[f5ve]

It's often omitted that the historicity of Ibn Battuta's travels is very much in doubt.

Like Marco Polo, he likely either fabricated portions of his travels or retold others' stories as his own.

Not that his works weren't immensely valuable to posterity.

[mkoubaa]

What shape is this doubt?

The medieval version of "Pics or it didn't happen"

Or

We have documented evidence that you never went there

[robga]

There is no direct evidence either way. Retelling the tales of others as your own was not new at the time. eg Marco Polo is strongly suspected by many scholars of having not made it to China. When Battuta does talk about China, it is more vague and less expansive than his other travel accounts. There is no record he brought anything back. In 1300 it wouldn't seem a wild idea having reached furthest point X to also relate the tales you were told by locals at point X familiar with point X+1 as if you may have encountered them too.

Consider Zheng He, another famous extensive traveller born just after Battuta's death (with some scepticism of his travels too). He went to Africa from China and brought back a giraffe. Well worth a read.

It's a --shrug--.