Ibn Battuta and magically appearing food

(I've been trying to insert the picture, but I can't seem to. For what it's worth ... the image is linked here)

Here’s the passage I’m focusing on:

<< During my stay at Alexandria I had heard of the pious Shaykh al-Murshidi, who bestowed gifts miraculously created at his desire. He lived in solitary retreat in a cell in the country where he was visited by princes and ministers. Parties of men in all ranks of life used to come to him every day and he would supply them all with food. Each one of them would desire to eat some flesh or fruit or sweetmeat at his cell, and to each he would give what he had suggested, though it was frequently out of season. His fame was carried from mouth to mouth far and wide, and the Sultan too had visited him several times in his retreat. I set out from Alexandria to seek this shaykh and passing through Damanhur came to Fawwa [Fua], a beautiful township, close by which, separated from it by a canal, lies the shaykh's cell. I reached this cell about mid-afternoon, and on saluting the shaykh I found that he had with him one of the sultan's aides-de-camp, who had encamped with his troops just outside. The shaykh rose and embraced me, and calling for food invited me to eat. When the hour of the afternoon prayer arrived he set me in front as prayer-leader, and did the same on every occasion when we were together at the times of prayer during my stay. When I wished to sleep he said to me "Go up to the roof of the cell and sleep there " (this was during the summer heats). I said to the officer "In the name of God," but he replied [quoting from the Koran] "There is none of us but has an appointed place." So I mounted to the roof and found there a straw mattress and a leather mat, a water vessel for ritual ablutions, a jar of water and a drinking cup, and I lay down there to sleep.>>

One of the reasons I'm focusing on this passage is because most of the gifts al-Murshidi gives are food and food is my concentration. But also the passage is interesting on its own.

"At the end of part one of Ibn Battuta's travels, he visits Alexandria and is fascinated. He meets many men throughout his journeys with special powers or gifts; in Alexandria he meets a man who has essentially the power to give whatever the receiver needs.

This man — "the pious Shaykh al-Murshidi" bestows "gifts miraculously created at his desire" to those who visit him.

One of the reasons I'm focusing on this passage is because most of the gifts al-Murshidi gives are food and food is my concentration. But also the passage is interesting on its own.

The man can give gifts that can't be found elsewhere; gifts of foods "frequently out of season" or difficult to find. This in itself is astounding; he’s a chef’s dream.

Poor men aren't the only ones to visit him, as one might assume. "Parties of men in all ranks of life used to come to him every day and he would supply them all with food." Here is what I don't understand — why was it necessary for men who were wealthy or upper-class citizens to come visit al-Murshidi? It's almost as if he was the town farmer who created everything at his whim. And this would seem to probably make a town collapse; if no one has to work to produce food (a major reason to work) then why would they. Why would they bother creating their own food if they can just get it from al-Murshidi? It would seem to create laziness; although he is spreading religious gospel in a way when they come visit him, this hardly seems payment for the food they get from him.

What else is interesting: The men visit al-Murshidi, sometimes every day, without ever giving him something in return. It's hard to imagine that a person could be so selfless without making Biblical comparisons. And Ibn Battuta calls al-Murshidi the "pious" man he has heard so much about all around Alexandria, and calls his actions "miraculous." This is almost Jesus-like: The men ask and then receive.

Considering both that the food is unattainable otherwise, and that al-Murshidi acts in a somewhat Jesus-like way, the man's existence is questionable. What does this man's story say for the veracity of all of Ibn Battuta's stories? al-Murshidi's tale is too hard to believe. Why would there have been any hunger at all? And it seems unreal that even the most pious and religious man could have given whenever — would have given whenever. al-Murshidi never denies, at least not in the story. Why not? Even the most religious, the most pious man would seemingly ask something in return.

I know I’m probably looking too deeply at this, but how very strange (and the passage reminded me so much of all of our veracity discussions in class).