Islamic Influence in West Africa

The video explores the spread of Islam in West Africa from the Arab conquests in North Africa to the influence of trade and the Almoravids. It highlights the role of trade routes and merchants in spreading Islam, the Almoravids' military campaigns, and the conversion of key regions like Ghana, Mali, Jenne, Timbuktu, Songhai, Kanem-Bornu, and Hausaland. The video also discusses the limited influence of Islam on rural communities and its predominance among merchants and royal courts.

What were the two main routes taken by the Arabs during their conquest of North Africa?

• The western path down the Atlantic coast and the eastern route from Tripoli

• The northern path through Europe and the southern route through the Sahara

• The eastern path through the Middle East and the western route through the Atlantic

• The southern path through the Sahara and the northern route through the Mediterranean

Which factor significantly boosted the trans-Saharan trade during the Arab conquests?

• The invention of the wheel

• The decline of European trade

• The allure of gold

• The discovery of new trade routes

Who was the first leader of the Almoravids?

• Abu Bekir

• Abdullah ibn Yasin

• Za Kossi

• Mansa Musa

Which ruler of Mali made a famous pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324-25 AD?

• Sonni Ali

• Askia Mohammed Toure

• Mansa Musa

• Sundiata

What was Timbuktu's significance in the Islamic world during the reign of Askia the Great?

• A major military base

• A central hub for Islamic education and culture

• A center for agricultural development

• A trading post for European goods

Who was responsible for relocating the Songhai capital from Kukia to Gao?

• Sonni Ali

• Za Kossi

• Mansa Musa

• Abu Bekir

Which ruler restored Islam as the state religion in the Songhai Empire?

• Mansa Musa

• Za Kossi

• Sonni Ali

• Askia Mohammed Toure

How did Islam likely arrive in Kanem-Bornu?

• Through migration from the Middle East

• Through missionaries from Europe

• Through conquest by the Almoravids

• Through trade with Egypt

Who converted the monarch of Katsina to Islam?

• Al-Maghili

• Mansa Musa

• Abdullah ibn Yasin

• Askia Mohammed Toure

What was the primary method by which Islam spread throughout West Africa before the 19th century?

• Forced conversion by rulers

• Peaceful settlement of Muslim merchants

• Mass migrations from North Africa

• Military conquest