WHI-Chap19-Obj5
What was the impact of Islam upon the economy and indigenous religious beliefs in the West African kingdoms and the Swahili city-states?
In sub-Saharan west Africa and coastal east Africa, Islam appealed strongly to the ruling elite and the merchants as it served as a cultural foundation for their business relationships with the Muslim merchants from north Africa and southwest Asia. However, they did not only convert for their business opportunities, the new converts took their new religion very seriously and built mosques, founded religious schools, and invited experts in Islamic law to their lands. But they did not convert fully to the Islam of North Africa and southwest Asia, many African converts kept indigenous beliefs collectively with their new Islamic beliefs. They still took protective measures against the workings of evil spirits and witches and continued to participate in rituals designed to please the natural deities and the spirits of departed ancestors. "Indeed Islam supplemented rather than replaced the traditional religions of sub-Saharan Africa." (T&E pg. 504)
