The Role of Trade in Spreading Islam in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

 Islam spread in the countries of eastern, central, and western Sudan alike thanks to trade, which represented the most important factor in the spread of Islam. The geographical factor had a fundamental role in the spread of Islam early in eastern Sudan, after Abyssinia was a storehouse for the Quraysh before the Islamic era. This was also the case in the countries. The other neighboring countries of Abyssinia, as for the countries of Central Sudan, the Berber merchants and North African residents had a large and clear role in the spread of Islam thanks to trade relations with the country of Kanem Bornu, and this matter was the result of the establishment of the first Islamic kingdom in Central Sudan in the year (479 AH), which was a commercial station for Muslims.

As for the Western Sudan, it was also the same, as the merchants were considered to be the first messengers of Islam, and the greatest role in it was for the Sanhaja tribes and their trade relations with Ghana and other countries in the Western Sudan. Due to the greatness of trade, Ibn Battuta described it as no trade comparable to it, as the Muslim merchants carried their religion with them to those countries, and this The result of the matter was that Islam entered sub-Saharan Africa in a peaceful manner, without bloodshed or coercion or coercion to convert to it, and this is what made them accept it quickly until it spread to most parts of sub-Saharan Africa.