Ibn Khurdadbih was a highly ranked official in the postal courier service of the Abbasid Caliphate. He was familiar with the travel routes within his domain but knew only of the non-Islamic world from the stories he hears.

One of the earliest references to Radanites was by Ibn Khurdadbih. In his book, he explained that the Radanites took ship in Spain and France and travelled all the way to China and back via one of the four well-established routes.

The Radanites was a group of Jewish traders who travelled throughout Eurasia, across Islamic territories, from western Europe to China. Their journeys predate those of Marco Polo by 400 years.

According to Ibn Khurdadbih, the Radanites "speak Arabic, Persian, (Greek), the language of the Franks, Andalusians, and Slavs. They journeyed from west to east, partly on land, partly by sea. They transport from the West eunuchs, female and male slaves, silk, castor, marten and other furs, and swords. First, they take a ship in the land of the Franks, on the Western Sea, and steer for Farama (near modern Port Said). They load these goods on the backs of camels and go by land to Qulzum (Suez) in five days' journey. Next, they embark on the East Sea (Red Sea) and sail from Qulzum to al-Jar and Jeddah; then, they go to Sind, India, and China. On their return, they carry back musk, aloes, camphor, cinnamon and other products of eastern countries to Qulzum and bring them to Farama, where they again embark on the Western Sea. Some sail for Constantinople to sell their goods to the Romans (Byzantine Greeks); others to the palace of the King of the Franks to replace their goods."

Ibn Khurdadbih described the main trade routes which the Radanites actively used.

The first was from Gaul across the Mediterranean and overland to the Red Sea, and then the Indian Ocean to East Asia.

The second route was through Mesopotamia.

The third went across North Africa.

The fourth route went north, crossing the Khazar lands and merged into the Silk Road, "sometimes they likewise take the route behind Rome, and, passing through the country of the Slavs, arrived at Khamlif (Etil), the capital of the Khazars. Next, they embarked upon the Jorjan Sea (the Caspian), arrive at Balkh, betake themselves from there across the Oxus, and continue their journey toward the Yourts of the Toghozghor (the Tuqquz Oghuz Turks), and from there to China."

In these accounts, the directions east and west were relative to where Ibn Khurdadbih lived, Iran.

In addition to Ibn Khurdadbhih, Ibn al-Faqih was another early Arabic writer who wrote about the Jewish merchant group, the Radanites.

Al-Faqih was a Persian geographer and historian, most famous for his publication, Concise Book of Lands (土地简书), written around the year 902. Unfortunately, the original work is no longer extant, but some of the materials from this book was captured by Ali al-Shayzari and published in 1022.

According to Al-Faqih, and abridged by al-Shayzari, "To it (ray, or Rhages) comes the goods of Armenia and Azerbaijan and Khorasan and the Khazars and the land of Burjan, because the sea merchants travel from east to west, and from west to east. First, they carry brocades and fine silk from the land of the Franks to al-Farama. Then they go by sea to Qulzum and carry this to China. And they carry cinnamon and celdine and all the Chinese goods and sail as far as Qulaum. From there, they convey it to al-Farama. And these are the Jewish merchants who are called Rahdanis. They speak Persian, Greek, Arabic and Frankish. They leave from al-Farama. Then they sell musk and aloes and everything they have with them to the King of the Franks. Then they go to Antioch, then to Baghdad, and on to al-Ubulla."

The city of Rayy is near modern Tehran. It was a centre of Radanite trading activity.