Sole The Travels of Ibn Fudayl is a satirical tale written in the style of an academic who has translated a medieval manuscript. It comes complete with foreword, introduction, bibliography and copious footnotes that poke fun at the pretentious world of academia, whilst chronicling Ibn Fudayl's experiences in Al-Andalus. In particular, how his search for wisdom leads him to meet the philosopher Al-Homsi, the world's most ignorant man. It is their friendship and love for worthless knowledge that enables Ibn Fudayl to reach the upper echelons of Andalusian society. Ibn Fudayl's travels give insights to the demographics, politics and geography of the places he visits, simulating the many Islamic travelogues of the Middle Ages. Having reached Al-Andalus, Ibn Fudayl travels to Murcia where he ignores conventional learning and is drawn to a lecture on the chemical excellencies of Valencian manure. On a mission to find the inspirational lecturer, he discovers how a conflict pertaining the length of one's beard has practically caused a civil war between inhabitants, illustrating the hypocrisy of religious debates and how they use the minutiae of religious law to obscure the reality of faith. The ideological war between the long and short beards sees Ibn Fudayl and Al-Homsi's burgeoning friendship begins, and sparks a theological revolution all over Europe. The revolution results in them being highly esteemed by Christian and Muslim princes alike and both intellectuals secure tenures in the often-nonsensical world of academia. But their love for each other and their intellectual success is met by envy from some quarters of the world. With the publication of the book by Al-Khurasani, Al-Homsi sets out to dispel his heretical and absurd ideas by giving an oppositional lecture at Valencia Academy. Alas! As Al-Homsi delivers the lecture he is killed by an assassin wielding a deadly book. Ibn Fudayl laments his loss.
