quality ofporcelain there in 851.
Little is known about Sulaiman other than the fact that he was a merchant, confirmed by his second name (nickname)al-Tajir ("the merchant").[2] He visited India during the time of thePala Empire, and referred to a kingdom named 'Ruhma' and attested to their military power. He has also describedMihira Bhoja.Mihira Bhoja was a bitter enemy of "the Muslims"[3] and according to Sulaiman, maintained a large army and had a fine cavalry.[3]
During his stay in the city ofGuangzhou he noted that the Chinese used fingerprint records to maintain the identities of newly arrived foreigners, charged extortionate rates for imported goods and that the route to China by sea was dangerous due to piracy and frequent rain. He mentions that the localMuslim populace of Guangzhou had their ownMosque andbazaars. He mentioned that the Muslim community had its ownImam and Judge (appointed byEmperor Xuānzong of Tang).[4] He also observed the manufacturing ofporcelain, thegranary system of Guangzhou, tea consumption and how its municipal administration functioned.[5]
After arriving home from China with goods he landed atBasra and then traveled toBaghdad.
He was undoubtedly one of the outstanding political figures of India in ninth century and ranks with Dhruva and Dharmapala as a great general and empire builder.
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