The Voyage Of Ibn Battuta
Written By Kamran Pasha
November 2008
Forecast Pictures 40 rue de l’Echiquier 75010 Paris T +33 148 011 018 F +33 148 244 195 www.forecastpictures.com
TENTATIVE CAST «Ibn Battuta» Saïd Taghmaoui « Lost » (guest star in TV Series 2009 - 2010) « G.I. Joe » (dir. Stephen Sommers, 2009) « Traitor » (dir. Jeffrey Nachmanoff 2008) « Vantage Point » (dir. Pete Travis, 2008) « La Haine » (dir. Mathieu Kassovitz, 1995
«Shihab Al Din/ Old man» Omar Sharif «Hidalgo» (dir. Joe Johnston, 2004) «The 13th Warrior» (dir. J.McTiernan, 2001) « Lawrence of Arabia» (dir. D. Lean, 1962
«Ibrahim» Naveen Andrews
«Gizem» Eva Green
« Lost » (Series, 2008-04) « Planet Terror » (dir. R. Rodrigues, 2007) « The Brave One » (dir. Neil Jordan, 2006)
«The Golden Compass » (dir. Chris Weitz, 2007) «Casino Royale » (dir. M. Campbell, 2006) «Kingdom of Heaven» (dir. R. Scott, 2005
«Afshan» Emmanuelle Chriqui
«Afshan’s father» Ben Kingsley
«You don’t mess with the Zohan» (dir. D.Dugan, 2008) « August » (dir. Austin Chick, 2008)
« Oliver Twist » (dir. Roman Polanski, 2005) « Schindler’s List » (dir. S. Spielberg, 1993) « Gandhi » (dir. R. Attenbourough, 1982)
«Sultan Tugluk» Hrithik Roshan « Jodhaa Akhbar » (dir. A.Gowariker, 2008) « Krish » (dir. Rakesh Roshan, 2006) « Khabi Khushi Kabhie Ghan » (dir. Karan Johar, 2001)
« Emperor Toghon Temur » Chow Yun Fat « Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End » (dir. Gore Verbinski, 2007) « The Curse of the Golden Flower » (dir. Zhang Yimou, 2006) «Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon» (dir. Lee, 2000)
THE VOYAGE OF IBN BATTUTA Written By Kamran Pasha
FADE IN: OPENING CRAWL: “Seek knowledge, even if you must go to China.” -- Prophet Muhammad. EXT. INDIAN OCEAN - 1340 AD - NIGHT LIGHTNING flashes across the sky as a thick CURTAIN OF RAIN crashes down on the churning sea. The ocean heaves and thunders, a leviathan of fury that knows no master. As WAVES like mountains roll with primordial fury, one tiny INDIAN SHIP struggles to stay afloat. But the raging winds tear its SAIL to shreds, sealing its doom... EXT. SHIP - NIGHT Terrified INDIAN SAILORS race across the deck looking for a way to escape the wrath of heaven and earth. Several manage to reach a small DINGHY. But as they attempt to lower the life boat into the sea, a massive WAVE smashes the side of the vessel, sending the sailors SCREAMING to their watery graves. In the midst of this devastation, one man pushes forward. A man named IBN BATTUTA, who forces his way through the chaos on the deck, desperately seeking someone. My love!
IBN BATTUTA
He frantically searches until he sees a YOUNG WOMAN clinging to a MAST. IBN BATTUTA I’m coming! Ibn Battuta races to her side, throwing his arms around the terrified woman. IBN BATTUTA Hold on to me! As the world sky and ocean become one, as the horizon vanishes into a single wave, she look into his eyes. And smiles. YOUNG WOMAN Now you know.
Ibn Battuta
What?!
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IBN BATTUTA
YOUNG WOMAN Where all roads lead in the end. Ibn Battuta stares at her, unable to process her words. And then he sees A massive WAVE racing toward them. CLOSE on his eyes as the unstoppable wave reflects deep in his pupils, filling his vision to infinity... EXT. BEACH - TANGIER - 1355 AD - DAWN CLOSE on Ibn Battuta’s eyes as they reflect the churning water. PULL BACK to reveal Ibn Battuta as an elderly man, staring out at gentle waves lapping off the coast of Tangier, the ancient port of Morocco. IBN BATTUTA Now, I know. My love. His reverie is interrupted by the ISLAMIC PRAYER CALL, which echoes as the first hint of dawn illuminates the sky. Towering MINARETS and majestic DOMES sparkle as worshippers rush to the mosques for Fajr prayer. FATIMA Sidi Muhammad! Sidi Muhammad! The child runs up to Ibn Battuta, who leans down and strokes her hair. IBN BATTUTA What is it habibti? FATIMA A man has come! From the Sultan! He’s asking for you. INT. GUEST CHAMBER - RIYAD - DAY Inside an elegant room is seated IBN JUZAYY, a young man wearing a TURBAN and elegant ROBES. Fatima guides Ibn Battuta in and then nervously runs off. Ibn Juzayy rises to greet the old man.
Ibn Battuta
Written By Kamran Pasha 9-1-08 Draft
IBN JUZAYY Assalamu ‘alaikum, sayyidi. It is an honor to finally meet you. IBN BATTUTA Who are you? IBN JUZAYY I am Abu Abdallah Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad Ibn Juzayy alKalbi. IBN BATTUTA I find that men with long names are usually short on accomplishments. IBN JUZAYY I have been sent by the Commander of the Faithful, Caliph and Imam, Abu Inan Faris -IBN BATTUTA May God strengthen him. How can I help my master the Sultan? IBN JUZAYY He wishes to hear your tale. IBN BATTUTA I have no tale. Ibn Battuta turns to walk away. IBN JUZAYY But it is said that you have travelled the world, seen more of God’s creation than any man who has ever lived! IBN BATTUTA I have seen much. Not all of which I wish to remember. IBN JUZAYY The Sultan commands it. Ibn Battuta stops.
Turns to face Ibn Juzayy.
IBN BATTUTA Come with me.
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Ibn Battuta
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INT. STORAGE ROOM - DAY Ibn Juzayy follows his host inside an underground chamber. IBN BATTUTA I have spent the past thirty years wandering. The paths I travelled were dark ones, and not easily followed. But if you choose to tread those roads on the heels of my memory... perhaps these will light your way. Ibn Battuta ignites a TORCH, which reveals a room filled with priceless ART and ARTIFACTS from all over the world! Ibn Juzayy looks around in wonder at the stunning collection. IBN JUZAYY These treasures would buy a king’s ransom. IBN BATTUTA These are trinkets. What I have seen would buy worlds. Ibn Juzayy’s smile fades when he sees a SYMBOL on the walls -a HAND with and EYE emblazoned at the center of the palm. IBN JUZAYY I thought you were a man of reason. And yet you cover your walls with this pagan symbolism. IBN BATTUTA It is the Hand of Fatima, the daughter of our beloved Prophet. Her eye watches over my home and gives it protection. IBN JUZAYY A Muslim seeks protection from God alone. Ibn Juzayy picks up a GOLD MEDALLION shaped like the Symbol. IBN JUZAYY He does not make his home a sanctuary for superstition. He moves to toss it aside, when Ibn Battuta grabs his wrist.
Ibn Battuta
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IBN BATTUTA Don’t touch that! Ibn Battuta pries open the hand of his startled visitor and takes the Medallion from it. Tears well in his eyes. IBN JUZAYY Forgive me. You are clearly ill. I will take my leave. Ibn Battuta grasps his arm. IBN BATTUTA I was like you once. Excuse me?
IBN JUZAYY
IBN BATTUTA I was a man of reason, immune from the so-called superstitions of the common folk. The world was black and white. East was East and West was West and never should the horizons meet. It was a world without wonder, without magic. And it was a lie. IBN JUZAYY I don’t understand. IBN BATTUTA I know. That is why I will let you hear my tale... INT. ISLAMIC COURT - TANGIER - FLASHBACK TO 1325 AD SUPER: Thirty Years Ago A traditional Islamic Court. Two PETITIONERS are seated, a YOUNG WOMAN and an OLDER MAN, arguing their case. PAN to REVEAL a handsome young QADI hearing the petitioner’s arguments. This is Ibn Battuta as a youth. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) I was a simple boy once, with simple dreams. My vision of the world went no further than the hills beyond Tangier, and my vision of God went no further than words I read in books of law...
Ibn Battuta
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YOUNG WOMAN My uncle stole my money! My mahr, the gift my husband gave to me at our wedding. He has refused to hand it over to me. OLDER MAN The mahr belongs to me. Her father died and left the girl as my responsibility. It is the custom of our village that the mahr should revert to me, her guardian, as compensation. IBN BATTUTA I am not concerned with your village customs. As qadi, I must judge according to the laws of God, not men. (beat) According to the rules of Islam, the mahr is the property of the bride, not her family or guardian. I rule in favor of your niece. You must return her wedding gift to her. OLDER MAN This is outrageous.
I refuse.
IBN BATTUTA As qadi, I am an agent of the Sultan. Do you wish me to advise the court that you reject the authority of the Commander of the Faithful? The Older Man pales at the implied threat. He grimaces, and then throws a PURSE of gold, which lands at his niece’s feet before storming out. The young woman takes the money and smiles. YOUNG WOMAN Thank you, sayyidi. IBN BATTUTA Do not thank me. Thank Allah, whose Word was sent to protect women and children.
Ibn Battuta
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INT. MADRASSA - DAY Rows of BOYS sit on the ground, with copies of the QUR’AN in their hands. They sway back and forth as they recite the holy book in unison. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) I spoke of children, but I did not know that I, too, was a child. They say that children are placed inside a crib until they are ready to walk on their own. I did not know it then, but the bars that kept me inside my small world were about to be lifted... Ibn Battuta smiles at his students. IBN BATTUTA Masha-Allah. I’m proud of you boys. As of today, you have memorized 20 ajza -- two thirds of the Holy Qur’an! The boys look at each other and beam. IBN BATTUTA Remember this. Everything you will ever need to know is in the Holy Qur’an. Once you have memorized the entire Qur’an, you will become a Hafiz and receive great respect among men. A boy named YUSUF speaks up. YUSUF Then can we become a qadi like you Sidi Muhammad? IBN BATTUTA No, not quite. You will still need to learn the hadith of our Holy Prophet -BOYS May God’s blessings and peace be upon him!
Ibn Battuta
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IBN BATTUTA -- And then you must study the law books of the great scholar Imam Malik ibn Anas. Once you know these sources by heart, you will know the Shariah, God’s laws for mankind. And then you can become a qadi -- a judge over the people. Another boy named MUSTAFA raises his voice. MUSTAFA My neighbor is a Jew. He told me that they don’t have qadis. Why? IBN BATTUTA The Jews have Rabbis. And the Christians have priests. MUSTAFA Why don’t they follow our law? IBN BATTUTA Do you remember what the Holy Qur’an calls Jews and Christians? MUSTAFA People of the Book. IBN BATTUTA Exactly. The People of the Book have their own scriptures and their own law, and we have ours. It is the will of God. YUSUF If Islam is the truth, why did God make other religions? Ibn Battuta hesitates, tries to think of a good answer. IBN BATTUTA It is a test. You can only know truth once you’ve seen falsehood. VOICE (O.S) So how does one find truth? Ibn Battuta sees a young man named IBRAHIM in the doorway.
Ibn Battuta
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EXT. MADRASSA - DAY Ibn Battuta embraces Ibrahim heartily. Ibrahim!
IBN BATTUTA When did you return?
IBRAHIM The caravan from Mali pulled in just this morning. EXT. STREETS OF TANGIER - DAY The two friends stroll through the crowds of Tangier. Ibrahim looks at the sea of humanity all around him, and then turns to Ibn Battuta. IBRAHIM You still haven’t answered my question. Excuse me?
IBN BATTUTA
IBRAHIM How does one find truth? IBN BATTUTA The Holy Qur’an is the path to truth. IBRAHIM Is there no other path to truth? IBN BATTUTA Of course not. IBRAHIM You have limited your vision, my friend. Islam is a beautiful path to truth, but there are others as well. IBN BATTUTA You go to Africa in search of God, and you come back an unbeliever? IBRAHIM I no longer believe.
I know.
Ibn Battuta
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IBN BATTUTA You sound like a Sufi. I am.
IBRAHIM
IBN BATTUTA Sufism is the inner heart of Islam. It teaches us how to use the rituals of Islam, its prayers and fasts, to come closer to God. But it does not promote heresy. IBRAHIM I only repeat what my teacher tells me. That all religions at their heart lead men back to their source. IBN BATTUTA Then your teacher is misguided. IBRAHIM Perhaps. But then I wonder why he sent me to you. IBN BATTUTA What are you talking about? IBRAHIM During my travels, I stopped at an ancient city named Timbuktu. There I met a Sufi shaykh who changed my life, made me see the world through new eyes. And then he sent me back with a message for you. For me?
IBN BATTUTA
IBRAHIM He told me to remind my friend Muhammad ibn Battuta of the words of our Holy Prophet: “Seek knowledge even if you must go to China.” IBN BATTUTA I don’t understand. Ibrahim hands Ibn Battuta an AMULET made of GREEN JADE. On the stone is carved in elegant Arabic calligraphy: “There is no god but God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God”.
Ibn Battuta
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IBRAHIM The shaykh wanted you to have this. Said it would protect you on your journey. IBN BATTUTA What journey? IBRAHIM My shaykh told me to travel with you to Mecca on the sacred pilgrimage. Ibn Battuta ties the amulet around his neck. IBN BATTUTA It is every Muslim’s duty to go to Mecca once in his life -- if he can afford it. Regrettably, I cannot. Ibrahim removes a PURSE from his robes. IBRAHIM These are the profits from my trade in Africa. They will cover the journey. IBN BATTUTA Thank you, but I cannot accept this. Ibrahim smiles, touches the amulet on his friend’s neck. IBRAHIM You already have. EXT. NORTH AFRICAN DESERT - DAY A PILGRIMAGE CARAVAN spreads out across the unforgiving desert. A long line of CAMELS, HORSES and DONKEYS carrying thousands of PILGRIMS westward toward Arabia. CLOSE ON Ibn Battuta and his friend Ibrahim, seated on HORSES. IBRAHIM It is a three month journey. The caravan will stop at Cairo. From there, we will turn south under the protection of the Mamluk guard until we reach the blessed cities of Mecca and Medina.
Ibn Battuta
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IBN BATTUTA I will be glad when reach Cairo. This is a savage land. IBRAHIM I think it’s beautiful. There is a clarity to the desert. A simplicity. Sand and sky. Man and God. Ibn Battuta glances up at the declining sun. IBN BATTUTA I forgot my Asr prayer. I should do it before the sun sets. He climbs off his horse and pulls a PRAYER RUG from his bags, then prostrates toward Mecca. When he has finished, Ibn Battuta turns back to the Caravan, and then hears something strange. A CHILD’S LAUGH. He looks up to see a YOUNG BOY standing in the distance. boy smiles and waves.
The
IBN BATTUTA What are you doing there? You should return to your parents. But the boy laughs and races away. Come back!
IBN BATTUTA The caravan is leaving!
Ibn Battuta chases after the child. EXT. NORTH AFRICAN DESERT - TIME CUT Ibn Battuta wanders through the wastes, looking for the wayward child. IBN BATTUTA Where are you? You’ll get lost out here! The wind rises and sand begins to swirl all around him. Ibn Battuta slides on the shifting dune and loses his footing. The howling wind wraps him in a curtain of sand. Choking under the barrage of tiny pebbles, Ibn Battuta tries to find shelter. But everywhere he looks, he sees only a whirling SANDSTORM...
Ibn Battuta
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EXT. NORTH AFRICAN DESERT - NIGHT Ibn Battuta lies on the ground, face down. He is almost completely covered in sand. The young qadi GROANS and slowly regains consciousness. IBN BATTUTA Ya Allah... please help me... Ibn Battuta manages to get to his feet. He looks around for the Caravan. But there is only an ocean of sand around him. And then he hears the CHILD’S LAUGH, filled with menace rather than joy. Ibn Battuta whirls, chilled to the bone. IBN BATTUTA Who’s there? The mysterious boy is nearby, watching him with a malevolent smile. The child turns and runs down a hill. Wait!
IBN BATTUTA
Ibn Battuta chases the boy. He steps forward in the dark and his footing gives way! He almost tumbles over the edge of a cliff. A shower of PEBBLES vanishes into the depths below. Ibn Battuta scrambles back. And then he sees a FLICKERING LIGHT inside a small CAVE near a ROCKY PLATEAU. He approaches the cave cautiously. IBN BATTUTA Is anybody there? VOICE (O.S.) Yes and no. An OLD MAN named BURHAN AL-DIN step out of the cave. Please!
IBN BATTUTA Help! I’m lost!
BURHAN AL-DIN I can see that. IBN BATTUTA I was separated from my caravan. But your son guided me here. BURHAN AL-DIN That’s funny. I don’t have a son.
Ibn Battuta
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IBN BATTUTA Can you help me? BURHAN AL-DIN No. Only you can help you. What I can do is feed you. Would you like some dinner? INT. CAVE - NIGHT Ibn Battuta sits inside the cave before a small CAMP FIRE. Burhan Al-Din roasts some KEBABS over the flame, and then hands one to his guest. Ibn Battuta hungrily chows down. Thank you.
IBN BATTUTA
BURHAN AL-DIN Eat slowly, my son. Savor the blessing of food that God has given you. You will miss the taste when you are dead. It’s funny how we take these little things for granted, and then we spend an eternity remembering them when they’re gone. IBN BATTUTA We must find that boy. out here alone.
He will die
BURHAN AL-DIN There is no boy. I saw him!
IBN BATTUTA
BURHAN AL-DIN You saw a Djinn. A nasty spirit that haunts these parts, luring the unwary to their deaths in the desert. IBN BATTUTA That’s just a fairy tale. BURHAN AL-DIN The Holy Qur’an tells us that God created Djinn and men. Are you a disbeliever?
Ibn Battuta
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IBN BATTUTA No, of course I believe. BURHAN AL-DIN That is your problem. You believe. You do not know. IBN BATTUTA Who are you? BURHAN AL-DIN I am Burhan Al-Din. And you are Muhammad Ibn Battuta. Ibn Battuta gets up, startled. IBN BATTUTA How do you know my name? BURHAN AL-DIN The whole world will know your name. Why?
IBN BATTUTA
BURHAN AL-DIN Because you will know the whole world. IBN BATTUTA I’m sorry... I have to go... Ibn Battuta starts backing out of the cave. BURHAN AL-DIN Say hello for me. To my brother. IBN BATTUTA Your brother? BURHAN AL-DIN He dwells in China. You will meet him one day. IBN BATTUTA You’re mad. BURHAN AL-DIN We all are, son. We all are. Ibn Battuta turns and quickly exits the cave.
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Ibn Battuta
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EXT. NORTH AFRICAN DESERT - DAY Ibn Battuta wanders alone on the empty wastes He staggers and collapses from heat stroke and dehydration. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) It is said that when death approaches, the angels Munkar and Nakir appear at the edge of sight, ready to guide the soul from one life to the next... Ibn Battuta sees two FIGURES clad in white approaching, their outlines blurred by the curtain of heat. IBN BATTUTA La ilaha ill-Allah... Ibn Battuta falls unconscious, unable to finish the prayer... INT. PILGRIM’S CAMP - DAY Ibn Battuta awakes in confusion, then sees Ibrahim. IBRAHIM I thought we lost you So did I.
IBN BATTUTA How...?
The two BEDOUIN dressed in white step into view. They salute him in traditional fashion, fingers to the forehead. IBRAHIM God must have a plan for you, my friend. It is not every day that a man is rescued from the wastes of Ifriqiya. IBN BATTUTA (to Bedouin) Did the old man send you? BEDOUIN 1 What old man? IBN BATTUTA He lives in a cave to the west, near the rocky plateau.
Ibn Battuta
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BEDOUIN 2 The plateau is haunted by Djinn. No one dwells there. IBN BATTUTA His name was Burhan Al-Din. The Bedouin look at each other in surprise. BEDOUIN 1 There was a shaykh with that name who lived there once. BEDOUIN 2 But he died a hundred years ago. Off Ibn Battuta’s shock... EXT. NORTH AFRICAN DESERT - DAY The Pilgrim Caravan continues its trek through the desert. IBN BATTUTA Is there no end to this damned desert? IBRAHIM We’re almost to Cairo. IBN BATTUTA How can you tell? We’ve been out here for months, and these wretched sand dunes look the same as the ones we crossed yesterday. And the day before. And the day before that. IBRAHIM Stop looking to the earth for a sign. Look to Heaven. Ibn Battuta looks up and his mouth drops open. THE PYRAMIDS tower above the barren landscape, rising toward the sun... EXT. CAIRO - DAY Ibn Battuta steps through the crowded streets of Cairo.
Ibn Battuta
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IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) Cairo is a city like no other. A bridge between three worlds -Islam, Africa and the barbarian lands of Europe. Ibn Battuta sees MERCHANTS from all over the world haggling in the markets. There is a THUNDER of HOOVES, and he jumps aside just in time as a row of MAMLUK HORSEMEN race through the cobbled streets. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) The Mamluks are the rulers of Egypt. Turkish warrior slaves who overthrew their once proud Arab masters. EXT. MARISTAN HOSPITAL - DAY Ibn Battuta stands outside the MARISTAN, the grand hospital of Cairo. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) The Mamluks are firm rulers, but they are not without compassion. The Maristan, the grand hospital of Egypt, is one of their greatest legacies. INT. MARISTAN HOSPITAL - COURTYARD - DAY Ibn Battuta steps inside the halls of the hospital. His eyes fall on group of MUSICIANS gently playing string instruments for some of the patients, bringing smiles to the sick. And then he sees Ibrahim waiting by an open door. IBN BATTUTA Why are we here? IBRAHIM To see a patient. Ibn Battuta glances inside and sees an ELDERLY MAN walking in circles, muttering. Ibn Battuta gasps. IBN BATTUTA Your father. IBRAHIM We sent him here for treatment last year. (MORE)
Ibn Battuta
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IBRAHIM (cont'd) The doctors in Tangier said he was possessed by Djinn. That’s what they always say when they have no answers. Those fools confuse an illness of the mind with an invasion of the soul. I’m sorry.
IBN BATTUTA
Ibrahim approaches the old man. IBRAHIM Father... it’s me... For a moment, the elderly figure gazes at him. And then, without warning, he lunges at Ibrahim, brutally clawing at his face! Ibrahim CRIES OUT in surprise. Ibn Battuta pulls the struggling old man off his son. At that moment, a robed DOCTOR runs in. DOCTOR It is time for your medicine, sayyidi. Ibrahim wipes blood from his face as the Doctor pours some SALTS into a glass of water and mixes the combination. The doctor gently brings it to the patient’s lips, pours it inside his mouth. The elderly man ceases to struggle. His body goes limp and his eyes blink. The old man looks around in confusion until he sees Ibrahim. My son...
FATHER
Ibn Battuta lets the old man go. IBRAHIM Welcome back. Father and son embrace. INT. MARISTAN HOSPITAL - COURTYARD - DAY Ibn Battuta and Ibrahim speak with the doctor in the gardens.
Ibn Battuta
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DOCTOR Your father cannot be cured completely, but these salts help his mind to regain balance for a short time. The doctor hands Ibrahim a POUCH containing the medicine. He pours some of the grey powder into his hand. Thank you.
IBRAHIM
EXT. CAIRO STREETS - DAY Ibn Battuta wanders through the streets of Cairo, enjoying the lively sights and sounds of the thriving metropolis. And then he sees something strange. The little boy from the desert, the one who the old man called a Djinn, is standing nearby! The boy LAUGHS and races down the street. Hey!
IBN BATTUTA Wait!
Ibn Battuta chases after the mysterious boy and soon finds himself alone in a shadowy alley. Suddenly his way is blocked by a MAN whose face is covered by a KEFFIYEH. MASKED MAN These are dangerous streets to be walking alone. Two more MASKED MEN emerge from the shadows and surround him. IBN BATTUTA I can see that. MASKED MAN My friends and I can protect you. For a fee, of course. IBN BATTUTA That won’t be necessary. MASKED MAN Oh, but we insist. Ibn Battuta takes out his PURSE. The masked man moves to take it -- when Ibn Battuta punches him in the face! Ibn Battuta tries to run, but the other men quickly pounce.
Ibn Battuta
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He fights back bravely, but he is outnumbered and is reduced to a bloody pulp. MASKED MAN Welcome to Cairo, my friend. I hope you have a pleasant stay. The robbers laugh and walk away as the bloodied Ibn Battuta reels in pain... INT. OLD RABBI’S HOME - NIGHT Ibn Battuta awakes and finds himself in a BED, his face covered in a BANDAGE. He sees the walls of the small room are covered in beautiful HEBREW CALLIGRAPHY. Ibn Battuta looks around to see a BEARDED OLD RABBI fussing over a pot of SOUP that is boiling on a small flame. IBN BATTUTA Where am I? Home.
BEARDED OLD RABBI
IBN BATTUTA We are in Cairo. My home is in Tangier. The old man comes over to Ibn Battuta’s side, holding a bowl of soup. BEARDED OLD RABBI Home is wherever you are safe and well fed. Ibn Battuta sips the soup. BEARDED OLD RABBI Looks like you put up quite a fight. IBN BATTUTA It was three against one, but I got in a few good punches. BEARDED OLD RABBI And you’re proud of that? IBN BATTUTA Shouldn’t I be?
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BEARDED OLD RABBI It sometimes takes more courage to restrain yourself than to lash out. IBN BATTUTA They wanted to take my money! BEARDED OLD RABBI And take your money they did. But when you fought, they ended up taking your blood as well. It sounds like you had a double loss there, my friend. IBN BATTUTA Doesn’t your Torah say “an eye for an eye?” BEARDED OLD RABBI The Torah is like a chest of beautiful diamonds, each verse shining like a mirror. When a man looks inside, he only sees what is inside himself. Ibn Battuta doesn’t know what to make of that. He gets up and reaches for his CLOTHESLINE, which have been washed of blood and are drying over the small fire. IBN BATTUTA I would pay you for your kindness to me, but I have no money. BEARDED OLD RABBI Don’t worry. You will pay me back someday. How?
IBN BATTUTA
BEARDED OLD RABBI When you drop your sword in the heat of battle and spare your enemy, then our debt will be repaid. Ibn Battuta looks at the old rabbi as if he were crazy, but nods...
Ibn Battuta
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EXT. MECCA - WEEKS LATER - DAY Sand swirls in a living dance through the desert air. PULL BACK to reveal THOUSANDS of HAJJ PILGRIMS dressed in WHITE IHRAM ROBES marching joyfully toward the holy city of MECCA. PILGRIMS Labbaik Allahuma, Labbaik! (translated) “I respond to Your Call, O God, I respond to your call!” CLOSE ON Ibn Battuta as he swims through the sea of believers, his eyes filling with tears... INT. MASJID AL-HARAM - DAY Ibn Battuta moves with the throngs as they circumambulate the KAABA, the holy of holies of Islam. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) There is no place on earth more dear to a Muslim’s heart than the Holy Kaaba. Built by Abraham and his son Ishmael in ages long past, it was the first place of worship for the One God. Even though I had never laid eyes on its sacred walls before, I felt as if I had been in its shade for all eternity. I have journeyed to every corner of the earth, seen many wondrous things. And yet no place on Earth have I felt closer to the Divine than at the Kaaba - the House of God. The home of the soul. PULL BACK to REVEAL the full extent of the crowd. Ibn Battuta vanishes as tiny specks of white in a throng that numbers in the hundreds of thousands... EXT. PILGRIM CAMP - MINA - NIGHT Ibn Battuta sits in front of a simple TENT, one of thousands that are spread out across the desert. He sees the remarkable diversity of the Muslim Pilgrims: BLACK AFRICANS mingle with BLONDE TURKS, CHINESE and INDIAN MUSLIMS break bread with ARABS and KURDS.
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IBRAHIM You have been silent for hours. What are you thinking? IBN BATTUTA All these Muslims from all over the world gathered here. Each has their own language, their own customs. And yet they are all united by the hunger for God. IBRAHIM It is not just the Muslims who hunger. Christians, Jews, even those you would consider idolworshippers, are all seeking the same truth. My shaykh say that all faiths are paths leading back to the One. IBN BATTUTA Your crazy shaykh again. Do not profane the Pilgrimage with his heresies. IBRAHIM It is amazing how much you see, my friend, and still how little. What if I were to prove it to you? IBN BATTUTA Prove what? IBRAHIM Prove that the light at the heart of Islam is the same light that is at the heart of all faiths. IBN BATTUTA And how would you do the impossible? IBRAHIM Come with me. Where?
IBN BATTUTA
IBRAHIM To Baghdad. There you will meet a Sufi master who can show you wonders beyond your imagination.
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IBN BATTUTA I have to return to Tangier. IBRAHIM Tangier will still be standing a thousand years from now. IBN BATTUTA I would love to see Baghdad, the crown jewel of Islam. But I am expected back at the school with the returning caravan. IBRAHIM Don’t worry. We shall depart on the northern road to Baghdad. From there, we will return east by ship through the ports of Anatolia. You will arrive in Tangier well in advance of the caravan. IBN BATTUTA That wasn’t the road I planned to take home. IBRAHIM Then you have learned your first lesson as a traveller. Never take the same road twice. Ibn Battuta looks at Ibrahim and finally relents.
He’s in.
EXT. ARABIAN DESERT - DAY Ibn Battuta and Ibrahim ride north on HORSES. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) My trip to Baghdad would be a quick visit and then I would return to the simple life of a scholar in Tangier next year. (beat) Little did I know that “next year” was a lifetime away... They enter a rocky valley and dismount, giving their steeds a chance to graze on a few bushes. IBN BATTUTA How much further until Baghdad?
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IBRAHIM We are about two days from the Euphrates. From there, it’s less than half a day to Baghdad, and -Ibrahim suddenly stops. something.
Looks around as if he heard
IBN BATTUTA What’s wrong? Ibrahim climbs back on his horse. IBRAHIM Get moving. Ibrahim spurs his horse. Ibn Battuta climbs his horse and moves to follow when he hears a sound like thunder -- HOOVES. Ibn Battuta stares at an approaching DUST CLOUD and sees silhouetted HORSEMEN racing toward them. IBN BATTUTA Who are they? IBRAHIM Tatar raiders! INT. HILLSIDE - DAY - CONTINUOUS The two riders desperately turn the bend... and gallop straight into a waiting gang of TATAR HORSEMEN! Ibn Battuta reins in his horse, looks around to see that they are surrounded. The TATAR LEADER rides toward them. TATAR LEADER You are trespassing on Tatar lands. Trapped, Ibn Battuta and Ibrahim climb off their steeds. The horses are led away by the leader’s men. The two men hand over LEATHER PURSES containing all their money.. The Tatar leader empties the purses into his hand and smiles at the take. And then he sees the a small POUCH on Ibrahim’s belt. TATAR LEADER I’ll take that too. IBRAHIM It is of no value to you.
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TATAR LEADER I decide what is of value. to me.
27.
Give it
IBRAHIM
No.
The Tatar leader pulls out a SWORD and stabs Ibrahim! IBN BATTUTA
No!
Ibrahim falls to the ground and Ibn Battuta rushes to his friend’s side. The Tatar leader opens the pouch and pours its contents into his hand -- the MEDICINE that healed Ibrahim’s father. The Tatar throws the purse back, its contents worthless. IBN BATTUTA Ibrahim... stay with me... IBRAHIM My journey is over... He hands the
medicine pouch to Ibn Battuta.
IBRAHIM But yours is just beginning... Ibrahim smiles.
And then he is still.
Ibn Battuta stares down at his dead friend in shock. And then something inside him snaps. Overwhelmed with grief and fury, he tackles the Tatar leader! Several Tatar horsemen jump on Ibn Battuta and pull him off their master. They withdraw KNIVES move to kill him. The Tatar leader, smiles viciously... ... just as an ARROW flies through the sky and tears into his throat! The Tatars whirl in shock as ARROWS tear at them from behind. Ibn Battuta sees several VEILED and TURBANNED WARRIORS descend on the hillside like masked avengers. SWORD meets SWORD even as ARROWS and SPEARS rain on the combatants from all sides. Battuta crawls over to the body of the dead Tatar leader. He Ibn sees one of the veiled warriors knocked to the ground by a Tatar. The bandit raises his weapon to kill his opponent.
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Ibn Battuta grabs a CLUB and knocks the Tatar down, saving the warrior’s life. He looks around to see that the battle is over. The Tatars are all dead or in flight. As Ibn Battuta stares at the carnage in a daze, the warrior he rescued gets up. Thank you.
WOMAN’S VOICE
Ibn Battuta turns in shock as the warrior removes turban and veil -- revealing a BEAUTIFUL WOMAN. IBN BATTUTA Who are you? FEMALE WARRIOR I am Afshan bint Oljeitu, sister of Abu Said -- master of this land. EXT. STEPPES OF IRAQ - NIGHT Ibn Battuta sits on his horse. He gazes over sadly at the SHROUDED CORPSE of his friend Ibrahim, tied to another steed. AFSHAN The Tatars have been a plague on this land for many years. Genghis Khan thought he could turn these bandits into warriors. But they turned against their Mongol masters, betraying the very men they once fought beside. IBN BATTUTA The Mongols are the scourge of this earth. It is fitting that their dogs should bite them in turn. AFSHAN You hate the Mongols? IBN BATTUTA The children of Genghis Khan have been a spear at the heart of Islam for a hundred years. May God destroy them all. Ibn Battuta stares ahead to a RED GLOW on the eastern horizon. He lifts a PRAYER RUG from one of his bags.
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IBN BATTUTA The sun will be up soon. perform my Fajr prayers. AFSHAN It is not the sun. brother.
29.
I should
It is my
The valley below is alive with THOUSANDS OF CAMPFIRES, creating the unearthly crimson glow. Ibn Battuta looks down at the hordes of men milling about the camp. Their chiseled faces more Asiatic than Semitic. IBN BATTUTA Your brother’s men are not Arabs. No.
AFSHAN They are Mongols.
Ibn Battuta’s eyes go wide in shock, but Afshan laughs. AFSHAN Welcome to the home of Abu Said, Lord of the Ilkhans. The children of Genghis Khan. EXT. ILKHAN CAMP - NIGHT Ibn Battuta nervously follows Afshan to a large TENT at the center of the Mongol camp. A young man emerges from the camp, dressed in an eclectic combination of PERSIAN ROBES and MONGOL FURS -- the Ilkhan lord ABU SAID. He sees Afshan and rushes to her side, kissing his sister on the cheeks. ABU SAID Afshan! I was worried about you! You are a princess. Why do you insist on leaving camp without word? AFSHAN Even a Mongol princess must seek communion with the earth and the sky. It is in our blood. Abu Said sees Ibn Battuta standing behind her. A captive?
ABU SAID
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AFSHAN A wayfarer. We rescued him from the Tatars. Ibn Battuta bows nervously to the Mongol lord. IBN BATTUTA I am Muhammad Ibn Battuta, a traveler from Tangier. Your sister saved my life. ABU SAID Then you are part of my family, traveler from Tangier. Come, I will prepare lodgings of honor for you. Ibn Battuta hesitates. His eyes flash to the horse bearing Ibrahim’s shrouded corpse. AFSHAN His friend did not survive the raid. Abu Said nods in understanding. ABU SAID I grieve with you. The Ilkhan sultan turns to his Mongol warriors. ABU SAID Gather the men for Salaat alJanaza. Ibn Battuta is surprised. IBN BATTUTA You know the Muslim funeral prayer? Of course.
ABU SAID We are Muslims.
IBN BATTUTA Forgive me. I thought the Mongols were pagans. ABU SAID My forefathers came to this land to conquer Islam. But instead it has conquered us.
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EXT. ILKHAN CAMP - DAY The sun has risen over the barren land, revealing the city of COLORED TENTS that mark the Ilkhan camp. At its edge, hundreds of MONGOL WARRIORS stand in perfectly straight lines before an OPEN GRAVE. Ibrahim’s shrouded body lies before the grave. Ibn Battuta joins the line of warriors standing at attention before the burial mound. Abu Said stands in front, imam of the salaat al-janaza, the funeral prayer. He raises his hands to his ears to begin the ritual. ABU SAID Allahu Akbar. As the worshippers follow Abu Said’s lead, a tear rolls down Ibn Battuta’s cheek. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) Ibrahim was more than a friend. He was a teacher. And he died trying to teach me that my vision of the world was too small. As I stood shoulder to shoulder with men I once considered savages, I could not help but think my friend was looking down and smiling. Even in death, he was able to give me one last lesson. EXT. ILKHAN CAMP - DAY The Mongol tents have been folded away, and the MAHALLA, the massive CARAVAN of the Sultan, organizes for departure. DRUMS beat as the CAVALRY divides into perfect formation around Abu Said. The young ruler mounts his horse, and the AMIRS, Ilkhan noblemen, ride forward individually and salute the Sultan. BANNERS are raised and MUSICIANS in rich robes play on REED PIPES. Ibn Battuta sits on the hard earth, watching the pageantry in awe. He smiles as Afshan comes to sit beside him. IBN BATTUTA Where is the caravan headed?
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AFSHAN The mahalla is leaving for our new capital of Sultaniya in Persia. The Sultan gives a signal and the caravan begins moving east. IBN BATTUTA You should get moving or you’ll be left behind. AFSHAN I will not be going. I have some obligations to attend to here. (beat) What will you do now? IBN BATTUTA Return home, I suppose. AFSHAN What about Baghdad? IBN BATTUTA There is nothing for me there. AFSHAN Baghdad is the center of the world. There is something for everyone there. IBN BATTUTA Even so, I have no guide. AFSHAN We all have guides. Some unseen, some standing right before us. Or sitting as the case may be. IBN BATTUTA Are you offering to take me to the city? AFSHAN I am a princess of the Ilkhans. I make no offers. I issue commands. IBN BATTUTA So you’re commanding me? AFSHAN As it happens, my obligations require that I journey to Baghdad. (MORE)
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AFSHAN (cont'd) But the roads are still plagued by Tatars and worse. A lady requires a gentleman’s escort in these troubled times. She winks and Ibn Battuta smiles... EXT. IRAQI PLAIN - DAY Ibn Battuta and Afshan ride north. the greying sky nervously.
Ibn Battuta looks up at
IBN BATTUTA A storm is coming. AFSHAN We are almost there. Baghdad lies just beyond those hills IBN BATTUTA I have longed to see this city my whole life. Ever since I heard the tales of Shahrazad and the Thousand and One Nights. Baghdad the radiant, the city where all roads meet. AFSHAN The city has changed much since the days of Aladdin and his Genie. Afshan rides up the hill.
She stops at the summit.
AFSHAN There she is. The crown of Islam. Ibn Battuta gallops up after her excitedly, a broad smile on his face. A smile which vanishes when he sees BAGHDAD for the first time. The city lies in ruins. Bisected by the TIGRIS RIVER, the once sprawling metropolis is a devastated relic of CRUMBLING HUTS, BROKEN WALLS, and TOPPLED MINARETS. IBN BATTUTA What... who did this? AFSHAN My grandfather.
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EXT. STREETS OF BAGHDAD - DAY LIGHTNING FLASHES, followed by a dreadful CLAP of THUNDER. As sheets of RAIN pour down up on them, Ibn Battuta walks with Afshan through the ruined streets of the city. AFSHAN Hulagu Khan, grandson of Genghis, vowed to reduce Baghdad to a forgotten memory. He was a man who always kept his word. IBN BATTUTA I knew that the Mongols attacked Baghdad and killed the Caliph, but I had no idea they were capable of this. AFSHAN My forefathers were capable of much worse. She leads him through a ravaged gate, toward the remains of a public square. Ibn Battuta’s eyes widen in disbelief. IBN BATTUTA Auzubillahi minash-Shaytan-irRajeem. (translated) I seek refuge in God from Satan the outcast. PULL BACK to REVEAL a PYRAMID OF SKULLS rising from the center of the square, soaring a hundred feet above the ruins. AFSHAN These are the heads of all the poets and philosophers of Baghdad. Hulagu decreed that they should stand here for all time. A symbol to warn mankind against resisting the Mongols. IBN BATTUTA Your grandfather was a monster. AFSHAN Yes. He was. But even monsters serve a purpose.
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IBN BATTUTA What purpose could such savagery serve? AFSHAN Light can never be known without darkness. EXT. BAGHDAD ALLEYS - DAY The rain intensifies. The two travelers try to find shelter under the remains of a STONE ARCH. IBN BATTUTA You lied to me. AFSHAN What do you mean? IBN BATTUTA You said that there is something for everyone in Baghdad. But there is nothing for me here. AFSHAN Well, what are you looking for? Ibn Battuta hesitates and looks around the rain-soaked ruins. IBN BATTUTA I don’t know. AFSHAN Then Baghdad is as good place as any to find it. Afshan steps out from the shelter of the arch. She looks up into the rain, lets the storm strike her head on. Ibn Battuta watches in fascination as the water cascades down Afshan’s body. AFSHAN Are you just going to stare or will you come join me? Ibn Battuta blushes, embarrassed at being caught gawking. He steps out tentatively into the downpour, shivering under the icy water and fierce winds. AFSHAN Embrace the rain.
Water is life.
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IBN BATTUTA It will be our death if we stay out here. Afshan takes his hand. AFSHAN You have to die to be reborn. There is an electric moment between them. And then Afshan laughs and breaks free. She races off down another alley. IBN BATTUTA Where are you going? AFSHAN To show you what you’re looking for. Afshan approaches a CRUMBLING WALL. She runs her hands across the ancient stones, as if searching for something. IBN BATTUTA That wall will not provide us shelter. AFSHAN That’s your problem. You only see things as they appear to be. Not as the really are. Afshan pushes the stone, and it slides in. And then the wall SLIDES OVER to reveal a small OPENING to a dark PASSAGEWAY. Afshan steps inside, escaping the unrelenting downpour. But Ibn Battuta hesitates. AFSHAN Are you coming? IBN BATTUTA What’s in there? AFSHAN Only what is inside you. Afshan disappears inside.
Ibn Battuta follows.
INT. TUNNEL - DAY Afshan lights a TORCH, illuminating the tunnel.
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IBN BATTUTA Where does this lead? AFSHAN Where do you want it to go? IBN BATTUTA Why do you answer every question with a question? AFSHAN Why do you have so many questions? IBN BATTUTA You’re just like Ibrahim. AFSHAN He always loved riddles. IBN BATTUTA How did you know that? Know what?
AFSHAN
IBN BATTUTA That Ibrahim loved riddles. AFSHAN You told me. IBN BATTUTA No, I didn’t. Ibn Battuta stops. IBN BATTUTA Who are you? AFSHAN I am Afshan bint Oljeitu, sister of Abu Said -No.
IBN BATTUTA Who are you? Really.
Afshan smiles. AFSHAN I am a mirror. Afshan runs down the tunnel.
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Afshan!
38.
IBN BATTUTA Wait!
The torch goes out, plunging the tunnel into darkness. Afshan!
IBN BATTUTA
Ibn Battuta frantically crawls through the dark tunnel. stumbles and CRIES OUT in fear, trapped in the dark.
He
IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) I don’t know how long I stayed there. I cursed Afshan for having led me to my tomb. I cursed my adventurism that brought me on this fool’s errand to Baghdad. I cursed my stars for my fate. And then, when I had cursed all, I was left empty. No more anger. No more grief. Just darkness. (beat) And then I learned that it is only by passing through darkness that we can find the light. Ibn Battuta forces himself to climb through the darkness. And then he glimpses it. A hint of LIGHT further down the tunnel. He crawls toward the glow. Finally he sees it -- an opening in the passage, where the light is broken by the SILHOUETTES of figures waiting. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) It is said that at the moment of death, men see a great light. And a Voice calls out to them, beckoning them to judgment. A VOICE calls out to him from the light. VOICE Muhammad Ibn Battuta. Am I dead?
Come forth.
IBN BATTUTA
VOICE There is no death here. Ibn Battuta steps into the light...
Only life.
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EXT. GARDEN - DAY ... and emerges into a beautiful GARDEN. The sun shines warmly down upon him and he blinks, trying to clear his eyes. The silhouettes merge into blurred figures, then finally come into focus. An OLD MAN stands before him, dressed in WHITE ROBES. Ibn Battuta looks around to see several younger MEN and WOMEN dressed in white. And then his eyes go wide to see Afshan standing amongst them. She smiles at him, but he looks away in anger. IBN BATTUTA Who are you people? OLD MAN I am Abdal Noor, leader of the Qadiri Sufis. (beat) We have been expecting you. EXT. STREETS OF BAGHDAD - DAY Abdal Noor guides Ibn Battuta through a different section of Baghdad, where the destroyed buildings have been rebuilt and the streets are lined with GARDENS and TREES. Ibn Battuta looks at Afshan with a resentful gaze. IBN BATTUTA Is that woman one of your disciples? ABDAL NOOR As was your friend Ibrahim. IBN BATTUTA You... you were the Sufi master he wanted me to meet. Abdal Noor smiles and says nothing. In Battuta looks around and sees a towering BLUE DOMED MOSQUE. IBN BATTUTA Where are we? ABDAL NOOR The home of my master, the Friend of God, Shaykh Abdal Qadir alJilani.
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INT. JILANI MOSQUE - DAY Ibn Battuta enters the spacious mosque. And then he sees a GOLDEN CAGE in the center of the hall, covered in a GILDED BARS. A crowd of SUFIS kneels before the cage, many weeping. Curious, Ibn Battuta approaches. He sees through the golden bars a stone CENOTAPH inside -- the TOMB of Abdal Qadir alJilani. Abdal Noor approaches the cage, and the other Sufis part respectfully. The old man bows his head to the tomb, and then whispers to himself as if praying. Afshan steps up to Ibn Battuta, her hair covered by a modest HEAD SCARF. Ibn Battuta looks away, still irritated. IBN BATTUTA Your master prays to the dead. is that Islamic? AFSHAN He’s not praying. conversation.
How
He’s having a
IBN BATTUTA With a dead man? Afshan nods nonchalantly.
Ibn Battuta shakes his head.
IBN BATTUTA You’re all mad. Abdal Noor rejoins Ibn Battuta. ABDAL NOOR My master welcomes you and wishes you peace. IBN BATTUTA That’s... that’s very kind of him. ABDAL NOOR He says you have a great journey ahead, and he has asked me to prepare a feast for you tonight -IBN BATTUTA That won’t be necessary. I’ve taken enough of your time. I should be heading back to Tangier.
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ABDAL NOOR Tangier is not your home. All right.
IBN BATTUTA Then where is my home?
ABDAL NOOR I have no idea. And neither do you. That is why you must stay and feast with us tonight. Perhaps you will find the answer. IBN BATTUTA Do I have a choice? ABDAL NOOR Yes and no. Abdal Noor winks and leads the other Sufis away. IBN BATTUTA Are you all crazy? Or am I? Afshan smiles, takes him by the hand guides him out. INT. SUFI LODGE - NIGHT Ibn Battuta enters large, empty hall that is covered in RUGS but has no other furniture. He sees a large group of SUFI MEN sitting in a circle at the center of the hall. He glances up to see a BALCONY, where SUFI WOMEN gather. His eyes fall on Afshan, who smiles at him from above. A SUFI guides Ibn Battuta to the center of the circle, where Abdal Noor sits. ABDAL NOOR Come join me. IBN BATTUTA What is this? ABDAL NOOR We are gathered to remember. Abdal Noor raises his hand, and several Sufis begin playing DRUMS, gently at first, and then with increasing passion.
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ABDAL NOOR God says in the Holy Qur’an: “Remember Me and I will remember you.” This is a zikr -- a ceremony where we remember God. Ibn Battuta watches as the Sufis begin to sway under the rhythm. FLUTES add to the harmony. Abdal Noor begins to sway back and forth. As he does so, his actions are imitated by the Sufis. ABDAL NOOR La ilaha ill Allah... La ilaha ill Allah... SUFIS La ilaha ill Allah... La ilaha ill Allah... Ibn Battuta tries to resist, but he soon finds himself swaying and chanting with the others. IBN BATTUTA La ilaha ill Allah... La ilaha ill Allah... As the music and the chanting intensifies, reality seems to shift. Ibn Battuta watches in amazement as the walls shimmer and move as if they were made of water. Ibn Battuta sees several Sufis rise as if in a trance. begin to spin in circles, their hands outstretched. Join them.
They
ABDAL NOOR
IBN BATTUTA Dancing is a sin. ABDAL NOOR To dance for the body is sin. To dance for God is joy. Join them. Ibn Battuta rises as if mesmerized. He begins to spin, his hands outstretched. The world shifts and melds as if in a dream. Ibn Battuta spins faster, fear and confusion on his face. IBN BATTUTA What is happening? ABDAL NOOR God is remembering you.
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And the room around him fades and he sees a MYSTIC VISION... EXT. THE HEAVENS - IBN BATTUTA’S VISION Ibn Battuta imagines that he is soaring through the heavens. Still whirling in his mystic dance, the mountains and seas diminish beneath his feet until he is hovering above the globe. And soon the Earth itself disappears under his feet, a sparkling blue pebble circling the sun, followed by the outer planets -- Mars, Jupiter, Saturn. And then the sun diminishes to a pinprick of light in a web of stars circling the Milky Way, which itself vanishes in a cluster of spiral galaxies spinning all around him. The revolving universe accelerates into a swirl of dancing light. Ibn Battuta smiles in ecstasy as the light covers him, the sound of the zikr still echoing all around him. SUFIS La ilaha ill Allah... La ilaha ill Allah... And then for a second, the spinning light that surrounds him takes form, and he sees a WOMAN’S FACE outlined in the heavens. Ibn Battuta stares in awe at her starry beauty. Afshan?
IBN BATTUTA
The mysterious stellar woman raises a HAND, and Ibn Battuta sees a glorious EYE swirling in the center of the palm -- a celestial Hand of Fatima. And then the visage shatters into a swirl of RAINBOW LIGHT. The spectrum transforms into BLINDING WHITE as Ibn Battuta’s form blurs and then vanishes into oneness... INT. SUFI LODGE - NIGHT Ibn Battuta’s eyes fly open. He lies on his back, staring up at the curious looks on the faces of his Sufi hosts. IBN BATTUTA What... what happened?
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ABDAL NOOR You remembered. IBN BATTUTA Where am I? ABDAL NOOR The better question is where did you go? IBN BATTUTA Everywhere. ABDAL NOOR Then you have found your home. EXT. GARDEN - SUFI LODGE - DAY Ibn Battuta wanders through the garden. He sees a ROSE and touches it gently, breathing in its scent deeply. AFSHAN (O.S.) You act as if you have never seen a a rose before. He looks up to see the Ilkhan princess and smiles. IBN BATTUTA Not one so beautiful. He reaches over and takes her hand. She appears surprised at his sudden familiarity, but she smiles uncertainly. AFSHAN You’ve changed since the zikr. Have I?
IBN BATTUTA
AFSHAN You have dropped the act. What act?
IBN BATTUTA
AFSHAN The pretense that you are a grumpy old judge who finds joy only in books and rules.
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IBN BATTUTA It was not a pretense. I was that man. Until I turned with the dervishes. AFSHAN What happened in your vision? IBN BATTUTA Two things. First, I saw a world far greater than I ever imagined. AFSHAN And the second? Ibn Battuta moves closer to her. I saw you.
IBN BATTUTA
Moved by rising passion, Ibn Battuta kisses Afshan. breaks free of him, shock on her face.
But she
AFSHAN I... I cannot do this... IBN BATTUTA Don’t you understand? We are meant to be together. I saw you in the vision! Afshan backs away from him, tears suddenly in her eyes. AFSHAN It was not me you saw. What?
IBN BATTUTA
AFSHAN I am to be married tomorrow! Ibn Battuta freezes, stunned at her revelation. AFSHAN The shaykh has chosen my husband for me. Who...?
IBN BATTUTA
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AFSHAN His son Omar. The shaykh will preside over the ceremony tomorrow night. IBN BATTUTA And you’re just going to do what he says? You’re a princess! AFSHAN Be it princess or slave, when you join the order, you make a vow of obedience to your shaykh. Even if it means giving up everything you hold most dear. Ibn Battuta stares at her in shock, and then storms off. INT. SUFI LODGE - NIGHT Ibn Battuta watches from a corner as Afshan, dressed in a flowing WEDDING GOWN and VEIL, is led out for the nuptials by her HANDMAIDENS. It is a lavish ceremony. The Handmaidens paint Afshan’s hands with HENNA. They adorn her with GOLD JEWELRY as DRUMS and FLUTES bring fill the hall with music. The ritual climaxes when the Shaykh leads his young son OMAR to sit beside Afshan. Abdal Noor lifts his hand in prayer, and then blows on the two, blessing them with his breath. The shaykh looks around among the throng of wedding guests and then frowns. ABDAL NOOR Where is the qadi? An ATTENDANT steps forward nervously. ATTENDANT The qadi has been delayed. The roads to Baghdad have been plagued by bandits. He may not arrive until tomorrow morning. ABDAL NOOR Then we must cancel the ceremony. But I am sad. It is an ill omen to delay a wedding once the bride and groom have laid eyes upon each other.
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There is a MURMUR of disappointment in the crowd. Battuta sees the sadness in Afshan’s eyes.
47.
Ibn
IBN BATTUTA I am a qadi trained in the Maliki school. I will officiate if you permit. Afshan looks up at him in surprise, but Ibn Battuta does not meet her eyes. Ibn Battuta sits beside her and Omar. He looks at Omar, continuing to avoid Afshan’s gaze. IBN BATTUTA Have you drawn the marriage contract? Omar nods hands him the CONTRACT.
Ibn Battuta studies it.
IBN BATTUTA Your witnesses? Two male WITNESSES step forward. IBN BATTUTA Then everything is in order. All that is now required under the holy Shariah is the bride’s free consent, given three times. Ibn Battuta faces Afshan.
He sees tears in her eyes.
IBN BATTUTA Afshan bint Oljeitu, sister of Abu Said, do you agree to marry Omar ibn Abdal Noor for a mahr of 10,000 dirhams? She looks at him for a long moment and then nods. IBN BATTUTA You must speak out loud. Afshan hesitates, and her voice cracks as she speaks. Yes.
AFSHAN
IBN BATTUTA I ask again. Afshan bint Oljeitu, do you agree to marry Omar ibn Abdal Noor for a mahr of 10,000 dirhams?
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Yes.
48.
AFSHAN
IBN BATTUTA I ask again, and if you answer yes a third time, know that your marriage will be sealed before God and the hosts of Heaven. Afshan bint Oljeitu, do you agree to marry Omar ibn Abdal Noor for a mahr of 10,000 dirhams? Afshan locks eyes with Ibn Battuta as if to say sorry. smiles gently with encouragement. ... Yes.
He
AFSHAN
Ibn Battuta looks down. IBN BATTUTA May God bless your union in this world and the life to come. As the crowd reacts with APPLAUSE and congratulations, Ibn Battuta gets up and walks away without another word... EXT. JILANI MOSQUE - NIGHT Ibn Battuta sits alone by the tomb of the Sufi master Abdal Qadir al-Jilani, staring into space. He does not stir even when Abdal Noor joins him. ABDAL NOOR You surprised me today. IBN BATTUTA I thought Sufis could read men’s hearts. We can. me.
ABDAL NOOR That is why you surprised
IBN BATTUTA I did it for her. ABDAL NOOR Then you are ready. For what?
IBN BATTUTA
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ABDAL NOOR The next stage of your journey. IBN BATTUTA I am going home. ABDAL NOOR Did you learn nothing at the zikr? Your home is everywhere. IBN BATTUTA No! My home is in one place -Tangier. I should have turned back many months ago, before... before... ABDAL NOOR Before you met Afshan. Yes.
IBN BATTUTA
ABDAL NOOR Do you regret your time with her? IBN BATTUTA Of course not. But I have lost too much on this journey already. My best friend. And now my heart. ABDAL NOOR Those are the risks we face when we go outside the boundaries of the familiar. IBN BATTUTA The ridiculous thing is I don’t even know why I am here. What I’ve been looking for. ABDAL NOOR I think you know. IBN BATTUTA Here we go again. Why can’t you speak straight? ABDAL NOOR Because the world is not straight. It is curved, bringing us always back to where we began.
49.
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50.
IBN BATTUTA If every road brings us back to the beginning, why bother? ABDAL NOOR It is not the destination that matters. It is the man who arrives. You could return to Tangier now, but what will you bring back with you except pain? Whatever it is that you have been seeking, I am guessing a broken heart is not it. IBN BATTUTA So you expect me to keep wandering through the Muslim world until I find whatever it is I am supposed to be seeking? ABDAL NOOR Not at all. I expect you to go beyond the Muslim world to find it. IBN BATTUTA Are you joking? The lands outside Islam are wild and savage. ABDAL NOOR Where else to hide a treasure except in the wilderness? Abdal Noor hands Ibn Battuta a PURSE of GOLD COINS. ABDAL NOOR For your journey. Wherever you go, remember that you are not alone. The Sufis will always be there to guide you. EXT. STEPPES OF ANATOLIA - DAY Ibn Battuta rides north, into Anatolia. He passes through a TURKISH VILLAGE and smiles at the crowds of CHILDREN that come out to gawk at the newcomer. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) The roads to Egypt were teeming with Tatar bandits, so I turned north into the land of the Turks. (MORE)
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51.
IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) (cont'd) I sought the coastal city of Alanya, from where I could find sea passage back to Tangier. But fate had a different plan for me. Ibn Battuta rides out into the hills. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) Anatolia is a land torn asunder between Muslims and Christians. Here the warriors of the Prophet struggle with the last of the Byzantines who stubbornly refuse to surrender to Islam. He approaches a FOREST just as SNOW begins to fall. Ibn Battuta reaches out to touch the snowflakes. He looks at wonder at the intricate crystal formations and smiles... ... when an ARROW tears through the sky and hits his horse in the side! The terrified animal throws Ibn Battuta off, before falling to its side, dead. Ibn Battuta manages to get to his feet, stunned. And then he sees the source of the projectile. An ARMY of BYZANTINE SOLDIERS is advancing through the hills, their shields emblazoned with the CROSS! A BLAST of TRUMPETS echoes through the valley, followed by the steady rhythm of WAR DRUMS. Ibn Battuta runs away in terror. He climbs up a hillock, only to see a TURKISH ARMY rushing toward him from the opposite side! And then all hell breaks loose. The Turkish warriors stream down the hill, their voices rising in terrible WAR CRIES. They are met by the onward rush of the BYZANTINE forces. SWORD meets SCIMITAR in a deadly dance of empires. As BLOOD flows in rivers across the battlefield, the SCREAMS of dying men met with SHOUTS of jubilation or vengeance, Ibn Battuta flees the madness into the safety of the trees... EXT. FOREST - NIGHT A terrible silence hangs over the woods. Snow falls through the trees covering the gnarled roots with a blanket of ice. Ibn Battuta manages to pile a small collection of TWIGS under the cover of massive OAK TREE. He lights a small fire, when he hears A CRACK. Ibn Battuta looks around warily.
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52.
IBN BATTUTA Anyone there? No answer. Ibn Battuta takes a strip of MEAT from a pouch and cooks it in the flame before eating. He does not see a SHADOW moving closer to him through the woods... INT. FOREST - NIGHT - TIME CUT Ibn Battuta lies asleep by the dwindling camp fire. The gentle rhythm of his SNORES is interrupted by the CRUNCH of footsteps on the snow as someone approaches. A FIGURE wrapped in darkness crawls toward his prone form. A HAND reaches for the FOOD POUCH on his belt. It grasps the leather purse... when Ibn Battuta’s hand springs forward and grabs the intruding figure by the wrist! Got you!
IBN BATTUTA
The intruder is dressed in TORN RAGS. Its face is hard to see clearly and its hair is covered in an old CLOAK. Ibn Battuta struggles with the figure. With a CRY of animal fury, it BITES down on Ibn Battuta’s arm until he lets go. The figure grabs the food pouch and races away. Wincing from the bite, he gives chase. The figure moves fast, but slips against the snow and tumbles down a small hill. Ibn Battuta jumps down on top of the intruder and two struggle viciously. Suddenly the figure raises a KNIFE. Ibn Battuta dodges as his assailant tries to stab him. He twists the figure’s wrist, causing it to drop the knife in pain. Ibn Battuta grabs the knife and holds it against the figure’s neck. And then the moon emerges from behind a cloud... revealing the face of a YOUNG WOMAN with haunting GREEN EYES. Ibn Battuta stares in shock. IBN BATTUTA Who are you? WOMAN Put the knife down and I’ll tell you. IBN BATTUTA How about you tell me, and then maybe, just maybe, I’ll put down the knife.
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53.
WOMAN My name is Gizem. Ibn Battuta sees something shimmer around her neck. A GOLD MEDALLION of a HAND with an EYE engraved on the palm -- the HAND OF FATIMA. IBN BATTUTA Where did you get this? GIZEM My mother gave it me, before she was killed in the war between the Turks and the Greeks. IBN BATTUTA You are a Muslim? Ibn Battuta lowers the blade, but he is still wary. IBN BATTUTA I’m sorry. I had to make sure you weren’t a Byzantine spy. GIZEM If I were a Byzantine spy, I would have killed you in your sleep. IBN BATTUTA What do you want? GIZEM Food. I saw you had some. I haven’t eaten in three days. Ibn Battuta offers Gizem the pouch, which fell on the ground during their struggle. She chews a piece of cold meat. GIZEM How did you know? Muslim, I mean.
That I was
IBN BATTUTA Your medallion. The so-called “Hand of Fatima.” The common people in the Muslim world revere that symbol, believing that it will protect them from evil. GIZEM The common people. But not a man of great wisdom such as yourself.
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IBN BATTUTA I believe in God and his Prophet, not in village superstitions. GIZEM Call it superstition if you want. All I can say is that something has protected me in the middle of this war, and I don’t question what works. IBN BATTUTA What are you doing out here in the middle of this war in the first place? GIZEM I was with the Byzantine army. a slave. I’m sorry.
As
IBN BATTUTA
GIZEM I was captured during a raid on a Turkish village three years ago. I finally managed to escape when the Greek commander I served was killed in battle. A moment of silence as Gizem finishes eating. GIZEM So what’s your story, Arab? IBN BATTUTA It’s a long tale. Suffice it to say I was on a journey home and was forced to take refuge in these woods due to the war. (smiles) So I guess we have something in common. GIZEM I guess we do. What now? IBN BATTUTA Since I don’t think either of us fancies being captured by the Greeks, perhaps we can find a way out of here and into safe territory.
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55.
GIZEM To the east dwells Ozbeg, the Khan of Kipchak. He is a Mongol who embraces Islam, but has married a Byzantine wife. He has remained neutral in the wars of this region, and both Arabs and Turks are treated as equals in his land. IBN BATTUTA Then perhaps we will find refuge there. GIZEM There is no “we”, Arab. Ibn Battuta shrugs and gets up to walk away. IBN BATTUTA Suit yourself. You’re good in a fight, but if one of those soldiers stumbles into these woods, your little knife trick won’t be of much use. Good luck. She watches him go, then shakes her head in fury. Damn you.
GIZEM
Gizem follows after Ibn Battuta... INT. FOREST - DAY The sun sparkles on the snow-covered trees as the two unlikely companions trudge through the forest. Gizem glimpses something ahead. Her face breaks into a joyous smile. GIZEM Look! The eastern edge of the forest! Ibn Battuta sees snow covered plains ahead through the trees. IBN BATTUTA We made it! The two race out of the woods. They see a group of men on horses, their Asiatic faces and armor familiar -- MONGOLS.
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IBN BATTUTA Those must be the men of the Khan! They run to the KIPCHAK CAMP, SHOUTING for help. The KIPCHAK WARRIORS look up, startled. And then they draw SWORDS! EXT. KIPCHAK STEPPES - DAY CLOSE on a pair of HANDS bound by ROPE. PULL BACK to REVEAL Ibn Battuta sitting on a horse with Gizem. Both have been tied to the beast, which is led by the Kipchak Warrior. IBN BATTUTA I thought you said that both Arabs and Turks are treated as equals in this land! GIZEM Apparently we are all treated with equal contempt. Ibn Battuta sees a row of majestic TENTS on the horizon, surrounded by HORSES, SHEEP and CATTLE. The Pavilions bear some similarity to those of Abu Said in Iraq, but with a more rugged and primitive look. SKULLS of animals -- and men -hang from posts around the Mongol camp. EXT. KIPCHAK CAMP - DAY - TIME CUT Ibn Battuta and Gizem are dragged past leering KIPCHAK TROOPS toward the center of the camp. IBN BATTUTA Listen to me! I am a friend of the Khan’s kinsmen! Abu Said of the Ilkhans! His sister Afshan -- I officiated at her wedding! Please, let me speak with Ozbeg! His cries are met with LAUGHTER. KIPCHAK WARRIOR Now that is the best story I have heard from spies in weeks. Spies?
GIZEM We’re not spies!
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KIPCHAK WARRIOR The forest is forbidden territory. The only ones who cross into the Khan’s lands from there are spies. And the penalty for spying is death. IBN BATTUTA I am an Arab. The woman is a Turk. Why would we be working together to spy on our fellow Muslims? KIPCHAK WARRIOR That is the question, isn’t it? Perhaps the kingdom of Osman and the amirs of Iraq are uniting against the forces of the Great Khan. IBN BATTUTA You’re not making any sense! GIZEM Don’t bother. He is mad. A shadow falls over her. She looks up to see OZBEG, the grimfaced ruler of the Kipchaks. Mad?
OZBEG What do you know of madness?
A silence falls over the crowd. The Kipchak soldiers quickly fall to their knees before their master. OZBEG You speak of madness, but I do not think you know what true madness is. Perhaps we should show you. A MURMUR of assent spreads through the Kipchak camp. OZBEG Take our guests to the house of the mad. Perhaps they will learn to measure their words more carefully. The warriors grab Ibn Battuta and Gizem and drag them toward a BLACK TENT on the outskirts of the camp...
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58.
INT. BLACK TENT - DAY Ibn Battuta and Gizem are thrown into the center of the spacious tent, where they see ROWS of CAGES. But instead of animals, each cage houses a MAN or WOMAN. Several of the prisoners start SCREAMING when they see the newcomers. Others BABBLE incoherently. Some roam freeing in their cages and shake bars in fury, while others are tied to small BEDS. OZBEG Behold those who have been touched by God! The Warrior throws Ibn Battuta and Gizem into a CAGE in the middle of the madness. Gizem tries to crawl away from the enraged, drooling faces of the inmates, but wherever she turns, hands reach out to her from behind the bars, scratching her and clawing at her hair. If you you in me the skulls
OZBEG still have your wits about the morning, you will tell truth. Otherwise your will adorn my tent.
Ozbeg and the Kipchak Warriors leave the two alone... INT. BLACK TENT - NIGHT SCREAMS reverberate throughout the tent as darkness falls. Gizem curls up in a fetal position, her hands desperately covering her ears. GIZEM I can’t take any more of this.... Tell them whatever they want to hear... IBN BATTUTA It doesn’t matter. They’ve made up their minds. Whatever we say, they’re going to kill us. Ibn Battuta looks around in despair. And then he something strange. A YOUNG BOY sits quietly in a nearby, rocking back and forth, Unlike the other the asylum, he is passive, calm, but his eyes are It is a look Ibn Battuta has seen before...
sees cell inmates of unfocused.
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59.
INT. BLACK TENT - SUNRISE Gizem and Ibn Battuta lie on the floor as the first rays of sunlight pour in. At that moment, Ozbeg returns with his warriors, who hold SWORDS. OZBEG Now, tell me. Who sent you and what was your mission? IBN BATTUTA I told you -- we’re not spies! The Kipchak Warrior step forward, sword raised. IBN BATTUTA I am Muhammad ibn Battuta, qadi of Tangier. If anyone has sent me here, it is Allah. But for what purpose, I cannot answer. KIPCHAK WARRIOR He blasphemes. OZBEG If you are a qadi, you know the penalty for blasphemy. Ibn Battuta and Gizem are dragged kicking and screaming out of their cages. Ibn Battuta is forced to kneel on the ground, his neck bared for execution. At that moment, Ibn Battuta sees the quiet young boy watching from his cell. Ozbeg turns to one of his men. OZBEG Cover the boy’s eyes. wish him to see this. Wait!
I do not
IBN BATTUTA I can help him!
OZBEG What did you say? IBN BATTUTA The boy in that cell. I have seen his illness before, in the Maristan of Cairo. I have medicine that can help him.
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KIPCHAK WARRIOR It’s a trick. Don’t listen to him. The soldier lifts his sword, when Ozbeg raises his hand. OZBEG Prove what you say and I may spare you. Ibn Battuta reaches for the MEDICINE POUCH that once belonged to Ibrahim. IBN BATTUTA The doctors of Cairo have found that it can heal diseases of the mind. I just need to mix it with water. KIPCHAK WARRIOR It is no doubt poison, my lord. will kill the boy!
It
OZBEG He is already dead. Still, Ozbeg takes precautions. He hands a pinch of the powder to Ibn Battuta to test it. The Arab swallows it, showing that it is not harmful. Satisfied, Ozbeg nods to a GUARD, who brings Ibn Battuta a CUP of WATER. He pours some of the medicine in the cup and mixes it. The guard hands the cup to Ozbeg. OZBEG Whatever happens to him, will happen to you. Do you understand? Ozbeg enters the cage of the quiet young man, whispers something to him. The boy does not move. The Khan lifts his chin and pours the medicine into the boy’s mouth. Moments pass with no effect. up in confusion at Ozbeg. Father?
And then the boy blinks, looks
BOY
Tears well in Ozbeg’s eyes. OZBEG Release them.
He turns to the Kipchak Warrior.
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INT. KIPCHAK TENT - NIGHT Ibn Battuta and Gizem have been relocated to a more luxurious tent where they are no longer prisoners, but guests. GIZEM So what now? IBN BATTUTA We wait until the Great Khan decides what to do with us. WOMAN’S VOICE (O.S.) The decision has actually been made. They turn to see a stunning WOMAN dressed in regal ROBES. IBN BATTUTA Who are you? WOMAN I am Princess Bayalun, wife of the Great Khan. Thank you. For saving my son. GIZEM You said a decision has been made. About us. Fear not.
BAYALUN You are free to go.
GIZEM Thank you. It’s just that... I really have nowhere to go. BAYALUN You are a Turk? Gizem nods.
Bayalun sighs sadly.
BAYALUN This war between your people and mine has broken my heart. My father, Emperor Andronicus of Byzantium, wishes for peace, but there are many in his court who oppose him. (beat) You saved my son’s life. I am in your debt. (MORE)
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BAYALUN (cont'd) You may stay here under my protection if you wish. As a free woman, not as a slave. Tears well in Gizem’s eyes.
She kisses Bayalun’s hand.
GIZEM Your handmaiden is at your service. Bayalun smiles and turns to Ibn Battuta. And you?
BAYALUN
IBN BATTUTA I will return to my home in Tangier. BAYALUN You have come a long way. And regrettably, you may have a longer way back. IBN BATTUTA I don’t understand. BAYALUN The war between the Turks and the Byzantines is worsening. The roads to the Muslim lands are impassable. Ibn Battuta’s face falls. BAYALUN But there is another way.
By sea.
IBN BATTUTA But how can I reach the ports if the roads are blocked? BAYALUN There is one port that is still free from the war -- despite your people’s best efforts to conquer it. Ibn Battuta’s eyes go wide with understanding. IBN BATTUTA Constantinople.
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63.
EXT. ROAD TO BYZANTIUM - DAY The great ORDU, or military camp, of Ozbeg moves forward into the Christian territories. A WAGON TRAIN consisting of hundreds of COVERED CARRIAGES is led by Bayalun’s retinue. Ibn Battuta and Gizem ride horses just behind Bayalun. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) Bayalun was with child, and the Great Khan allowed her to return to her father’s palace in Constantinople to give birth. She permitted me to join her train of attendants on the voyage to the ancient city. Ibn Battuta glances down at a small SCROLL in his hand bearing the SEAL of the Great Khan. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) I feared for my safety as a Muslim in the land of the Christians, but Ozbeg provided me with the credentials of an Ambassador. And then Ibn Battuta sees it. Majestic TOWERS rise over the horizon, linked by massive STONE WALLS that fortify the length of the BOSPHORUS STRAIT where Europe meets Asia. An ARMADA of BYZANTINE SHIPS, military vessels and trading galleons, pour through the strait, their colorful SAILS contrasting with vibrance against the grey walls. Ibn Battuta gazes at the bustling metropolis of CONSTANTINOPLE with astonishment. IBN BATTUTA It’s... it’s beautiful. GIZEM Is it everything you imagined? No.
IBN BATTUTA It is more.
EXT. STREETS OF CONSTANTINOPLE - DAY Bayalun’s ordu travels through the cosmopolitan streets of the Byzantine capital. CROWDS watch the Kipchak retinue with interest as it passes through the cobbled alleys.
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Ibn Battuta looks at the BYZANTINE CITIZENS with their pale skin and colorful robes in absolute fascination. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) There is no city like Constantinople. For seven hundred years, the Muslims have sought to conquer this last Christian refuge. But its people have survived siege, starvation and disease for centuries behind its majestic walls. I had often wondered why they refused to cede this one city when all other Christian lands had fallen. But when I saw the arches and the towers, the color and the pageantry, I understood. Constantinople is more than a city. It is a dream. Men will relinquish land. But they will never surrender their dreams. Ibn Battuta eyes fall on their destination -- a majestic PALACE covered in COLUMNS and ARCHES, surrounded by gardens. INT. BYZANTINE PALACE - DAY Ibn Battuta kneels before EMPEROR ANDRONICUS III, the lord of Christendom. A CROWD of COURTIERS look at the Arab newcomer with curiosity. ANDRONICUS Rise, emissary, and present your credentials. Ibn Battuta hands his credentials to the PRIME MINISTER. PRIME MINISTER He bears the seal of the Great Khan Ozbeg, my lord. ANDRONICUS My daughter says you have travelled from Tangier, the city at the end of the world. IBN BATTUTA Yes, my lord. Why?
ANDRONICUS
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IBN BATTUTA I... cannot say for certain. ANDRONICUS You have journeyed across the world, and you do not know why? IBN BATTUTA My heart has been looking for something I cannot explain or describe. Andronicus smiles thoughtfully. ANDRONICUS You seek that which is the Master of us all, but which has no master. You are seeking God. Ibn Battuta hesitates as if afraid to speak up. IBN BATTUTA Forgive me, Your Majesty. But I already know God. I am a believer. ANDRONICUS A priest once said to me that believing in God is never enough. IBN BATTUTA Your priest sounds like some of the Sufis I have met. ANDRONICUS Wisdom is one, whether it comes from the mouth of a Christian or a Muslim. IBN BATTUTA The Emperor is a man of great vision. ANDRONICUS No. Just a man who has fought your people long enough to know that I am fighting none other than myself. Andronicus turns to his Prime Minister. ANDRONICUS Here is a man who is seeking God. Show him our beautiful city, for he may find his answers here.
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PRIME MINISTER My lord, is that prudent? infidel.
66.
He is an
ANDRONICUS I am Emperor. I decide what is prudent. EXT. STREETS OF CONSTANTINOPLE - DAY Ibn Battuta wanders through the crowded streets of the capital, escorted by several BYZANTINE SOLDIERS. His TURBAN and ROBES draw curious -- and hostile stares. EXT. HAGIA SOPHIA - DAY He turns a corner, and then his eyes widen with awe as he comes across a massive DOMED CHURCH that towers above him -THE HAGIA SOPHIA. IBN BATTUTA It’s remarkable... MAN’S VOICE (O.S.) It should be. It is the largest cathedral on earth. He sees an OLD MONK watching him. At the sight of the monk, the Byzantine guards tense and step back. OLD MONK The Hagia Sophia was built by the Emperor Justinian to honor the victory of Christianity over the Roman Empire. Alas, the Empire is only a shadow of the past, but the church still stands. The CHURCH BELLS ring melodiously. OLD MONK I love those bells. I will miss them when they are replaced by your muezzins some day. IBN BATTUTA You believe the Muslims will take this city?
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OLD MONK Your people have been trying to take Constantinople for seven hundred years. I’ve lived long enough to know if men want something that bad, they will get it eventually. But the only question I have is why? IBN BATTUTA Our Holy Prophet Muhammad said Constantinople would be Muslim one day, and the soldiers that took it would be the most revered men in all of Islam. OLD MONK Well, that explains it. Your Prophet knew human nature. Give men such a challenge and they will compete eternally for the honor. Come, walk with me. The monk strides up to toward the church. Ibn Battuta glances back and sees his guards looking extremely nervous. The monk points to the massive city walls in the distance. OLD MONK The walls are fortified and have withstood Muslim siege for centuries. But I expect that your people have been planning a means to bypass them. Possibly by digging tunnels beneath the foundations, while launching a simultaneous naval attack through the Bosphorus. Yes, that is how Byzantium will fall one day. IBN BATTUTA You seem very sanguine about the loss of your empire to the Muslims. OLD MONK I have already lost my empire once. Why should I care if it is lost again? IBN BATTUTA I don’t understand. The Old Monk glances back at the nervous soldiers and smirks.
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OLD MONK Of course, they didn’t tell you. I am Michael Palailogos... the former Emperor of Byzantium. My son Andronicus deposed me and told the world I was dead. So I wander the streets as an anonymous monk now, wasting my days chatting with visitors such as yourself. No one takes me seriously. It is his Prime Minister’s idea of a merciful end. Ibn Battuta is flabbergasted at the outlandish claim. IBN BATTUTA Ah yes.... well, I should be going... It was a pleasure meeting you...er... Your Majesty... He quickly walks away. The old man shrugs and disappears inside the church. Ibn Battuta turns to the BYZANTINE SOLDIER near him and chuckles conspiratorially. IBN BATTUTA What a crazy old man. indeed!
Emperor
The Byzantine Soldier does not meet his eyes... INT. PALACE HALLS - NIGHT Gizem walks through the palace halls when she hears VOICES. MAN’S VOICE (O.S.) ... Ibn Battuta knows. She freezes, peeks around a corner and sees the Prime Minister and the Byzantine Soldier who escorted Ibn Battuta. PRIME MINISTER How could you let this happen? BYZANTINE SOLDIER The Emperor’s orders were to show him the city. We did not expect to run into the old man. PRIME MINISTER I should have killed him when we took the throne. But Andronicus felt sorry for his father.
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BYZANTINE SOLDIER The monk is definitely losing his mind. He shared with Ibn Battuta our strategic concerns about the walls and our vulnerability to naval attack. PRIME MINISTER Kill the old fool. Make it look like an accident. BYZANTINE SOLDIER And the Arab? PRIME MINISTER We cannot let him take such vital intelligence back to the enemy. (beat) Take care of it tonight. Gizem pales... INT. GUEST CHAMBER - NIGHT Ibn Battuta climbs into bed wearing only a thin ROBE. DOOR flies OPEN and Gizem rushes in. What...? Get up!
IBN BATTUTA GIZEM
She pulls the startled man to his feet. IBN BATTUTA This is highly inappropriate -GIZEM I think you will find having your head cut off even more inappropriate! IBN BATTUTA What are you talking about? GIZEM I don’t know what you’ve stumbled into, but the Prime Minister has dispatched his assassins.
The
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IBN BATTUTA You are out of your mind. diplomatic immunity --
70.
I have
He shifts toward her... and a DAGGER flies by his head, barely missing him! He turns in shock to see the Byzantine Soldier who escorted him standing in the doorway. GIZEM It’s been revoked. The assassin steps forward, SWORD raised. And then Gizem moves like lightning. She grabs the dagger embedded in the wall behind them and flings it at the approaching soldier. The blade buries itself deep in the startled man’s throat. GIZEM We have to go! Now! Ibn Battuta looks around the room in panic. IBN BATTUTA There’s no way out! We’re trapped! Gizem sees the window.
She looks down.
GIZEM Can you swim? Ibn Battuta sees the waters of the BOSPHORUS churning a hundred feet below. IBN BATTUTA You’re insane! GIZEM And you’re dead, unless you follow me! Gizem climbs on to the ledge and leaps off the window! Ibn Battuta watches as she plunges toward the water and SPLASHES far below. He hesitates, terrified to join her... ... when BYZANTINE SOLDIERS storm in, weapons raised! IBN BATTUTA Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem... (translated) In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate... And he leaps just as the soldiers fling their DAGGERS at him!
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EXT. BOSPHORUS - NIGHT Ibn Battuta SCREAMS as he plummets toward the inky waters. He SPLASHES hard and vanishes beneath the surface. Ibn Battuta struggles valiantly against drowning. He tries to push himself back to the surface, but he is losing strength. And then he sees Gizem swimming toward him, her hands outstretched to take his as darkness takes him... EXT. COAST OF BYZANTIUM - DAY Darkness is replaced by brilliant light. Ibn Battuta is lying on a BEACH, staring up at a blue sky. IBN BATTUTA Is this... Paradise? And then he sees Gizem looking down at him with a smile. GIZEM Sorry. No virgins here. maybe you...
Unless,
She winks at him and he blushes. He gets up and looks around. On the horizon he can see the WALLS of CONSTANTINOPLE crowned by the HAGIA SOPHIA. IBN BATTUTA The assassins... GIZEM They are looking for us. I saw a boat searching the water for our bodies. They’re gone now. IBN BATTUTA So we’re safe. GIZEM You’ll never be safe again. The Byzantines will track you down, even if it takes years. I should have just let you drown and saved them the trouble. IBN BATTUTA So why didn’t you?
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GIZEM You could have killed me in that forest. But instead you gave me food. That has to count for something. IBN BATTUTA So where do we go now? GIZEM You’re the world traveller. tell me.
You
IBN BATTUTA We need to get away from Byzantium. GIZEM Obviously. But the roads south are blocked by the war. IBN BATTUTA There is another way. East. If we can get to the Indian Sea, we can charter boats anywhere we wish. EXT. PLAINS OF CENTRAL ASIA - WEEKS LATER - DAY Ibn Battuta and Gizem ride in WAGONS covered by YURTS, along with a group of NOMADIC HERDERS and their SHEEP. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) And so we ventured East into lands that neither Christian nor Muslim had conquered. And on our journey, we met a kind and hospitable people called the Bakshirs. They knew not the God of Abraham, but worshipped the trees and the sky. Infidels they were, yet their hearts were filled with generosity. EXT. PLAINS OF CENTRAL ASIA - NIGHT A huge BONFIRE sets the plain alight. BAKSHIR TRIBESMEN and WOMEN play music on REED FLUTES and dance around the fire. Ibn Battuta watches them with interest when Gizem approaches. GIZEM Why don’t you join them?
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IBN BATTUTA Dancing is a sin. GIZEM Do you really believe that? IBN BATTUTA Dancing for the flesh is sinful. But dancing for God is not. GIZEM That is what they are doing. Dancing for God. IBN BATTUTA They don’t worship our God. The God of Abraham. They worship the earth, the rocks, the streams. GIZEM Where do you think “our” God is? On a throne in the sky somewhere? He dwells in all life. In the root of the tree, in the blade of the grass. In the heart of man. She takes him by the hand. He is startled, and then follows her. She leads him out to the fire and begins swaying like the tribesmen. Ibn Battuta hesitates, and then gradually gives in. They dance around the fire to the sound of DRUMS and FLUTES. The sparks from the bonfire circle them and the moment becomes magical. The world fades way, and it is as if the two of them are dancing alone among the stars. And then Ibn Battuta sees the sparks from the bonfire circling the Gizem’s beautiful face and he REMEMBERS his vision in the zikr. IBN BATTUTA It was you... GIZEM What’s wrong? Nothing.
IBN BATTUTA And everything.
GIZEM You’re beginning to sound like a Sufi.
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I’m glad.
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The sparks descend on them like glittering rain. It is romantic, ethereal. And they kiss under the blazing fire... EXT. MOUNTAINS OF AFGHANISTAN - DAY Ibn Battuta and Gizem climb the AFGHAN MOUNTAINS. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) And so it was that an Arab man and a Turkish woman found love on a journey through the wilderness. We passed through the tribal lands and headed south into the mountains of the Hindu Kush. Hidden in its treacherous slopes is the famed Khyber Pass, the road that connects Asia with India. Once we found the pass, our journey would be nearly over. Or so we thought. GIZEM Do we have to go this way? are about to fall off.
My legs
IBN BATTUTA The tribesmen said that this is the shortest way to the pass. The long way will delay us for many days. Gizem sits on a rock.
She looks around... and smiles.
GIZEM Have you ever seen anything so beautiful? Ibn Battuta sees snow-covered MOUNTAIN PEAKS, and a rolling VALLEY with gentle STREAM shimmering far beneath them. Yes.
IBN BATTUTA I have.
He leans forward and kisses her. And then ground around them begins to RUMBLE, and a shower of PEBBLES cascades down the mountain, forcing them to duck for. GIZEM What’s happening?!
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Avalanche!
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A river of EARTH and SNOW thunders down the mountain toward them The two race away in terror. But Gizem loses her footing tumbles toward the edge of a CLIFF! Ibn Battuta grabs her by the wrist. Gizem dangles off the edge of the cliff. The avalanche pours snow into a RAVINE a thousand feet below. He strains to pull her up. GIZEM Don’t let go! IBN BATTUTA I’ll never let you go. Gritting his teeth, he pulls Gizem up back to safety. GIZEM Let’s take the long way. Ibn Battuta laughs and kisses her. EXT. AFGHAN DESERT - BAMIYAN - DAY The two travellers have climbed down the mountain and are making their way through the Afghan desert. The SUN beats down hard on them. GIZEM I don’t know what is worse. Being crushed by an avalanche or dying of thirst in the desert. IBN BATTUTA This was your idea. GIZEM My idea! Whose idea was it to head to India to escape the people trying to kill him? IBN BATTUTA I would never have been in Constantinople if it hadn’t been for you! GIZEM No. You’d be starving to death in the forest walking in circles!
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They both stare at each in fury, then laugh. IBN BATTUTA We’re sounding like an old married couple. GIZEM Except we’re not married. How would your “religious” friends feel about you carrying along with me? IBN BATTUTA They would be green with envy once they saw you. He kisses her. She leans into his embrace and holds him close. And then she sees something over his shoulder. Look...
GIZEM
Ibn Battuta turns. And his eyes go wide. On a STONE WALL behind them, he sees TWO MASSIVE BUDDHA STATUES carved into the rock. The Buddhas tower over them, one over 180 feet tall and painted RED, the second 120 feet tall and MULTI-COLORED. They approach the massive statues and examine them up close. IBN BATTUTA What are they? MAN’S VOICE (O.S.) They are icons of the Lord Buddha. They both whirl to see a BUDDHIST MONK in simple orange robes standing behind them. He greets them with a small bow, hands meeting at the palms. GIZEM Who are you? BUDDHIST MONK Your guide. To where?
IBN BATTUTA
BUDDHIST MONK My master’s home. He has been expecting you.
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INT. BUDDHIST MONASTERY - NIGHT The visitors dine inside a massive COLUMNED HALL before BUDDHIST MONKS and their elderly MASTER. Ibn Battuta finishes his bowl and smiles gratefully. IBN BATTUTA That was wonderful. Thank you. BUDDHIST MASTER Now that the meal is over, what have you learned from the experience? GIZEM I have learned that porridge is particularly tasty after wandering in the desert without food for a week. The Buddhist Master LAUGHS warmly.
He eyes Ibn Battuta.
BUDDHIST MASTER And what else? IBN BATTUTA I’m not sure what you want me to say. BUDDHIST MASTER The answer is right before you. Ibn Battuta stares down at the bowl.
Looks at its emptiness.
IBN BATTUTA The meal has ended. The bowl is empty. Exactly.
BUDDHIST MASTER Come.
EXT. BUDDHA STATUTES - NIGHT An elderly BUDDHIST MASTER leads his guests to the giant Buddha statues, now lit by TORCHES in the cliff wall. BUDDHIST MASTER There is one principle the Buddha taught which contains all of his wisdom. Everything ends. All that remains is Enlightenment.
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IBN BATTUTA In the Holy Qur’an, God says: “Everything on earth will perish, except the Face of your Lord, full of Majesty and Bounty.” BUDDHIST MASTER Different words, but the truth is the same. (beat) One day, these Buddhas will be destroyed. Whether it be the inexorable forces of time, or the wrath of those who see them as false gods, they will come to an end. And I am sad, for I am attached to them. GIZEM But if you know they will end, why not enjoy every moment you have with them? BUDDHIST MASTER I ask you two the same thing. Ibn Battuta and Gizem look at each other and understand. INT. BUDDHIST MONASTERY - DAY A WEDDING CEREMONY takes place, uniting Ibn Battuta and Gizem. As MONKS CHANT, their marriage is blessed by the Master. BUDDHIST MASTER Remember this always. All that appears to the senses is impermanent. Everything will vanish. Only love remains. They look at each other with love. He reaches over and touches her Hand of Fatima medallion. She reaches over and touches his Jade Qur’anic Amulet... EXT. KHYBER PASS - DAY Ibn Battuta and his new wife Gizem follow a CARAVAN across the KHYBER PASS from Afghanistan into India.
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IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) And so we continued our journey into India as husband and wife. My time with the Master was short, yet he changed my life. Made me realize how fleeting existence was, how every moment must be savored. His words guided me as I went with Gizem through the timeless Khyber Pass, through which Alexander the Great once marched into India. Gizem stares at the flowing hills and valleys of India. GIZEM Now that we have reached India, dear husband, how exactly do you plan to secure a ship home? Last I checked, we barely had enough money between us to buy two chickens. IBN BATTUTA I have heard that the Sultan of Delhi is looking for a qadi. I will seek an audience with him and offer my services as a judge. EXT. YAMUNA RIVER - DAY Ibn Battuta approaches the great YAMUNA RIVER and looks out at the DHOWS, small boats which glide upon the water. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) Delhi is situated at the edge of the great Yamuna River. It is here that Turkish slave warriors established the first Muslim empire in India under Sultan Aybak a hundred years ago. EXT. QUTB MINAR - DAY Ibn Battuta gazes up in wonder at the towering QUTB MINAR, standing at almost 240 feet tall. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) The sultan erected the Qutb Minar, the world’s highest minaret, to celebrate the victory of Islam. (MORE)
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IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) (cont'd) And yet even today, Muslims are a small minority of the people, most of whom follow the ancient religion of the Hindus. INT. HINDU TEMPLE - DAY Ibn Battuta and his wife watch in fascination as Hindus perform sacred rites before ICONS of INDIAN DEITIES. A HINDU PRIEST approaches them. HINDU PRIEST Welcome to the House of God. IBN BATTUTA You speak of God as if you worshipped One. Yet I see many gods here. HINDU PRIEST The Christians believe in Father, Son and Holy Ghost. They are three, yet they worship One God. GIZEM My husband is a strict Muslim. He does not have patience for what he deems as Christian heresy. HINDU PRIEST (to Ibn Battuta) Tell me, my friend, does not Allah have 99 names? Yet you say He is One. IBN BATTUTA That’s not the same -HINDU PRIEST If you seek difference, then you will find difference. If you seek unity, then you will find unity. The Hindu Priest turns to Gizem. He shows her THREE ICONS. HINDU PRIEST Like the Christians, we have a Trinity. Brahma is the Creator, the aspect of the Divine which brings into being. Vishnu is the Sustainer, that aspect of God which protects and nurtures creation. (MORE)
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HINDU PRIEST (cont'd) And Shiva is the Destroyer, that which ends creation so that something new may take its place. It is an eternal dance between three faces of God. Each name is merely a point on a circle that has no beginning or end. Ibn Battuta considers his words and looks at Gizem, who smiles. And then the sound of TRUMPETS blaring echoes from outside, followed by a steady rumble like and earthquake. IBN BATTUTA What is that? HINDU PRIEST The great Sultan Muhammad Tughluq returns to Delhi from his winter capital to the south. EXT. DELHI - DAY Ibn Battuta stands in a massive crowd watching as the procession of the royal court approaches. An ARMY of ELEPHANTS and HORSES thunders forward, leading thousands of HINDU WARRIORS brandishing elegant SWORDS. At a majestic DAIS in the center of the procession sits SULTAN TUGHLUQ, a powerful looking man dressed in extravagant SILK ROBES and covered in JEWELS. As his humble subjects catch sight of him, they fall to their knees and prostrate. And then an elegant man, the GRAND VIZIER, stands and his voice echoes all around. GRAND VIZIER All praise is due to Allah, who has appointed His servant Muhammad Tughluq king of the world and guardian of Islam. The Sultan returns today to Delhi like the rain clouds after a long draught, bringing life and prosperity to all his beloved slaves! Rise and receive the bounty of your glorious Sultan! And then a group of ELEPHANTS move forward and Ibn Battuta sees that small CATAPULTS are attached to their backs. The Grand Vizier raises his hand and the catapults swing forward. But instead of missiles, they shower the crowds with COINS of GOLD and SILVER!
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There is immediate pandemonium as the heavens rain down treasure. The procession continues down the streets of Delhi as the catapults fling their priceless payloads into the delighted gathering. Ibn Battuta scrambles to grab some of the coins, pushing back the jostling crowd as everyone competes for a share of the largess. He fills his pockets with riches and smiles in delight at Gizem. And then Ibn Battuta sees something strange. An OLD MAN, clean shaven with long white hair stares at him from across the crowd. The figure does not join in the chaotic dash for treasure, but stands aloof. IBN BATTUTA Who is that man? I feel like I’ve seen him before. What man?
GIZEM
Ibn Battuta looks back and sees that he has vanished... EXT. SULTAN’S PALACE - DAY Ibn Battuta approaches the mighty GATES of the SULTAN’S PALACE, followed by Gizem who is now dressed in a flowing GOWN, her face hidden by a silk VEIL. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) And so it was that I went to the grand palace of the Sultan and offered my services as a qadi. INT. THRONE ROOM - DAY Sultan Tughluq sits on a majestic GOLD THRONE encrusted with GEMS. Ibn Battuta kneels before the Sultan and kisses his hand seven times in ritual obeisance. SULTAN TUGHLUQ Welcome, O learned scholar of the Maghreb. Be at ease, for your arrival is blessed. I shall show compassion to you and shower you with bounties the like of which have never been seen by your countrymen. Sultan Tughluq turns to his Grand Vizier.
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SULTAN TUGHLUQ Add the name of my slave Muhammad ibn Battuta to the rolls of the judges of the realm. GRAND VIZIER As you command, king of kings. The Sultan turns back to Ibn Battuta. SULTAN TUGHLUQ And we shall out of our munificence provide you an annual salary of 12,000 silver rupees, to be collected as a tax from the peasants of four villages outside Delhi that we give to you as a landlord. Ibn Battuta looks at the veiled Gizem, whose eyes are wide in shock. IBN BATTUTA My lord’s bounty is everything I have heard and more so. SULTAN TUGHLUQ Welcome then, and may your judgment in the way of God’s Law bless this realm with His Divine Favor. Ibn Battuta and Gizem bow low. INT. IBN BATTUTA’S HOUSE - DAY Ibn Battuta and Gizem stand alone in a sprawling MANOR that will be their new home. The floors are richly carpeted and furnished with luxuries, including SILK-CUSHION COUCHES, GOLD VASES, and CRYSTAL MIRRORS. IBN BATTUTA I have seen such wealth in the palaces of kings, but never in the houses of lowly courtiers and judges. Sultan Tughluq is a man of immense generosity. GIZEM Maybe he is too generous. IBN BATTUTA What do you mean?
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GIZEM A king does not give anything away unless he expects more in return. IBN BATTUTA I will give him my best judgments according to the Holy Qur’an. What more could he ask of me? GIZEM Something tells me we’ll find out soon enough. There is a KNOCK on the door and he OPENS it to see a MESSENGER from the royal court. MESSENGER His Majesty the King of Kings requests your company on the royal hunt this afternoon. He has sent a carriage to bring you to the grounds. Ibn Battuta nods and turns to his wife. IBN BATTUTA I have to go. We’ll continue the discussion when I return. GIZEM No we won’t. You’ve already made up your mind. EXT. ROYAL HUNTING GROUND - DAY Ibn Battuta rides a horse beside the Sultan through the verdant countryside. They are followed by a long retinue of GUARDS and COURTIERS. SULTAN TUGHLUQ I hear that you have seen much of the world. IBN BATTUTA Indeed I have seen some of it, my lord. SULTAN TUGHLUQ Of all the royal courts you have attended, who has the grandest palace?
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IBN BATTUTA The only one that comes within a shadow of the gory of Delhi is the court at Byzantium. SULTAN TUGHLUQ So I have heard. IBN BATTUTA But it is a waning glory, my lord. The West is in twilight and soon darkness shall fall. The future belongs to Islam. SULTAN TUGHLUQ The Christian world has been on the defensive for seven hundred years since the rise of Islam. Much of it has fallen to our swords, and many more lands will soon succumb to the warriors of Allah. Perhaps even the great Constantinople will fly the flag of the Prophet one day. And yet everything comes to an end. And one day the tide will turn against us, and the West will seek to rule the Muslim world. IBN BATTUTA May the angels protect us from that day. SULTAN TUGHLUQ It will not be the angels that will protect us, but our own ingenuity. That is why I seek to bring the greatest minds from all over the world to Delhi. Men like yourself. To build a base of knowledge that will insure our people’s survival when the armies of the Cross bear down upon us. At that moment, a GAZELLE darts out in front of them. Tughluq smiles in delight a spurs his horse.
Sultan
EXT. WOODS - DAY Sultan Tughluq chases after the gazelle, laughing with delight like a little child. Ibn Battuta rides up next to him and sees that the Sultan appears unarmed. He holds out a BOW.
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IBN BATTUTA Take my bow, your Majesty! the gazelle escapes!
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Before
SULTAN TUGHLUQ I won’t need that. And then he pulls out what looks like a long metal CYLINDER. The Sultan aims the strange object at the fleeing animal and SHOOTS. There is an explosion of FIRE and SMOKE from the cylinder and the gazelle goes down! Ibn Battuta stares in shock as the Sultan rides up next to the carcass, a steaming hole burned into the side of the dead animal. How...?
IBN BATTUTA
The Sultan holds up the cylinder, which is clearly a primitive RIFLE. SULTAN TUGHLUQ A little trick I learned from our friends in China. A powder that burns like fire. Remember what I said about the power of knowledge, my friend. Soon the bow and the arrow by which Genghis Khan conquered the world will be forgotten. And the throne of India will be set even in the halls of Constantinople. Ibn Battuta gazes in wonder at this devastating new technology. And then the woods echo with a mighty ROAR! The Sultan’s horse bolts in fright, leaving the king standing in the middle of the woods. And Ibn Battuta’s own mount rears in fright and throws him off before galloping away. Tughluq looks around, more curious than afraid. And then Ibn Battuta sees a strange, almost mad glint in his eye. He drops the smoking rifle and pulls out a SWORD. And at that instant, a LION races out from the trees! Ibn Battuta CRIES OUT in horror as the monstrous cat rushes toward the Sultan, who raises his weapon, ready to slay the beast without fear. The lion ROARS and pounces, flying down toward the Sultan with its terrifying jaws bared.
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And then there is a deafening BOOM and the lion goes down and falls on its side. Ibn Battuta turns to see that the retinue of ROYAL GUARDS has arrived, and one of the men has shot the beast with a RIFLE. IBN BATTUTA Praise God! The Sultan is safe! But the Sultan turns to face the GUARD in fury. SULTAN TUGHLUQ The kill was mine! Mine! The Guard blanches and climbs off his horse, falling to his knees before the outraged king. GUARD Forgive me, Your Majesty! Sultan Tughluq storms over to the cowering Guard. And then he raises his sword and cuts off the Guard’s head! SULTAN TUGHLUQ No one takes from me what is mine. Ibn Battuta pales at the Sultan’s cruelty... INT. THRONE ROOM - NIGHT Ibn Battuta sits in a position of honor among the courtiers as DANCING GIRLS whirl before the Sultan. Brightly clad MUSICIANS play FLUTES and DRUMS, while SINGERS croon passionate love songs. The courtiers are all enjoying the festivities. All except for Ibn Battuta, who sits beside the veiled Gizem, his face troubled by the Sultan’s brutality. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) The horror I saw in the forest was just the beginning. The Sultan was a man of two faces. At his best, he was a noble philosopher and an accomplished poet, a generous patron of science and the arts. But he was also a demon of monstrous cruelty when it fancied him.
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EXT. SULTAN’S PALACE - DAY Ibn Battuta watches from a DAIS beside the Sultan as PRISONERS in chains are brought forth by the ROYAL GUARDS. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) Every morning, Sultan Tughluq would force me to preside over the punishment of men he deemed as criminals. Some were indeed robbers and killers. But most were scholars and imams, good men who had the audacity to question his policies or the wisdom of his decrees. The prisoners are subjected to horrific tortures. Some are CRUCIFIED, others are BURNED ALIVE. Some are FLAYED, their skin stripped from their bodies. And others are thrown in a PEN with raging ELEPHANTS, SWORDS attached to their TRUNKS. The great beasts fling them up in the air and impale them with the blades. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) My heart was heavy with horror and I prayed for an escape from this madness. EXT. VILLAGE - DAY Ibn Battuta walks alone among the desperate poor in a small VILLAGE. He sees emaciated PEASANTS working the field while the Sultan’s goons WHIP them mercilessly. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) One day I went to the villages that the Sultan had given me as payment for my service. And there I saw the cruel origins of the wealth and comfort that I had taken for granted. And I was ashamed. He looks at the dead eyes of the peasants, and turns away disgusted. And then he sees an OLD MAN, clean shaven with flowing white hair. It is the same strange man he saw at the Sultan’s procession. OLD MAN Seen enough?
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IBN BATTUTA Who are you? OLD MAN An old friend. IBN BATTUTA Have we met before? OLD MAN Yes and no. IBN BATTUTA Let me guess, you’re a Sufi. you have a name?
Do
OLD MAN I have many. But you can call me Shihab Al-Din. IBN BATTUTA I assume you already know my name. SHIHAB AL-DIN You’re learning. IBN BATTUTA I’ve learned too much. Seen too many things. There is much I wish to forget. SHIHAB AL-DIN Ah. The Sultan’s justice is not to your taste. IBN BATTUTA I want to leave. To escape this world full of violence and hate. SHIHAB AL-DIN You can leave the court. You can even leave India and go back home. But you won’t escape the violence and the hate. The violence will follow you wherever you go, as it is part of you. IBN BATTUTA That’s nonsense! I’m not a violent man. SHIHAB AL-DIN Are you sure?
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Confused, Ibn Battuta storms away. INT. THRONE ROOM - DAY Ibn Battuta sits at the base of Sultan’s throne, presiding in judgment over cases. SULTAN TUGHLUQ Bring forth the next case. The mighty DOORS swing open and the GUARDS bring in a terrified WOMAN dressed in rich robes of a princess. There is a terrible MURMUR among the courtiers and CRIES of shock. IBN BATTUTA Who is she, Your Majesty? SULTAN TUGHLUQ She is Nazaneen, the daughter of the Grand Vizier. She stands accused of adultery. Ibn Battuta blanches. He looks up to see the grief-stricken face of the Grand Vizier, who bows before the Sultan. GRAND VIZIER My lord, pease spare my daughter this shame. Take my life here and now in exchange, but preserve her honor. SULTAN TUGHLUQ You are like a brother to me. But the Law of God cannot be partial to those who enjoy my favor. Nazaneen’s fate will be determined by the qadi. All eyes are on Ibn Battuta, who realizes the terrible weight on his shoulders. IBN BATTUTA Who accuses this woman? A powerful-looking MAN steps forward.
Nazaneen’s HUSBAND.
HUSBAND I am Behrouz Khan, and she is my wife who has betrayed me. IBN BATTUTA What evidence do you bring?
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BEHROUZ KHAN I bring the evidence of my own eyes. I walked in on her in the arms of her lover. I killed him on the spot, and have now brought her here to meet the punishment decreed for an adulteress in the Shariah -stoning by death! There are loud OUTCRIES in the court, some calling for Nazaneen’s death. Others pleading for mercy. Silence!
SULTAN TUGHLUQ
The hall immediately settles down into pin-drop silence. SULTAN TUGHLUQ What say you, qadi of the realm? Ibn Battuta looks down at the terrified woman. clearly guilty. And yet he is torn. IBN BATTUTA (to husband) Where are your other witnesses? BEHROUZ KHAN I don’t understand. IBN BATTUTA The Holy Qur’an clearly states that in the case of alleged adultery, the accuser must bring four witnesses to the act. BEHROUZ KHAN I saw her with my own eyes! with her lover!
In bed
IBN BATTUTA Then you have only one witness. You need three more if the punishment of the Law is to be enacted. BEHROUZ KHAN This is outrageous! IBN BATTUTA Speak your next words carefully, unless you wish to be found guilty of blaspheming the Holy Law.
She is
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I... I...
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And then he stops, his eyes on the GUARDS who are watching him carefully, their hands on their SWORDS. IBN BATTUTA Since you have failed to produce four witnesses, I am forced to release this woman. Nazaneen looks up at him in shock, tears of gratitude streaming down her face. BEHROUZ KHAN Your Majesty, the honor of my house is at stake! IBN BATTUTA There is more at stake than that, my friend. Under the law of Islam, any man who falsely accuses a chaste woman of adultery is condemned to receive 80 lashes. The husband’s mouth drops open in shock. IBN BATTUTA But I do not think the interests of justice will be served today by such a punishment. So I rule that you will both be set free, and your marriage is hereby dissolved in the best interest of both parties. May God have mercy upon both of you. The qadi turns to the Sultan, who nods his acceptance of the ruling. Nazaneen throws herself at Ibn Battuta’s feet and kisses his toes, but he shakes his head and helps her stand. The Grand Vizier comes to his daughter’s side and embraces her. And then he turns to Ibn Battuta. Thank you.
GRAND VIZIER
Ibn Battuta nods. And then his eyes fall on Behrouz Khan, the outraged husband. The man looks at him with pure fury, and then turns and storms out of the Throne Room...
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INT. IBN BATTUTA’S HOUSE - NIGHT Ibn Battuta relaxes with Gizem at his side. GIZEM I’m proud of you. She kisses him softly. He embraces her passionately in his arms. But Gizem pushes him back, a smile on her lips. GIZEM Careful, my love. Why?
IBN BATTUTA
GIZEM For it is not just I whom you embrace. IBN BATTUTA You... you are with child? GIZEM Muhammad ibn Battuta is about to begin a new journey. As a father. He leans in to kiss Gizem, this time far more gently. He places a hand on her waist, his eyes wide with wonder. And then their intimate moment is rudely interrupted by an urgent KNOCK. Ibn Battuta OPENS the door and is stunned to see the Grand Vizier at the threshold. GRAND VIZIER I apologize for the late visit. But I must speak with you. IBN BATTUTA You do not need to thank me further. GRAND VIZIER I am not here to thank you. here to save you. IBN BATTUTA I don’t understand.
I am
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GRAND VIZIER My son-in-law is plotting revenge for his humiliation today. You must leave Delhi immediately. Leave?!
GIZEM Where shall we go!
GRAND VIZIER I have brought two of my fastest horses. They have been stocked with enough food to get you to the port of Cambay. There you may take a ship anywhere you wish to go. Ibn Battuta looks to Gizem, who is pale with fear... EXT. COUNTRYSIDE - NIGHT Ibn Battuta and Gizem ride out through the hills. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) For three days and three nights we rode like the wind. The fire in our hearts was lit by the fear of Behrouz’s assassins, or worse, the Sultan’s guards come to reclaim us for madness of his court. EXT. DESERT - DAY The emerald pastures have been replaced by SAND DUNES and BOULDERS. As they ride through the wilderness, Ibn Battuta suddenly hears something deeply chilling -- A CHILD’s LAUGH. IBN BATTUTA Did you hear that? Hear what?
GIZEM
The LAUGH echoes in his ears, and then he looks up to a sand dune. The GHOSTLY DJINN CHILD looks down at him with a menacing grin. The wind blows a curtain of SAND between them, and the child is suddenly gone. IBN BATTUTA We have to turn back. What?
GIZEM Why?
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IBN BATTUTA Just do it! Ibn Battuta rears his horse and turns it around. Muhammad!
GIZEM Wait!
There is RUMBLE, like the approach of thunder, even though the sky is clear. And then WARRIORS on HORSES explode from behind the dunes and race toward the two travelers! The men surround Ibn Battuta and Gizem, and then their LEADER rides forward. LEADER Are you from the court of the great Sultan Tughluq? IBN BATTUTA No. We are just travelers through this land. LEADER You lie! Those horses are branded with the Grand Vizier’s insignia! The men immediately draw SWORDS. GIZEM Wait! We were with the court, but we have taken our leave. LEADER No one takes their leave of the Sultan unless it is in a coffin. IBN BATTUTA You’re right. That is why we are running away. LEADER Running away? So the Sultan’s grand court, with all its pageantry and wonder, has lost its charm for you? Yes.
IBN BATTUTA
LEADER Then you are in good company, my friend. (MORE)
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LEADER (cont'd) For all of India has grown weary of his madness and caprice. Everyone wishes to flee his tyranny, but few men have the strength to face it down. Men of nobility, like my master Ahsan Shah. IBN BATTUTA The governor of Madurai? But he was appointed by the Sultan as his chief minister to the south! LEADER And now he has appointed himself chief rebel against the north. Soon Ahsan Shah will sit on the golden throne of Delhi. GIZEM We wish your master success in his fight. But it is not ours. Let us go in peace and God may grant you His favor. LEADER You have a brave tongue for a woman. (beat) You are not from India. Are you Persian? Turkish.
GIZEM
LEADER Ah. My master has always remarked on the beauty of Turkish women. He would be pleased to meet you. IBN BATTUTA That will not be possible, as my wife and I are due for Cambay on the coast. LEADER It is an insult to turn down an invitation to meet the great Ahsan Shah. The armed men ride closer, their weapons at he ready.
96.
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GIZEM Forgive my husband, he lacks proper manners. We would be honored to accept your invitation to Madurai. LEADER Excellent. But it is long journey to my master’s palace. Your horse looks weak and tired. You may ride with me. Does that please you, my lady? He looks at Gizem with clear lust. but Gizem plays it cool. Very much.
Ibn Battuta flushes red,
GIZEM
She joins the rebel leader on his mount. He holds her close to him and then runs a hand through her hair. IBN BATTUTA Don’t touch my wife! And then one of the rebels hits Ibn Battuta across the head with a CLUB and his thrown off his steed. He lies on the ground bleeding as the rebels surround him. One of the men raises a SWORD to finish him off. No!
GIZEM Please! Don’t!
The rebel leader raises his hand and the men stop. LEADER You must learn to control your temper, my friend. It will be your undoing. And with that the rebels start riding away, taking Ibn Battuta’s horse with them. GIZEM You can’t leave him out here! He’ll die! LEADER And then you will be a widow and it will be lawful for my master to marry you if he so wishes.
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Gizem spits in his face, but he merely laughs. Ibn Battuta lies on the ground, blood pouring from his head wound. He is unable to stop as the rebels ride off with his wife. Muhammad!
GIZEM
She calls out to him, but her voice becomes faint as they disappear over the dunes... INT. TENT - NIGHT Ibn Battuta wakes up and finds himself inside a small TENT. He looks around and sees the clean shaven old Sufi named Shihab al-Din looking down at him with a smile. IBN BATTUTA What are you doing here? SHIHAB AL-DIN Saving you. As always. IBN BATTUTA What are you talking about? SHIHAB AL-DIN You don’t remember me. IBN BATTUTA You are Shihab al-Din, the Sufi I met in Delhi. SHIHAB AL-DIN Yes and no. IBN BATTUTA Here we go again. SHIHAB AL-DIN You have met me many times, in many forms, on many roads. In Africa. In Baghdad. In Afghanistan Wherever you have sought a teacher, I have been with you. (beat) Even in a lonely alley in Cairo. Ibn Battuta looks at him in surprise. wide in recognition.
And then his eyes go
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IBN BATTUTA You... you were the man who helped me when I was robbed... How is that possible? SHIHAB AL-DIN After everything you’ve seen, you still ask that question? Ibn Battuta looks closely at the man, his eyes wide. IBN BATTUTA It is you. The rabbi from Cairo. Forgive me, I didn’t recognize you without your beard. SHIHAB AL-DIN The great Sultan Tughluq had it plucked out, hair by hair, when I refused to pay homage to his corrupt regime. I’m lucky he didn’t kill me, but I’m sure he’ll get around to it soon enough. IBN BATTUTA I don’t understand. You were a rabbi in Cairo, and now you are a Sufi in India. Who are you, really? SHIHAB AL-DIN I am whatever you need me to be. Ibn Battuta blinks in confusion.
And then he remembers.
IBN BATTUTA Gizem... oh my God... the rebels have her. I have to go rescue her. He gets up and starts to dress. SHIHAB AL-DIN She will be safe. Ahsan Shah will not harm her. IBN BATTUTA You can’t know that. SHIHAB AL-DIN I know that if you go out and seek revenge, you will lose her.
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IBN BATTUTA I can’t sit around and do nothing! SHIHAB AL-DIN Yes you can. Trust in God and she will be returned to you in time. IBN BATTUTA That’s easy for you to say! You wander the world preaching platitudes. But do you even know what it means to be human? To love? SHIHAB AL-DIN I love everyone. IBN BATTUTA Then you love no one. EXT. TENT - NIGHT Ibn Battuta steps out and sees that there are TWO HORSES tethered nearby. He unties one and leaps into the saddle. Shihab al-Din emerges and looks at him sadly. SHIHAB AL-DIN Do not give in to your anger, my son. Whatever victories it will bring you will be followed by loss. Ibn Battuta ignores him and rides off... INT. THRONE ROOM - DAY Ibn Battuta prostrates low before Sultan Tughluq. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) And so it was that I returned to the service of the mad Sultan Tughluq. He was angry at me for leaving without his permission, but when he learned of Ahsan Shah’s betrayal, his rage turned toward the rebels of the south. Ibn Battuta rises and sees his enemy Behrouz Khan watching him. And then, to his surprise, the man who had sought to kill him comes over and shakes his hand.
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IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) In that moment the rivalries of the palace died. We were all one, united against a threat far greater than the scheming of the courtiers. For war was upon us and the future of India itself was at stake. EXT. BATTLEFIELD - WEEKS LATER - DAY Two massive ARMIES meet in the desert, as the forces of Sultan Tughluq and the rebel Ahsan Shah clash. Ibn Battuta rides a HORSE out into the middle of the fighting. ELEPHANTS face down mighty STALLIONS as the cavalry of each side races toward confrontation. The rebels fire ARROWS at the advancing Delhi army, and are met by the explosion of GUNFIRE from Tughluq’s men. And then smoke erupts over the battlefield as Tughluq unleashes his newly-invented CANNONS on the enemy forces. The rebels are stunned by the explosive firepower of the guns. Many flee, while others fight on desperately. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) I joined the battle, but my aim was not to fight for either side. It was only to find my beloved Gizem. Ibn Battuta strikes out against the rebels, killing many as he races toward his goal -- the GRAND PAVILION of Ahsan Shah, high on a hill. Ibn Battuta finally breaks through a line of defenders at the base of the hill and then leaps off his horse. He kills a REBEL with his sword, and then changes into the man’s TURBAN and UNIFORM. Dressed like one of the enemy, he climbs the sheer rock face to the top. INT. PAVILION - DAY Ibn Battuta searches through the chaos of commanders rushing around and barking orders, and then he finds what he is looking for. Gizem -- dressed in beautiful ROBES of an Indian princess, wearing heavy GOLD NECKLACES. She does not appear frightened or maltreated. And her waist is beginning to show the first signs of pregnancy.
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Ibn Battuta slides up to her and whispers. Gizem...
IBN BATTUTA
She looks up at him in shock. GIZEM My love... you came for me... IBN BATTUTA Yes... and I brought the Sultan’s army to avenge your capture. GIZEM No... you brought this war upon us? IBN BATTUTA What do you mean, “us”? GIZEM These people are rebels but they are not evil. They are seeking to save India from Tughluq. IBN BATTUTA I don’t care about India. about you!
I care
LEADER (O.S.) How touching. They both look up to see the Rebel Leader standing there, SWORD drawn. Behind him is AHSAN SHAH, the Rebel Governor, dressed in flowing white robes. AHSAN SHAH I must commend you for your ingenuity, spy. I didn’t think Tughluq’s men were smart enough to get in here. LEADER He is not one of Tughluq’s men. He is the husband of the girl. The one I should have killed in the desert. Ahsan Shah turns to Ibn Battuta. AHSAN SHAH You must love her dearly to risk your life in this fashion.
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IBN BATTUTA More than anything in the world. AHSAN SHAH Then you have the better claim to her. I, too, have grown to love this Turkish rose, but she remains second in my heart. My first love will always be India. Ahsan Shah turns to the Rebel Leader. AHSAN SHAH Escort them under a herald’s flag to Tughluq. LEADER You’re letting them go?! Yes.
AHSAN SHAH
LEADER But he has seen our command center! We cannot let him bring intelligence about our defenses to the enemy. AHSAN SHAH It no longer matters. The battle is lost. We cannot stand against Tughluq’s weapons of fire. It is time to retreat. Retreat? victory!
LEADER But you promised us
AHSAN SHAH Victory lies in the hand of God. And today, His hand is closed against us. LEADER You’ve betrayed us! All for love of this Turkish whore! And then, before anyone can act, the Rebel Leader STABS Ahsan Shah in the gut! No!
GIZEM
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The stunned governor collapses to the ground as the Rebel Leader turns his fury on Ibn Battuta. The two men fight bravely, their swords clashing with rage. Ibn Battuta is knocked off his feet and the Rebel Leader raises his sword for the kill. At that instant Gizem throws herself at him and knocks the man’s blow aside. The blade misses Ibn Battuta’s head by inches, and the Moroccan swings upward with his own sword, impaling the Rebel Leader in the chest. Gizem leans down over the dying Ahsan Shah. GIZEM Please... stay with us... India needs you... Ahsan Shah smiles and looks at Ibn Battuta. AHSAN SHAH Perhaps... but he needs you more... And then India’s last hope against the tyrant Tughluq, dies. Gizem looks up at Ibn Battuta and there is blame in her eyes. He looks down and drops his sword, suddenly ashamed... INT. THRONE ROOM - DAY Ibn Battuta and Gizem sit in the royal chamber near the victorious Sultan. There is a painful distance between them. SULTAN TUGHLUQ With the rebels defeated and India united under our command, we have purged this great nation of its enemies. All, except one. GRAND VIZIER Who is it that would still dare to oppose you, King of Kings? Give us his name and we shall scour the earth until his head is brought to you. SULTAN TUGHLUQ There is no need. He has surrendered and shall be brought to justice presently. The DOORS OPEN and an old man is led inside by GUARDS. Ibn Battuta GASPS when he sees that it is the Sufi Shihab al-Din!
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SULTAN TUGHLUQ Do you know this man, qadi? IBN BATTUTA Yes, my lord. But he is just a harmless old man. He is no threat to your divine authority. SULTAN TUGHLUQ He is a heretic who masquerades behind the robes of a holy man. A so-called Sufi who spreads dissension among the young and ignorant by telling them that they owe no loyalty to an earthy throne, only to the Throne of Heaven. Such blasphemies are dangerous enough. But when they come from the mouth of a man who pretends to speak for God, they can easily mislead men into open rebellion. IBN BATTUTA Under the law of Islam, one accused of blasphemy must be offered a chance to repent. SULTAN TUGHLUQ Speak, old man, and save your life if you can. SHIHAB AL-DIN I have nothing to say. I bow before no man, especially not a tyrant who spills the blood of innocents. His words are met by CRIES of outrage from the COURTIERS. SULTAN TUGHLUQ You have sealed your fate with your blasphemy. The Sultan gestures to the Guards, who push the old Sufi on his knees. An EXECUTIONER steps forward with a mighty SWORD. Ibn Battuta leaps to his feet. No!
IBN BATTUTA
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The Sultan gives him a dangerous look. There is terrible tension in the courtroom, and Ibn Battuta sees Shihab al-Din shaking his head, warning him to stay back. And then Ibn Battuta’s eyes fall on Gizem and he realizes that he is endangering her life and that of their unborn baby with his rebellion. Ibn Battuta steps back in anguish, knowing that there is nothing he can do to save his friend. The old man nods to his executioner with dignity, ready for the death blow. And then, in his final moment, he turns to Ibn Battuta with a smile on his face. SHIHAB AL-DIN You still owe me for that day in Cairo... And then the Sword swings and Shihab al-Din is no more. INT. IBN BATTUTA’S HOUSE - NIGHT Ibn Battuta and Gizem sit apart. other.
Neither looks at each
IBN BATTUTA I have made arrangements for us to leave Delhi. The Sultan has asked me to serve as his ambassador to China. China?
GIZEM
IBN BATTUTA Yes. He obviously doesn’t trust me after my support for Shihab al-Din, and he wants to get me away from the court. But it’s politically troublesome to simply kill me and be done with it. GIZEM Of course. After all, you’re a “hero of the realm” for helping him crush the rebellion. IBN BATTUTA Will you never forgive me for that? I did what I did for you.
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GIZEM I know. And I have long since forgiven you. He moves to sit by her, takes Gizem’s face in his hand. IBN BATTUTA Then why do you no longer speak to me? Why are we strangers in our own bed? GIZEM Because I have not forgiven myself. IBN BATTUTA
For what?
GIZEM For giving in so easily. I let them take me prisoner, let them leave you alone in the desert to die. I should have fought them until they were forced to kill me or let me go. IBN BATTUTA You did the right thing. That is why you are alive now. That is why we are here together. Gizem’s eyes tear.
And they finally kiss after ages apart.
EXT. CAMBAY PORT - COAST OF INDIA - DAY Ibn Battuta and Gizem walk through the PORT OF CAMBAY. They look over a series of INDIAN SHIPS called DHOWS until the find their vessel, which bears the FLAG of the SULTAN. GIZEM Are you sure about this? IBN BATTUTA Once I fulfill my diplomatic mission to China, we will charter a ship that will take us to the eastern horn of Africa. From there, we can easily join a caravan back to Tangier. Your home.
GIZEM
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IBN BATTUTA It will be your home, too. GIZEM I don’t think your family will be too pleased to meet your wife, a Turkish slave. IBN BATTUTA You are not a slave anymore. they will love you as I do.
And
GIZEM I hope you’re right. IBN BATTUTA I know you. You couldn’t care less about what my family or anyone else thinks. What is this really about? GIZEM It’s about you. IBN BATTUTA I don’t understand. GIZEM You are a traveller at heart. I fear that once you return to your home, you will be unhappy. You will feel trapped and restless. And then you will blame me. IBN BATTUTA You’re talking nonsense. you. I know. road.
I love
GIZEM But you also love the
IBN BATTUTA All my roads lead back to you. Gizem smiles faintly, but she is clearly not convinced... EXT. INDIAN OCEAN - DAY The INDIAN SHIP sails south from Cambay, carrying Ibn Battuta and Gizem toward China.
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EXT. SHIP - DAY Ibn Battuta sits on the deck, staring out at the coast of India disappearing over the horizon. Gizem comes up beside him. She puts her hand on his arm lovingly. The wind rises and the sky darkens. She suddenly sees concerns on her husband’s face. GIZEM What’s wrong? IBN BATTUTA A storm is coming. They look out as BLACK CLOUDS roll toward them. LIGHTNING FLASHES and THUNDER ROLLS across the suddenly turbulent ocean... EXT. INDIAN OCEAN - NIGHT It is a repeat of the opening scene. The sea churns violently and the tiny Indian ship struggles to stay afloat. As terrified SAILORS attempt to escape on a DINGHY, a massive WAVE tosses them into the watery grave. EXT. SHIP - CONTINUOUS Ibn Battuta struggles against the raging elements to find his wife, who is lost in the chaos. My love!
IBN BATTUTA
He frantically searches, tearing through the curtain of rain and foam, until he sees Gizem clinging to a MAST. IBN BATTUTA I’m coming! He manages to reach her, throwing his arms around the terrified woman. IBN BATTUTA Hold on to me! As the world sky and ocean merge into one, she look into his eyes. And smiles.
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GIZEM Now you know. What?!
IBN BATTUTA
YOUNG WOMAN Where all roads lead in the end. Ibn Battuta stares at her, not comprehending. sees the massive WAVE racing toward them...
And then he
EXT. INDIAN OCEAN - NIGHT - LATER The ship has been destroyed, leaving behind only shattered PLANKS, cracked BEAMS and dozens of CORPSES bobbing in the ocean. And yet amid the devastation, a spark of life remains, Floating in the watery graveyard are two survivors. Ibn Battuta clings with one hand to a WOOD PLANK while holding his pregnant wife tightly with the other. Gizem is pale and weak, her face heavily gashed and bleeding. IBN BATTUTA Hold on, my love. We will get through this. GIZEM No... we won’t... IBN BATTUTA Don’t say that! Where is your faith? God is with us. GIZEM I know... I can see the angels... they are floating right beside me... Gizem!
IBN BATTUTA Stay with me!
GIZEM My journey is over... yours is just beginning... Ibn Battuta chokes on his tears. GIZEM Don’t cry... our paths will cross again...
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IBN BATTUTA
GIZEM When our hearts are reunited... She reaches over weakly and touches his chest, where his Jade Qur’an Amulet hangs. She takes it from him. GIZEM Take my Medallion... IBN BATTUTA I can’t and still hold you. GIZEM Then let me go... IBN BATTUTA Remember what I said at the cliff? I’ll never let you go! GIZEM I know... but now I am asking you to... my love, let me go... Tears blinding him, he releases his hold on Gizem’s arm. Ibn Battuta takes the gold Medallion from her breast. The water current rises, takes her away from him. Gizem!
IBN BATTUTA
GIZEM Remember what the Prophet said... seek knowledge, even... even if... She never finishes the words. Her body goes still and floats away into the darkness, her hand still holding his amulet... EXT. CEYLON BEACH - DAY Ibn Battuta wakes up on the beach. Debris from his destroyed ship lies all around him. But he is alone. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) And so I awoke upon the distant shores of Ceylon, an island to the south of India. I was alone, more alone than I have ever been. For my heart had died in the dark waters of that infernal sea.
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EXT. CEYLON JUNGLE - DAY Ibn Battuta, his beard wild and rugged, trudges through jungle. His eyes are dead and he walks aimlessly. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) I don’t know how long I stayed there in the wilderness. I walked to and fro, wandering aimlessly and without reason. I lived, ate and slept like an animal, not a man. He grabs a SQUIRREL with his bare hands and kills it, chewing on the uncooked flesh without revulsion. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) I had wandered all those years in search of something I could not name. But now I just wandered, seeking nothing. He enters a clearing and looks up. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) And that was when what I had been seeking found me. PULL BACK to REVEAL Ibn Battuta gazing up at a majestic MOUNTAIN that towers alone above the jungle canopy. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) Sri Pada. I had heard of it in many legends. At the top of that ancient mountain in Ceylon is a rock in which a giant footprint can be seen. The Buddhists say that it is the print of Lord Buddha. The Hindus say that Shiva left his mark on the mountain when he danced the world into being. And Muslims believe that the footprint belongs to Adam, who descended on to the mountain after being expelled from Paradise. EXT. SRI PADA - NIGHT Ibn Battuta climbs the side of the mountain.
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IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) Like Adam, I too had known perfect joy. And then I lost it as punishment for my sins. Like Adam, I had been thrown into the world naked and without purpose. And like Adam, I would find meaning again at the peak of Sri Pada. EXT. SRI PADA PEAK - NIGHT Exhausted, bruised and bleeding, Ibn Battuta makes it to the mountain top. He stumbles about in confusion until he sees THE FOOTPRINT -- a depression in the rock nearly six feet long and three feet wide. Ibn Battuta stumbles toward the sacred indentation and finally collapses inside its heel. IBN BATTUTA Gizem... show me the way... And then he hears it. My love...
A voice echoing through the stones.
GIZEM (O.S.)
He looks up stunned to see the Spirit of Gizem standing inside the giant Footprint, sparkling like the moon. IBN BATTUTA Gizem... I can’t go on without you... The Spirt of Gizem begins to fade and become translucent. IBN BATTUTA Don’t leave me. Please. again.
Not
GIZEM I await you my love... Where?
IBN BATTUTA Where I can find you?
GIZEM Where the beginning meets the end...
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And then she raises her right hand, the palm facing Ibn Battuta. He sees that there is a beautiful GOLDEN EYE in the center of her hand, like the EYE OF FATIMA. A he stares at it in wonder, the Eye grows larger and Gizem’s spirit vanishes into its golden light. And then the eye becomes a GLOBE of the EARTH, exuding a beautiful light that grows brighter and brighter, until it’s blinding brilliance erases everything else... EXT. SRI PADA PEAK - SUNRISE Ibn Battuta wakes up and sees the sun breaks over the eastern horizon. He looks beyond the borders of Ceylon and stares at the ocean and the world all about him in wonder. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) I had been seeking an answer to my pain, a knowledge that might explain my loss and heal my grief. And then I remembered the words of our Holy Prophet, the last words Gizem had tried to tell me: “Seek knowledge, even if you must go to China.” And I knew where my answer lay. Ibn Battuta stands tall, the despair vanishing from his face. EXT. CEYLON BEACH - DAY Ibn Battuta emerges from the jungle and approaches a group of surprised FISHERMAN with BOATS. IBN BATTUTA My friends, I need your help. have one more road to take.
I
EXT. BAY OF BENGAL - DAY A VESSEL carrying Ibn Battuta approaches the EASTERN COAST of INDIA. It turns southeast and moves past the shores of SUMATRA. EXT. COAST OF JAVA - NIGHT Ibn Battuta stands on the deck of the ship, looking out at the moon shining over the water.
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And then he hears his worst nightmare. A CHILD’S LAUGH. Ibn Battuta turns and sees the evil Djinn child standing on a deck above. No.
IBN BATTUTA Not this time.
Ibn Battuta rushes over to the ship’s CAPTAIN. IBN BATTUTA We must turn north! Now! CAPTAIN The currents are against us. IBN BATTUTA Then have your men row against the current! CAPTAIN This is my ship! You don’t tell me what to do! Ibn Battuta looks to the sea beyond. IBN BATTUTA If I don’t, they will. Who?
CAPTAIN
The Captain turns and his eyes go wide in terror. VESSELS bear down on them from all sides! Pirates!
Three
CAPTAIN
The Captain turns to his FIRST MATE. CAPTAIN Sound the alarm! Arm the men for battle! IBN BATTUTA We’re outnumbered! If we fight, we’ll be slaughtered! The Captain pushes Ibn Battuta aside as his SAILORS race around the deck, ready to defend themselves. The First Mate offers Ibn Battuta a SWORD. He hesitates and then takes it. Suddenly the ship LURCHES violently as the Pirate vessels ram against it.
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SHOUTS of terror erupt through the night as PIRATES leap across decks and board the ship. Ibn Battuta races for safety as SWORDS clash all around him. He tries to run for the Passenger Hold when his way is suddenly blocked by a TEENAGE BOY wielding a SWORD. IBN BATTUTA Drop the weapon, boy. to hurt you.
I don’t want
The boy moves to cut him down, when Ibn Battuta kicks the teenager’s legs from under him. He holds his sword at the boy’s neck, but the teen does not flinch. At that instant Ibn Battuta sees the terrifying Djinn child a few feet away, LAUGHING maniacally. And then he remembers the words of Shihab al-Din in Cairo. SHIHAB AL-DIN (V.O.) When you drop your sword in the heat of battle and spare your enemy, then our debt will be repaid. Ibn Battuta tosses his sword across the deck. IBN BATTUTA I have paid my debt. The Djinn child SCREAMS in rage and vanishes into the shadows... EXT. JUNGLES OF JAVA - DAY Ibn Battuta has been taken prisoner by the Pirates and is being pushed through the jungle in chains. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) And so it was that my refusal to fight that night saved my life. The Pirates overran the ship and killed any man who was armed. I alone survived and was taken prisoner to meet their leader. The pirates force him through the thick foliage. And then they come upon a clearing and he gazes up at wonder at a monument before him...
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EXT. BOROBUDUR - DAY Ibn Battuta stands before a mighty BUDDHIST TEMPLE that rises like a pyramid out of the jungle. Six square platforms are topped by three circular ones, with the entire building covered in hundreds of ornately carved BUDDHA statues. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) The natives called it Borobudur. I have never seen a place of such wondrous beauty, such mystery. In days long past I would have dismissed it as a pagan temple. But now I could feel the presence of God there. Whatever name these people may have called Him, this was one of His Homes. EXT. ROOF OF BOROBUDUR - DAY Ibn Battuta is led up to the roof of the great temple where the PIRATE CHIEF awaits him. The Pirates free Ibn Battuta from his bonds, then leave the two men alone. IBN BATTUTA Thank you for sparing my life. PIRATE CHIEF You spared my son’s life. It would have been dishonorable to do otherwise. IBN BATTUTA Your son is a hearty warrior. PIRATE CHIEF Yes, but you bested him. let him live. Why?
And then
IBN BATTUTA I have acted before out of anger, and it has only brought me loss. So I chose differently this time. PIRATE CHIEF It was a choice that could have cost you your life. IBN BATTUTA A life bought through cruelty is not worth possessing.
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Written By Kamran Pasha 9-1-08 Draft
PIRATE CHIEF There are many who say I am cruel. Are you suggesting my life is without value? IBN BATTUTA That is for you to determine. PIRATE CHIEF You do not fear me. No. Why?
IBN BATTUTA PIRATE CHIEF
IBN BATTUTA A man feels fear when he has something lose. PIRATE CHIEF And you have nothing? IBN BATTUTA Everything I had that mattered was swallowed by the sea. The Pirate Chief looks at him closely. PIRATE CHIEF At first I thought you were Indian. But now I realize that you are not from these lands. IBN BATTUTA I am an Arab. PIRATE CHIEF You are far from your home. IBN BATTUTA No. My home is here. everywhere.
And
The Pirate Chief looks at him curiously. PIRATE CHIEF Since you saved my son’s life, I am in your debt. Ask of me what you wish and it will be granted.
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IBN BATTUTA I would be honored if your men could help me finish my journey. PIRATE CHIEF And where does your journey end? IBN BATTUTA Where the world itself ends. EXT. SHIP - SOUTH CHINA SEA - DAY Ibn Battuta stands on the deck of the PIRATE SHIP and gazes out at the approaching the SOUTHERN COAST of China. EXT. CHINESE HILLS - DAY Ibn Battuta travels with a company of MERCHANTS through the rolling hills of China. And then he sees something on the horizon which takes his breath away. The GREAT WALL spreads across the landscape in all its majesty. Tears of awe fall from his eyes... EXT. BEIJING - DAY Ibn Battuta walks through the crowded streets of BEIJING. looks in wonder at the vibrant city life in this world so different from his home.
He
He stops to taste the unusual foods offered in the markets, and struggles with CHOPSTICKS, to the amusement of the shop owners. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) And so it was that I came at last to China, a land so vast that it is a world unto itself. I spent months wandering through this beautiful nation, seeking only the humble life of an anonymous traveler. But it has never been my destiny to remain anonymous for long. Ibn Battuta watches OLD MEN playing a game of MAH JONG on a street corner, when IMPERIAL GUARDS suddenly grab him. IMPERIAL GUARD Come with us, barbarian.
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IBN BATTUTA
Where?
IMPERIAL GUARD The Emperor requires your presence. EXT. THE FORBIDDEN CITY - DAY Ibn Battuta gazes in wonder as walks through MASSIVE GATES into the plaza of the FORBIDDEN CITY. He is led by the guards toward the towering IMPERIAL PALACE. The Muslim traveler nervously climbs the steps until... INT. IMPERIAL THRONE ROOM - DAY He kneels before the CHINESE EMPEROR TOGHON TEMUR. TOGHON TEMUR Rise and speak, Arab. IBN BATTUTA My tongue is tied by the glory of your presence, Your Majesty. TOGHON TEMUR I have heard that you have travelled the world, from its western-most end to its eastern edge. IBN BATTUTA I have, Your Majesty. TOGHON TEMUR
Why?
IBN BATTUTA I have been looking. For what?
TOGHON TEMUR
Ibn Battuta pauses and he knows now that he has the answer. IBN BATTUTA For The Truth. I see.
TOGHON TEMUR Have you found it?
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Written By Kamran Pasha 9-1-08 Draft
IBN BATTUTA Yes, Your Majesty. I have. TOGHON TEMUR Tell me, for I am most curious. IBN BATTUTA The Truth is that each one of us carries a truth in our heart. It is a truth that is real to us, even if it be real to no one else. That Truth, that which our heart finds meaning in, is the only Truth that matters. TOGHON TEMUR You are wise. In this land, we have a similar idea. We call it the Tao. It can neither be named, nor spoken, and yet it dwells within each of us. A jewel inside the heart that makes man, guides him and gives him meaning. Is this Tao the Truth you have discovered? IBN BATTUTA Yes, Your Majesty. It has many names. Allah. God. Brahman. Enlightenment. The Tao. But it needs no name. It cannot be spoken, nor described. It can only be felt. And yet each man tastes it differently. Truth is One, and it is infinite. Each man must journey on his own to find it. But it is not a journey by land or sea. It is a journey within the heart. The Emperor smiles. TOGHON TEMUR I am pleased by your words. Ask anything that you desire and I shall give it to you. IBN BATTUTA I have only one request, Your Majesty. Name it.
TOGHON TEMUR
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IBN BATTUTA To see the Eastern Ocean with my own eyes. I was born looking at the Western Ocean that girds the world. If I see its sister in the East, then I, first of all mankind, will have seen the whole world. TOGHON TEMUR It will be done. EXT. CHINA COAST - SUNRISE Ibn Battuta stands alone on a sandy beach in China, watching the SUN RISE over the Pacific Ocean. MAN’S VOICE (O.S.) You finally made it. Ibn Battuta turns to see an OLD CHINESE MAN beside him. Excuse me?
IBN BATTUTA
OLD CHINESE MAN My brother said you were coming to visit me. I didn’t think it would take you this long. IBN BATTUTA Your brother? OLD CHINESE MAN You met him at the beginning, and now you meet me at the end. And then Ibn Battuta REMEMBERS the mysterious Sufi Burhan alDin in the desert of Africa. He is suddenly frightened. IBN BATTUTA Who are you? Have you come to take my soul? Are you the angel of death? The Old Chinese Man LAUGHS. OLD CHINESE MAN You fear death so much. Why? IBN BATTUTA Because it is the end.
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The Old Chinese Man shakes his head wearily. OLD CHINESE MAN You’ve come all this way and you still haven’t figured it out. IBN BATTUTA Figured what out? What was I supposed to understand? OLD CHINESE MAN You tell me. You came to China looking for knowledge. What have you learned? Ibn Battuta closes his eyes. Lets the experiences of the years run through him. And then he speaks from the heart. IBN BATTUTA There is no death. Only the end of one journey, and the beginning of another. That is they way it has always been, and always will be. The journey never ends. OLD CHINESE MAN (O.S.) So what is there to fear about death? Ibn Battuta suddenly smiles, his eyes still closed. Nothing. Good.
IBN BATTUTA
OLD CHINESE MAN (O.S.) You finally understand.
Ibn Battuta opens his eyes joyfully, and then steps back in surprise. The old man is gone. The beach is empty. Ibn Battuta looks down on the ground where the Chinese Sufi had stood. And carved into the sand is a beautiful HAND with an EYE at its center... INT. RIYAD - TANGIER - 1355 AD - DAY CLOSE ON Gizem’s Hand of Fatima Medallion. Pull back to REVEAL the charm in the hand of Ibn Battuta, now an old man, as he finishes telling the tale to Ibn Juzayy. The younger man jots down notes on PARCHMENT with a QUILL PEN. He looks up from the pages, awe in his face.
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Written By Kamran Pasha 9-1-08 Draft
IBN JUZAYY And you never saw him again? Ibn Battuta smiles, his eyes twinkling. IBN BATTUTA Yes and no. IBN JUZAYY I don’t understand. IBN BATTUTA Suffice it to say that we never lose anyone who has come into our life. They are connected by bonds that surpass the body, bonds of the soul. IBN JUZAYY What did you do next? left China?
After you
IBN BATTUTA I journeyed back. The wanderlust still ruled my veins, and I ventured north to Andalusia and then south to Mali before I finally returned to Tangier. Thirty years had passed since I first left home. My parents had died, as had many of my childhood friends. But I do not grieve, for I will see them again soon enough. IBN JUZAYY There is so much I want to ask you, so much that I would like you to explain -IBN BATTUTA Another time perhaps. I am an old man, and I weary of talking. IBN JUZAYY I understand. I can’t wait to tell the Sultan. He will be so pleased that you have shared your story with the world. IBN BATTUTA It was the least I could do. After all, the world shared its story with me.
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Ibn Battuta rises. The younger man bows to the old traveler as he walks outside... EXT. BEACH - TANGIER - SUNSET The sun vanishes over the Western horizon, its rays leaving a crimson halo over the Atlantic Ocean. The ISLAMIC PRAYER CALL echoes over Tangier as Ibn Battuta gazes out at the water. IBN BATTUTA Now I know, my love, where all roads end. He opens his hand, revealing Gizem’s GOLD MEDALLION - The Hand of Fatima. Ibn Battuta looks at it for a moment, and then drops it into the sea. IBN BATTUTA Our paths will cross again, when our hearts are reunited. Ibn Battuta watches the Medallion float out into the ocean, the currents taking it west toward the horizon... INT. BED CHAMBER - NIGHT Ibn Battuta lies down to sleep. He looks up to see the Moroccan Sufi BURHAN AL-DIN and the OLD CHINESE MAN standing at the foot of his bed, smiling warmly. IBN BATTUTA (V.O.) It is said that when death approaches, the angels Munkar and Nakir appear at the edge of sight, ready to guide the soul from one life to the next... Ibn Battuta smiles at the two spirits and reaches out to them. IBN BATTUTA I am not afraid. After all, it’s just another journey... They move toward him and Ibn Battuta hears echoes of the old Sufi chant all around him.
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SUFIS La ilaha ill Allah... La ilaha ill Allah... His eyes sparkle with wonder as the room fills with beautiful LIGHT... EXT. SOMEWHERE IN THE OCEAN - DAY Gizem’s Medallion floats across the endless blue expanse. And then the currents bring it closer to another sparkling trinket lost in the sea. It is Ibn Battuta’s Jade Qur’anic Amulet. The two symbols of faith circle each other in the tide, their chains intertwining until they become one... FADE TO BLACK. CLOSING CRAWL: Ibn Battuta’s travels took him to 46 countries. He journeyed nearly three times the distance of Marco Polo, and was the first man known to have seen both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans in his lifetime. He is buried in Tangier, Morocco. THE END
