1. Islam in Africa Presented by: Dr
Islam in Africa Presented by: Dr. Sh Hassan Kinyua lecturer; Religious Studies-University of Nairobi

2. Meeting at Iran Embassy

3. Demographics There are an estimated 1.2 billion Muslims worldwide
Approximately 1/5th of the world's population
Spread through propagation
Distribution of Muslims Globally
Only 18% of Muslims live in the Arab world
20% are found in Sub-Saharan Africa
30% in the South Asian region of Pakistan, India and Bangladesh

4. The world's largest single Muslim communities
Top 9
1) Indonesia
2) Pakistan
3) Bangladesh
4) India
5) Turkey
6) Iran
7) Egypt –Arica)
8) Nigeria (Africa)
and
9) China

5. Two Main Braches of Islam
There are two main branches of Islam today
Sunni recognize the caliphate of Abubakar,Omar,Othman and Ali after Prophet Muhammad’s death
Shiite recognize the leadership/Imammate of only the 4th caliphs—Ali (M’s son-in-law & cousin) and his progeny
Both branches are practiced in Africa)

6. Geography of Africa? How did this enhance spread of Islam?

7. African Regions

8. Pre-Islamic Africa Extremely diverse societies developed
Political unity was difficult because of terrain
Bantu: primary language spoken
Oral traditions; very few written records
Most communities are preliterate (lacking writing system)
Beliefs
Power of natural forces; ritual and worship
Dancing, drumming, divination, and sacrifice
Witchcraft; cosmology
Ancestors are called upon

9. Economies N. Africa: Islamic trade routes and Mediterranean trade
Sub-Saharan: agriculture; ironworking; tribes and herders
Africans exchanged abundant raw materials (esp. salt) for manufactured goods

10. Geography of Africa
Arabs passed though Sahara which is the world’s largest desert & acted as a barrier to separate North Africa from sub-Saharan Africa

11. Early Societies of Africa
Early societies of North Africa were influenced by Mediterranean cultures such as the Phoenicians & Romans
By 750, North Africans were part of the Islamic Empire, converted to Islam, & shared Arabic culture

12. Influence of Islam in Africa
: Muslims moved west from Arabia across N. Africa to spread Islam
Rapid conversions by Berbers (Saharan nomads)
Spreads along pre-existing caravan routes
Maghreb: NW Africa (W of Egypt); Islamized
11th-12th centuries: Almoravids and Almohads (ultra-conservative Muslim Berbers) grow in power
Almoravids

13. Why did Islam attract Africans?
Similar culture eg polygamy
;reinforced kings’ authority
Equality in politicals
Religiously similar
Economic interaction with Arabs

14. Characteristics of Sub-Saharan Africa
While the societies of sub-Saharan Africa were diverse, they shared some similarities:
Most societies lived in farming villages in family-based clans
Few societies had written languages; Histories were shared orally by storytellers
Made iron tools

15. Characteristics of Africa
Sub-Saharan people were polytheistic:
Practiced animism,a religion in which spirits exist in nature and play a role in daily life

16. The Bantu Migration
Over the course of 4,000 years, Bantu peoples of central Africa migrated south in search of farmland
These Bantu migrations helped spread new farming & ironworking techniques

17. East Africa
The East African people participated in the Indian Ocean trade network & were shaped by cultural diffusion

18. Swahili Coast of East Africa
Islamized trading ports along coast by 13th c.
Most merchants converted; financial motivation
Ibn Battuta: Islamic scholar/writer who visits these cities; refers to them as Muslim cities
Swahili language (Bantu + Arabic) emerged in urbanized trading ports
Syncretism: merging of different cultures
Swahili civilization = set of commercial city-states stretching along the East African coast
Kilwa, Mogadishu, Mombasa: large city-state and trading centers along coast
Each city-state was politically independent with its own king
Sharp class distinctions in each city-state: big gap between the merchant elite class and the commoners

19. East Africa
Arab merchants introduced Islam to East African trade cities
The mix of African & Arab cultures led to a new Swahili language
Towns had mosques & were ruled by a Muslim sultan
But many people kept their traditional religious beliefs

20. Swahili Culture:
Islamic & African culture blended
Swahili language (Arabic+Bantu combined)
Beautiful mosques
Organised homes

21. West Africa
West Africa was were shaped by the trans-Saharan trade network:
West Africans had large deposits of gold, but lacked salt
The gold-salt trade connected North & West Africa

22. West Africa
The gold-salt trade increased cultural diffusion with Muslim merchants:
Islam was introduced in West Africa & slowed gained converts
Many Africans blended Islam with animism or never converted

23. West African Kingdoms
Islam reinforced ideas of kingship and power: “royal cult”
Joining Islam gives rulers prestige and associates them with other great Muslim leaders
Majority of population never converted; retain their polytheism/animism
Rulers were more concerned about political benefits of Islam than conversion
Trade gold and salt
Mali, Ghana and Songhai
Combine Islamic religion/culture with local practices
Each incorporates the previous kingdom; bigger than last
Each will exert power over subordinate communities through taxes, tribute, and military support

24. Ghana Empire 1st great West African empire Trade salt and gold
10th c: rulers convert to Islam while common people remain loyal to polytheism
11th c.: political height
Almoravid armies invaded Ghana in 1076

25. West Africa The kings who ruled Mali after Sundiata converted to Islam
The most important king was Mansa Musa:
He built a 100,000 man army to keep control over Mali
He divided Mali into provinces ruled by appointed governors

26. Mali Empire (1230-1600) Broke away from Ghana in 13th c.
Economy: agriculture and gold trade
Traders spread beyond W Africa
Very wealthy empire
Islamized state in 13th c. when rulers convert
Mosques built; public prayers
Founder: Sundiata (dies 1260)
“Lion Prince”
Divides society into clans with different jobs
Peace created through loyalty; crimes severely punished
Credited with Malinke expansion and creation of unified state with each tribe having a representative at court
Heavily defended empire

27. Mali Empire (1230-1600) Jenne and Timbuktu
Major cities of commercial exchange
Scholars, artisans, merchants
Mosques, libraries, universities
Mostly agricultural; polygamy allowed because of Islamic beliefs and for the ability to have children work
Irrigation along Niger River

28. Mansa Musa: Malinke Ruler
Second ruler of Mali
1324: Hajj to Mecca
Aligns himself with Islamic rulers
Brings back scholars, architects, artists
Ishak al-Sahili: architect who builds great Mosque of Jenne
Inadvertently devastates economies he enters as he passes out gold and spends it
Symbol of existence of wealthy, sophisticated empires in Africa
Estimated wealth: $400 billion

29. West Africa
When he returned from Mecca, Mansa Musa built mosques throughout Mali, including Timbuktu
This trade city attracted scholars, doctors, religious leaders
It had a university & became an important center for learning

30. West Africa
When he returned from Mecca, Mansa Musa built mosques throughout Mali, including Timbuktu
This trade city attracted scholars, doctors, religious leaders
It had a university & became an important center for learning

31. West Africa After Mansa Musa, Mali declined & was replaced by Songhai
Kings gained control of trade cities along the gold-salt routes
Songhai grew into the largest of the West African empires
Its fall in 1591 ended a 1,000 year era of empires in West Africa

32. Influence of Islam in West African Kingdoms
Islam provided universal faith, sense of community, and a strong political/legal system.
Royal Cult: rulers reinforced authority through Muslim ideology; spiritual and political leader
Many who are exposed to Islam do not convert but remain practitioners of their indigenous religion
Many Sudanic societies were matrilineal.
Hesitancy over conversion to Islam since it restricted women more than these societies did
Islam supports interregional trade
Slavery and slave trade grew in prominence (7 million traded)
Slave trade has existed since Classical period; Islam helps globalize it
Majority of Africa, even after introduction of Islam, will remain in isolation and not connected to larger networks

33. Global Connections
Spread of Islam connected Africa with the global community through increasing contact from CE.
Specifically, Sudanic states and East Africa

34. conclusion Islam continue spreading in Africa in all regions
There is need for inter-faith relations to ensure peaceful co existence
Propagators of Religion(s) in Africa need be sensitive in their mission to avoid inter-religious conflicts

35. Thanks so much for listening Shukran Jaziylan
End….
Thanks so much for listening Shukran Jaziylan