Islam: The Most Prominent Religion In Sub-Saharan West Africa

One of the most prominent effects of the cross cultural interaction was the Afro Eurasian Trade Network which helped increase revenue. The trade routes that were part of this network were the Mediterranean Sea Maritime Trade Route, Indian Ocean Maritime Trade Route, Eurasian Silk Road and the Trans-Saharan Trade Routes. The increase in trade resulted in the emergence of major cities such as Timbuktu, Jenne, Mogadishu, Mombasa and other Swahili city states. Another reason for the flourish of trade was the invention of new technologies such as caravans for traveling and the trading of luxury goods such as silk, cotton and porcelain. The dawn of new kingdoms such as Mali, Songhay and Sudan contributed to this effect as well. The spread of Islam resulted in

Over time, Mali grew and expanded. As a result of Trans-Saharan trade, Inew religions were introduced in Mali. Through the new leadership of Mansa Musa, Mali became a primarily Islamic civilization. They believed that there was only one god: Allah. Muhammad was the final prophet

Trade and trade routes played a crucial role in the spread of Islam. Mecca, the birthplace of Islam, was a very prominent trade hub. Due

The spread of Islam and Christianity. Both belief systems spread both rapidly and were efficient religions that brought great change for the greater good. They were the largest religions in the entire world and both happened to be monotheistic. Both religions share a similar history and tradition. Christianity appealed to the people because of their unwillingness to live on and how hopeless they were to move forward in poverty. Travel played an enormous role in conversion because of the missionaries sent out to unknown lands to spread the faith through trading routes (Christianity) and contacts (Islam). Islam prospered, on the other hand, with a vision of the angel Gabriel from Muhammed (became a god messenger and prophet of Allah). Interactions with other civilizations developed the Islamic World. These new religions led to more growth in the aspects of their social, economic, and political systems in addition to influencing other upcoming religions in history.

The conversion of Africa to Islam is known as one of the most important transformations of precolonial Africa. The spread of Islam in Africa can be credited to its regard for neighborhood societies. Muslims didn't drive Africans to change over to Islam and endured changes over joining components of indigenous religions with Islam. The Arabs additionally brought training and set up great focuses of learning in Cairo and Timbuktu. The feeling of fellowship between Muslims likewise fit well with the African feeling of group, and their faith in tending to the less lucky has affected various African people group. The spread of Islam also led to Swahili Urban Development, State Formation and an overall new way of life.

Mali: Gold and Salt trade; reached its peak in 14th century; Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage to Mecca; Islam

The journey of Mansa Musa on his hajj made everyone wonder if he went on the journey simply for his religion, or if there were other underlying factors for his journey. Mansa Musa traveled along his journey through Africa for his religion. Mansa Musa was a muslim Mali empire who went on a trek through Africa to complete one of the five pillars, which his religion obligated him to do.

West Africa has experienced migration, because of the cultural, ethnic, linguistic, and religious groups it contains, and because of the minerals, and goods it can produce. Around the ninth century C.E., in the trans- Saharan route, slave trade became popular. These slaves were used by the Arabs for military service, administration, domestic service, and concubinage. Extensive trade in the region led to urbanization, as well as the introduction of Islam. Muslim Berbers contributed to the expansion of Islam, by controlling the trade routes in Africa, and becoming conduits for economic activities, by the tenth century. During the mid-11th century, cities like Gao and Timbuktu had Muslim scholars traveling the routes, because of the intrusion of the Almoravids, and this resulted in turning these cities into hotspots for study and trade. The eleventh century brought the acceptance of the Islamic culture, and led to conversion of the elites, so they can have legal, political, administrative, cultural, and economic benefits. The Islamic culture did not disrupt indigenous African shamanist and animist beliefs, it united ethnic groups, and led to the development of Islamic states throughout Africa. (Africa, 3000 B.C.-A.D. 1500 / West African Trade /

Imagine being one of the most powerful and richest ever in the entire world, that was the case for Mansa Musa. Additionally, Musa was an emperor of the wealthy West African Mali Empire in which he was and still is, the richest man in the world with an estimated four-hundred billion. Moreover, he was devoted to the religion Islam and made a pilgrimage to Mecca from West Africa to worship. Therefore, Mansa Musa’s had reasons that demonstrated his devotion to Islam, which are his pilgrimage to Mecca, his elected religion while though his empire, it was populated by a mixture of people with different religions, and with money since he did not need to have a religion or follow one with power and money like he had, yet he believed in it and stayed with it until death.

Changes in political and cultural traditions during the post-classical period occurred in Africa because of intensive Islamic contact. When Arab conquerors introduced the Islamic faith into northern Africa, they expanded the region of commerce. Muslim merchants established trading centers for copper, iron, salts, and cotton textiles. The newly established trade affected traditional social and religious beliefs. After 1000 C.E., the kin-based social structure experienced difficult challenges. Increased conflict between peoples led to the creation of military forces for both offensive and defensive use. This led to the formation of chiefdoms exhibiting more formal structures of governing such as in the kingdoms of Kongo, Ghana, and Mali. Because most traders were Muslim, many African societies converted to Islam to improve their relations with the

    Mali already controlled the trans-Saharan trade routes between the salt deposits of Taghaza in the north and the gold-bearing lands of Wangara in the south. During Mansa Musa’s reign, Mali strengthened its control of the trade routes by gaining important cities such as Gao and Timbuktu, on and near the Niger River and Walata. His forces expanded westward to the Atlantic coast of Takrur and eastward beyond the Middle Niger. Trade and ideas flowed freely between Mali, North Africa, Spain, Egypt and Arabia. Muslim traders plied the desert with their caravans carrying brass work from Spain, brocades from Egypt, precious stones from India and returned with gold, salt, cola nuts and ivory. Mansa Mūsā, whose empire was one of the largest in the world at that time, is reported to have observed that it would take a year to travel from one end of his empire to the other. As he gained power, he adopted many titles such as ‘Emir of Melle’, ‘Lord of the Mines of Wangara’ and ‘Conqueror of Ghanata’. He established diplomatic ties with North Africa that facilitated unprecedented Trans-Sahara trade which further enriched his kingdom and ushered in prosperity

How did all of the scholars, government bureaucrats, merchants, and architects and Mansa Musa’s wealth contribute to Mali becoming a site of cultural exchange and what were the effects of them going to Mali? Because of the massive amount of gold that Mansa Musa had, he was able to create people to construct mosques and universities. “Mansas also used their wealth to build mosques and madrassas in the cities. One of the major trade cities of Mali was Timbuktu” (Ucdavis). As a result of Mansa Musa large amount of money, he used a large portion of it to build mosques, religious centers, and universities, learning centers. These buildings are a result of Mansa Musa’s wealth. Mosques, or religious center were a place where religion was spread and people were free worship whichever god(s) they wanted.

When Islam was initially introduced into West African Muslims were treated differently by the locals. Muslims were living apart from the main towns. Through trade routes, missionaries, and the military Islam began to spread. Muslim influence was positive because of the education that it provided and their willingness to help others.

In “A Painful Divide Facing an Impossible Task”, By Benjamin Hegeman, we are brought to a realization of how influential the Islamic presence has been in North Africa, now and in its past. It all began in 312 AD when Islam completely wipes out the Christians in North Africa. Doc. Hegeman shows us through his presentation that Islam became a predominate movement; not only through force, but also through economic enterprise and political moves. Due to the economic power of the Islam visitors, many turned to Islam. This is why it was more predominate through the higher-class citizens. Nonetheless, Islam was a growing fast; as a result, persecution arose between both the Muslims and Christians. The surprising factor is that the number one persecution towards Muslims is other Muslims. Doc. Hegeman showed us in his lecture how if you are Muslim and are accused of hypocrisy, you will die, or if you want to leave the Muslim faith, you will die. Nonetheless, the spreading of the Islamic force seemed only to have two blockade, money and Ethiopia (due to the Christians not doing anything for years). The first obstacle appeared along with the trading industry. As the trading business grew, so did the slave trade. However, Muslim due to their sacred writings have a strong dislike of the enslavement of a fellow Muslim.

Before Islam places like Sub-Saharan Africa were filled with small villages with clans of people that were illiterate and could not write. Sub-Saharans practiced anism, meanwhile in Northern Africa their focus was on Christianity. Once the silk road started, things began to change. Many people from the Arabian peninsula traveled to Africa and started to spread their religion. After that more Africans started to trade things like gold and salt and became a bigger part of the silk road. Islam spread new ideas to Africans, schools were built, governments became bureaucracies, thus creating a stronger more modern