TRADE was an important driving force for the spread of Islam in Medieval Africa. ARAB MERCHANTS spread their religious beliefs as they traveled across the desert to exchange goods.
The commercial routes exploited by the Arabs, mainly towards North Africa and the center of Asia, exerted a great influence on the expansion of Islam. At the same time that the merchants were advancing along these routes, they were creating temples and trading with less developed towns, before which they exerted their influence easily. In this way, through the silk route and other minor routes, Islam was expanded to become a majority religion today.