The Importance of Retreat

Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406), probably the greatest Arab historian, knew the importance of retreat for the purposes of reflection and scholarly work. In fact, he took his two periods of retreat in the area that is now known as the country of Algeria. While actively involved in political life and adept in the thorny infighting and intrigue surrounding a sultan's court (although he did serve two years in prison), Ibn Khaldun treasured the opportunity to escape from the fracas of worldly affairs and dedicate himself to study-for as long as one would leave him alone. His first occasion for seclusion came when he went to stay at the convent (ribat: combination fortress and spiritual retreat) of Sheikh Abu Medin near Tlemcen. His intention was to renounce the world. He also began to teach younger students at the institution. However, this first attempt at seclusion would not last nearly long enough. A new sultan soon called him back to work in 1370 AD. Returning later to Tlemcen (1374 AD), he went to live in the Qalaat (palace) ben Selama, the fortress of an Arab ruler, named Abu Bakr ben Arif, who had built it several years before. It still stands today at Taghzut, in the environs of Frenda on the desert side of the Atlas Mountains. He was able to live there four years, completely free from the worry ofbusiness and politics. Here, he began the composition of his great historical work, the Muqaddimah (Prolegomena). The Prolegomena deals with the science of history in general, with the two forms of civilization: the nomadic life and the sedentary life, with the characteristics which distinguish these two ways of life, and with the institutions, sciences and arts, which develop-be it in one of these states or the other. An entirely original work, Ibn Khaldun used the best of an immense accumulation of documents. Following this period of labor, he felt the need to consult certain treatises and collections, which were only available in big cities. So, he eventually set out (1378 AD) for the city of his birth, Tunis. I just finished reading his work on the history of the Berbers of North Africa. Lately, I've been involved in meeting the leaders of women's organizations in Algiers and visiting the sites and museums of the city. My room, however, is on the ninth floor of a hotel, surrounded by gardens, tennis courts, and a swimming pool, and looking out over the port of Algiers towards the Mediterranean in one direction and mountains in the other. All I see of the city from my balconey are its large white buildings, its great edifices like the Grande Poste, the New Mosque, the Lighthouse of the Admiralty, and the green areas in the middle of Muhammad Khemisti Boulevard. After the sounding horns, jerky rides, and bumper to bumper traffic of the city streets, I can look out on Algiers and feel calm, that the world is not such a bad place, and that I do have a sense of myself. Tonight, the moon is full. It's the middle of Ramadan. Nacera, the assistant in the Business Center, didn't come to work until about 11 AM, when she was supposed to arrive at 9 AM. After all, it is a Friday too, the second day of the Algerian weekend, when the shops are actually closed. Perhaps, an incentive for busy and fasting workers to find a little more rest themselves. The prayers, echoing from the mosques' minarets from 8-10 PM, give a sort of benediction to the closing day.

The picture of the statute of Ibn Khaldun was taken in Tunis, where a street is also named after him.