You may know that there are Muslims in Africa, however, the relationship between Islam and Africa is largely under-represented, here are 10 facts about Islam and Africa that we hope you find interesting and informative.
1.Islam reached Africa before Medina. During the early years of Islam, a number of Muslims under the instructions of prophet Muhammed sought refuge in Abyssinia, present day Ethiopia. They were protected by the black African King Negus. Although all of these Muslims returned to Medina, they were able to convert a few locals and eventually, the king himself.
2.Most Africans are Muslims. 45% to be precise
3.Muslim African Kings built centers of scholarship that great Muslim scholars from around the world would flock to, such as the University of Sankore in Mali.
4.An African Muslim king by the name of Mansa Musa of Mali, on his Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324, travelled with so much gold that he devalued the price of gold in Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
5.Islam was spread by trade routes that stretched eastward from West Africa, Central Africa, North Africa, Saudi Arabia and China.
6.Contrary to popular belief the spread of Islam in Africa was peaceful for the most part, because it began as early as the 8th century, African traders were the first to convert, conversion had economic aspects to it, learning the Qur ‘an meant learning the Arabic language, knowing the language meant more access to resources and more acceptance into Arab society, however there was a social aspect to it too, the fact that the principal agents of the Islamification of Africa were African traders, this meant that it was easier for it to be accepted.
7.Traditional African culture had marked similarities with Islamic practices such as communal praying, venerating ancestors, circumcision, polygamy, and the spirit or jinn world.
8.The World’s tallest religious structure is the Hassan II Mosque, is in Africa, in Casablanca Morocco.
9.The first Muslim to do the Muslim call to prayer, the Adhan, was a black African by the name of Bilal.
10.A significant number of Africans transported to Europe and the Americas during the slave trade were Muslims before they got there.
11.There is proof that West African Muslims reached the Americas before Christopher Columbus.
12.Most of Africa’s Muslims are Sunni, however, there are significant numbers of Sufi and Ahmadiyya adherents.
