How Islam Spread to Africa

Islamic Influence in Africa

• Start

Islam began to take off in the middle of the sixth century A.D. Islam was started by the prophet Muhammad and began in mecca. Soon after Muhammad moved Islam to Medina, where he had protection, Islam began to spread at a fascinating pace. This opened up the window for Islam to spread at an unprecedented rate.

• Progression

Arabs began to dominate different areas. Spanish conquest began 711 A.D. Being masters of diplomacy and warfare most of the Iberian peninsula was under Islamic control. Further north they were stopped due to progressing Christian people. It is amazing how a Islamic people could takeover a already established area and influence them.

 

Islam began to become a exceedingly popular in Ghana because of the aesthetic of the religion. Most of the people that adopted the religion were traders and it spread with their influence. It also spread to Mali. In the thirteenth century Mali king brought back a architect from Mecca to design his buildings. The kings brother also followed in his brothers footsteps and built even more mosques. He also built schools which taught about Islam. This created a base in Africa for Islam and made Islam 

influence stay present for all time.

Islam had the ability to become popular through trade routes. It only took a steps for followers in Africa to make the religion a sedentary force. Through mostly diplomatic means Islam was able to spread to most of the known world in the pre-modern era.