Islam+in+North+Africa

map of the continent of Africa which highlights areas of Northern African Islam

**Islam Influence on North Africa ** Northern Africa was an extension of the Islamic world. Mansa Musa, lord of the empire of Mali made the hajj to Mecca with a great caravan in 1324. With his caravan he went across the Sahara desert, Cairo, banks of the Nile River. He distributed gold during his pilgrimage which showed the Islamic values of generosity and donation. Mali trade routes linked the Mediterranean and the Middle East so Mali was vital for the economical world. Toward the end of the Roman Empire, Christianity was in Mediterranean Africa, but between the wars of the vandals and Byzantines in North Africa during 6th century C.E. From 640- 700 C.E there was a large amount of followers of Muhammad in North Africa. The Muslims ruled Tunisia, or **Ifriqiya** which is what Romans called Africa. The message of Islam hit hard for the people of Northern Africa and conversions took place rapidly when there was a political unity with the Abbasid dynasty. The Islamic traditions attracted the government due to the fact of Islamic traditions uniting the powers of the state and religion such as a caliph which appealed to African kings because it gave them more authority. People of the umma were treated equally which put newly converted Berbers and later Africans equal to Arabs. The Berbers were enemies of Arabic rulers that formed states of their own at Fez in Morocco and at Sijilimas, which was the old city for trans- Sahara caravan trade.. A jihad ensued among the Muslim invaders and the Berbers of the Western Sahara and both sides fought to spread or protect their faith. Another reformist group in 1130 C.E. was the **Almohadis.** Almohadis developed utopian ideas and lands that were dedicated to purifying society by returning to the original teachings of the prophet Muhammad. **Muslim teachings appealed to Northern Africans because of their concept of equality.**

Mansa Musa led the pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324. //link to glogster below:// [|Islam in North Africa glogster]

Islam in Northern Africa wordle below []