Transcript Islam had a big influence on Africa.

The Influence of Islam on Africa
Islam affected
many different
aspects of
African
culture. Here
are 6 aspects
that were
affected by
Islam.
Islam entered West Africa through Trans Saharan trade. Muslim merchants brought
their religion along with them when they
were trading.
CAMEL CARAVAN
Islamic merchants settled in West African
trading cities like Kumbi and Timbuktu.
Medieval Timbuktu
As time progressed these Muslims
integrated (mixed/ blended) many aspects
(parts / elements) of their culture with African
traditions.
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Many Africans
embraced
Islam.
AFRICAN MUSLIMS PRAYING
TOWARDS MECCA
One of the most famous African
Muslims was Mansa Musa. He
ruled the kingdom of Mali from
1307 to 1332.
Mansa Musa was known for his extravagant (fancy)
hajj. On his way to Makkah he stopped in many cities
and gave gifts of gold and spent freely. Mansa Musa’s
journey put Mali on the map.
What is Mansa Musa holding in both his
hands? What do you think those two
things reveal (tell) about the importance
of Mansa Musa and the kingdom of Mali?
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Language
Young African boy studying the Qur’an.
Islam brought a uniform writing and language system
to Africa. That language was Arabic. Before Arabic there
were many different languages spoken throughout West
Africa and communication was difficult. Muslims were
also the first ones to write about African history.
African Kente Cloth
ART
Islamic Designs
African and Islamic art are very similar. Both
incorporate (use) geometric shapes and patterns.
Government
Because of Islam
the structure of
government
changed from a
decentralized form
of government,
were many people
had a little bit of
power, to a highly
centralized form
where one person
had a lot of power.
Education
After Mansa Musa’s hajj
he thought that education
in Mali should be
reformed (changed). He
brought back many Arabic
scholars to Mali.
The Sankore Mosque,
in Timbuktu, was a
university for 25,000
students during the 15th
century.
“Salt comes from the north, gold from the
south, and silver from the country of the
white men, but the word of God and the
treasures of wisdom are only to be
found in Timbuktu.”
This is a quote concerning medieval
Timbuktu. According to this quote
why was Timbuktu important?
The scholar,
Ahmad Baba,
headed the
Sankore University
for over 30 years
during the 16th
century.
Ahmad Baba
HUTS
Architecture - the design of buildings
Flat roofed buildings
Architecture changed from huts to flat roofed structures.
These structures used many of the same natural
materials found in the area. Muslims developed a
drainage system using clay pipes that made their
buildings last longer than huts.
Muslim architecture and African huts
side-by-side in Timbuktu
Succession
Another change brought about by Islam was in
succession or how the right to rule is passed on.
Traditional African succession was matrilineal, which
means that inheritance is passed through the mother’s
bloodline, instead of the father’s.
After Islam was
introduced succession
became patrilineal,
which means that the
right to rule was
passed from the
father’s bloodline. This
was not true in all
African cultures, just in
the ones where Islam
was dominant.
Religious Practices
One of the reasons Islam spread in Africa was that Muslims
allowed Africans to keep and practice traditional African customs
just as long as they did not contradict (go against) the Five
Pillars of Faith.
Islam did NOT replace traditional African culture. However, it did
have a very large impact on Africa’s history and development.