History Lesson 7: The Kingdom of Mali

The Spread of Islam in Northern Africa

• Islam began to spread across Northern Africa shortly after the death of Muhammad in 632 CE.
• The Muslim expansion started with the conquest of the Levant from 634-638 CE, reclaiming holy land in Acre and Jerusalem from the Byzantines.
• This early conquest gave Muslims a foothold to launch campaigns out of the Arabian Peninsula.

The Role of Military Expeditions and Trade

• Military expeditions, called "futuhat," or "openings," were launched into Egypt and other parts of North Africa.
• Islam spread through military conquest, trade, pilgrimage, and missionaries.
• Arab Muslim forces conquered vast territories and built imperial structures over time.

The Caliphate and Imperial Structures

• The caliphate, a new Islamic political structure, evolved and became more sophisticated during the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates.
• The Rashidun caliphate (632-661 CE) saw significant expansion of Islam.

Islam in North Africa

• Arab traders built Muslim trading centers and mosques along the trans-Saharan trade route between the 7th and 9th centuries.
• The trans-Saharan trade route brought wealth and dominance to the Islamic world in North Africa.
• Islam gradually gained political control of North Africa from indigenous populations, leading to Arabicization of the region.

Conversion to Islam

• Many African people converted to Islam for various reasons, including:
  • Protection from slavery
  • Gaining political support from Arabs
  • Easier trade
• Early Muslim missionaries influenced thousands of Berbers to accept Islam.
• Islam did not become the main religion in North Africa until the 12th century CE.

The Spread of Islam in West Africa

• West Africa was rich in gold, attracting Arab traders.
• The Arabs developed the spreading of Islam throughout West Africa.
• The people of the kingdom of Tekur, situated on both banks of the Senegal River, were the first black people to accept Islam.
• By the 9th century, Islam was well-established in West Africa.
• By the 14th century, Muslims ruled most of the powerful states throughout West Africa.

Role of Trade Routes and Kingdoms

• Places along the trade routes, such as Sidjilmassa, Taghaza, Gao, and Timbuktu, became centers of Islamic learning, civilization, and administrative practices.
• Arab traders brought Islamic education to the area, and people started becoming literate in Arabic.
• Trade with Arabs resulted in wealth in West Africa, and the development of trading empires such as Ghana, Mali, and Songhai.
• Leaders of these empires helped establish Islam in West Africa.

Examples of Islamic Development in West Africa

• In Ghana, the king appointed Muslim interpreters and treasurers.
• In Mali, Mansa Musa converted to Islam and allowed the Islamic faith to rule over Mali.
• In Songhai, the Dia princely house accepted Islam.
• Later, in the 15th century, Sunni Ali accepted Islam.