The Spread of Islam Through West Africa - Ed Cash Durango ... · The Spread of Islam Through West...
Transcript of The Spread of Islam Through West Africa - Ed Cash Durango ... · The Spread of Islam Through West...
By Kaitlyn Ashburn, Izzy Herringer, and McKenzie Belt
The Spread of Islam Through West Africa
A Different Pattern
Arrival ➢ Muslim Traders first brought Islam into West Africa➢ Came across Sahara ➢ Not brought by invading Turkic or Arab armies➢ Gradually accepted in centuries following 1000 CE
Reception & Conversion
➢ Most widely accepted in urban centers
➢ African Merchants embraced Islam because it provided an
important link to muslim trading partners
➢ Islam contributed to long-distance trade by offering Muslims tools
such as contract law, credit, and information networks.
➢ African kings were less responsive to Islam, as they tried to
contain and segregate Muslims
➢ Later African rulers began to blend Islam with their culture
(offered source of literate officials)
Muslim merchants that accepted Islam.
Government Organization
➢ Early governmental organization of West Africa
composed of a monarchical system
➢ Kings claimed to have descended from mythical divine
founding ancestors of the many ethnic groups in
Africa, gave them power
➢ Throughout their country taxed trade, in the
agricultural villages collected tribute
➢ Many rulers established in Islam into West Africa,
but there were few efforts made to impose new
religion on their subjects, or to govern in strict
accordance to Islamic Law
Islamic law that rulers used to govern.
Religious Institution
➢ Varied depending on the area
➢ Ghana - king did not convert to Islam but allowed Muslim
communities to form and practice
➢ Main settlement in Kumbi
○ Built mosques
○ Had their own spiritual leader called an imam.
➢ Many scholars studied the Qur'an
➢ Mali - leaders and people accepted Islam
○ did not follow all of its teachings.
➢ Many people made a hajj or a pilgrimage.
The Great Mosque at Jenne was initially constructed in
13th century.
Changes ➢ Climate/Environment
○ The African Transition Zone-division between Islam
(North) and Christianity (south) in Africa. This division
goes through the region of West Africa.
➢ Gender
○ Many local customs persisted
○ Women uncovered in public: Ibn Battuta appalled that
practicing muslims allowed their women to appear in
public and mingle freely with unrelated mem
➢ Growth/Sustainability of Trade
○ Instantly connected to a larger system of trade networks
and large trade cities due to muslim trans-saharan
traders
➢ Muslim/Non-Muslim
○ Before the spread of Islam to West Africa, non-Muslims
lived alongside Muslims
○ Over time, Muslim community developed and grew around
trans-Saharan trade routes
Ibn Battuta and his journey of West Africa
Cultural Developments
➢ Islam boosted more than 150 Quranic schools, and
several major centers for education
➢ Art- Amulets with Qur’anic verses were created by
Sub-Saharan Muslim clerics
○ displaces indigenous talisman as well as
medicinal packets
○ use of geometric patterns and designs, was
reinforced with the spread of Islam.
➢ Literature- Islam brought the art of writing into
Africa, along with a new technique for weighting.
Islamic learning also developed.
Music & Medicine- Islam didn’t have a large effect on West
Africa’s music or medicine.
Diffusion of Language and Culture
➢ Africa differs from the other powerful areas of this time in its large
size and compilation of many cultures and ethnicities
➢ Islamization had an impact on the culture of these civilizations;
each culture had many traditions and Islam often influenced or
were adopted into them
○ People beginning to pray to God in Arabic and building
mosques to worship
○ Learned the Five Pillars of Islam and made pilgrimages
○ There were traditions that were kept including the
continuation of worship to spirits of their ancestors
➢ These cultures continued to speak their native languages.
Islamization Scale
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10Islamization impacted West Africa’s economy immensely by connecting
it to the other major civilizations of the time through trade. Politically,
Islamization affected the governmental organization and many of their
laws and policies. The many cultures and ethnicities that made up West
Africa maintained their native languages and some cultural traditions
while adopting new Islam induced practices. Islamization did change
societies in West Africa in many ways and affected the daily life of the
people.
The Quran, the most important book in the religion of Islam. It documents the visions of the prophet, Muhammad.