What does Ibn Sabil (travellers in need) mean?
A wayfarer refers to a person who does not have access to his funds despite being wealthy. He/
she has been left stranded and in an emergency. Ibn al-Sabil literally means ‘the son of the road’.
In the Arabic language, Ibn (son) is figuratively used to denote attachment and belonging. Thus,
Ibn al-Sabil is a person who has become dislodged and temporarily anchored to the roads in an
emergency.
Reviewed on 23/11/2021