There is an interesting book by Ross E. Dunn about Ibn Battuta. Ibn Battuta was a Berber traveler in the 14th Century, and visited parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa. He traveled over 75,000 miles, which beat anyone's record in the era before modern transportation, except maybe a few sailors. India, North Africa, the Sahara interior, East Africa, a sliver of the Balkans, Constantinople, the Russian Steppe, the Maldives, Spain, Timbuktu, (edit: and the places between) and possibly China were visited by this guy.

In Asia Minor, young unmarried Turkish men banded together into Fityan clubs, where they pooled their resources. Usually the club was led by an older Akhi (derived from Arabic; brother) who gave the organization direction.

Ibn Battuta said that he met one of these leaders who asked him to visit their lodge. At first Ibn Battuta thought that the guy had a very low standard of living as he was dressed shabbily in public. He wanted to decline the invitation, but changed his mind and was very impressed at the hospitality at the lodge building.

Islam back then was as hypergamous as anywhere, but the men of the club still found a way to get by.