Ruare, Kenya

How did the expansion of Islam aid in the creation of international trade on the East Africa?

CORRECT ANSWER: C. Islam expanded to India and Southeast Asia providing a religious bond of trust between those regions and the converted rulers of the cities of East Africa Why is this answer right?

Public Comments

1. This is because Islam first came into East Africa during the lifetime of Prophet Mohamed (pbuh) when his followers were giving asylum in Ethiopia as their lives were in danger in Saudi Arabia. So the first country Islam entered (which originated in Saudi Arabia, Asia) was East Africa. After a few years, it spread into other Asian countries. The religion created a sort of familiarity or respect among different peoples who were all followers of the religion. The city of Harar in East Africa used to be a city people went to learn more about Islam, non-East Africans also came into the city. Also, those port cities in East Africa were mostly in Somalia, since Kenya adopted the religion later on and Ethiopia is a landlocked country. I believe that Islam helped Somalia build ties with Middle Eastern countries such as Oman and Yemen. Persian traders also traded regularly with Somalis as well as non-Muslims (such as the Portuguese).