Specialists have highlighted the ways in which literate Muslims became increasingly aware of Islamic doctrine and began to demand reforms during this period. For instance, the people of West Africa believed in many gods, so the rulers began to allow the god of Islam, or As trade with the Berbers increased, people within the region began accepting gradually, or even converting to parts of their Islamic faith. In the late 9th century, Al-Yaqubi wrote that Muslims were living along the northern Somali seaboard. 4:55 Margari Hill, Stanford University January 2009 available in PDF format ( 1.14 MB ). They had the crucial skill of written script, which helped in the administration of kingdoms.
Much of what we know about the early history of West Africa comes from medieval accounts written by Arab and North African geographers and historians. African Cultures: Ghana, Mali, and Songhai The Berbers offered salt in exchange for West African gold. Finally, Muslim clerics often made themselves very useful to the community in practical daily life (and so they increased the appeal of Islam) by offering prayers on request, performing administrative tasks, offering medical advice, divining - such as the interpretation of dreams, and making charms and amulets.Another motivation for rulers to adopt Islam besides greater riches with which to impress their people and hold on to power was that a new dynasty may have been bolstered in its claims of legitimacy by also adopting a new religion. The Rise of Muslim States in Africa However, this acceptance and conversion was very gradual and at first the rulers of West Africa tried to contain it. The answer is that they didn't convert all that quickly at all. Many of these rulers blended Islam with traditional and local practices in what experts call the mixing phase. Many Muslim were also religious specialists whose amulets were prized by non-Muslims.Over the next few decades, African rulers began to adopt Islam while ruling over populations with diverse faiths and cultures. It is perhaps worth noting at the start that the spread of Islam in Africa was much more than the passing on and adoption of religious ideas. The early journeys across the Sahara were done in stages.
Ghana's capital at Koumbi Saleh was, significantly, divided into two distinct towns from the mid-11th century CE. Islam was introduced to the northern Somali coast early on from the Arabian peninsula, shortly after the hijra. Literacy spread because belief in Islam encourages Muslims to learn the Quran. This three-phase framework helps sheds light on the historical development of the medieval empires of Ghana, Mali, and Songhay and the 19th century jihads that led to the establishment of the Sokoto Caliphate in Hausaland and the Umarian state in Senegambia.The early presence of Islam was limited to segregated Muslim communities linked to the trans-Saharan trade.
Try it While the presence of Islam in West Africa dates back to eighth century, the spread of the faith in regions that are now the modern states of Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali and Nigeria, was in actuality, a gradual and complex process. Several major trade routes connected Africa below the Sahara with the Mediterranean Middle East, such as Sijilmasa to Awdaghust and Ghadames to Gao. The answer is that they didn't convert all that quickly at all. Islam facilitated long distance trade by offering useful sets of tools for merchants including contract law, credit, and information networks. Muslim communities have existed in West Africa for over a millennium, pointing to the fact that Islam is a significant part of the African landscape.Learn more about how your support makes a difference or make a gift now Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support.As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 79,000 Some African societies were matrilineal, and these changed to a patrilineal system. She has an M.A in instructional education.Many times when we think of a people group converting to a new faith we picture missionaries trekking through jungles to meet undiscovered people groups.
In West Africa, the three great medieval empires of Ghana, Mali, and the Songhay developed in Sahel.The history of Islam in West Africa can be explained in three stages, containment, mixing, and reform.
Although this scene has played out in certain parts of the world, it is not at all how As we'll see in today's lesson, Islam spread throughout West Africa slowly, sort of like how water seeps into packed sand. Specialists have used several models to explain why Africans converted to Islam. Instead, it was the Islamic faith, which the Berbers carried with them, that left a lasting mark on the people of West Africa. In time, Arabic became the common language of the merchants and traders of West Africa. 4:43 Pastoral North Africans called Berbers had long traded with West Africans.
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