From the beginning of the book, it is clear that Hasan views himself as a man without a country. He writes, “my wisdom has flourished in Rome, my passion in Cairo, my anguish in Fez, and my innocence still flourishes in Granada” (2). His travels have affected him to the point that he no longer identifies as a citizen of either Granada or Fez.

However, the narrative presents not only Hasan but also the nature of the world itself as cosmopolitan. Spain is populated by Christians, Jews, and Muslims. In his travels, Hasan comes across great cities, tribes, wealthy and poor communities, and ancient ruins, often in the same region. Egypt’s ruling elite are Christian Circassians who convert to Islam. Hasan himself meets and falls in love with the Circassian widow of an Ottoman Turk in Cairo and later a Granadan Jew in Rome.

Governments that resist this cosmopolitanism harm themselves. It is implied that, through their heavy-handed policies against Muslims, Castile has lost the services of talented, affluent Muslims like Hasan and his father Muhammad. Instead, these talents are simply given away to an enemy country.