الفوائد فی معرفة علم البحر و القواعد

Kitāb al-fawāʼid fī maʻrifat ʻilm al-baḥr wa-al-qawāʻid

Ibn Majid was an expert on the navigation of the Indian Ocean and it is believed that Vasco da Gama consulted him with regard to the route to India. The text covers all aspects of the navigation of the Indian Ocean, including routes, harbors, and landfalls. This work is a collection of eight treatises related to the science of seafaring and navigation by Ibn Mājid al-Julfārī al-Sa'dī, the most renowned Muslim navigator of the 15th century (9th century AH). It was originally assembled in 1490. The works are bound together in one large tome and include information about the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, and other major bodies of water known to the author. The work meticulously lists and describes sea routes, harbors, and other points of interest to navigators. The first of the eight treatises provides a general introduction to seafaring and navigation. Two other noteworthy treatises in the collection deal with determining the qibla (direction of prayer) and hence other directions derived from it, and exploring the celestial sphere and zodiacal signs. World Digital Library.

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