Ibn Battuta (1304–1369) was a Moroccan explorer and one of the most famous travelers in history. He visited the Mali Empire around 1352 during the reign of Mansa Sulayman. His journey across the Sahara brought him into direct contact with Mali's culture, rulers, and Islamic practices. His detailed descriptions of Malian society are considered some of the most comprehensive first-hand written records of West Africa during this period, making his work an invaluable resource for historians.

Ibn Khaldun (1332–1406) was a North African historian, philosopher, and one of the founding figures of modern sociology. Though he never traveled to Mali himself, he collected reports from travelers and merchants who had. In his writings, particularly in Kitāb al-ʿIbar, he documented the succession of Malian rulers and described the empire’s political organization and cultural influence. His analysis helped legitimize Mali’s place within the broader Islamic world and preserved key historical details that would have otherwise been lost.

Ibn Fadl-Allah al-‘Umari (1301–1349) was a Syrian geographer, historian, and government official in Cairo. While he never visited Mali, he interviewed people who had witnessed Mansa Musa’s famous pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324. Based on their accounts, he wrote about the emperor’s immense wealth, generosity, and reputation across the Islamic world. His work, Masalik al-Absar, helped introduce Mali to scholars and leaders throughout the Middle East and North Africa, emphasizing its power and religious devotion.