Muslim merchants played a significant role in the trans-Saharan trade that existed for centuries before the arrival of Europeans. As they came into contact with African traders, they also introduced their religion. This was especially the case in West Africa, where Ghana, Mali, and Songhai were all Muslim empires.
2. Military conquest
In some cases, Muslims also spread their religion through military conquest. This was most notably the case in North Africa, where the Berbers were forcibly converted to Islam by the Arab invaders.
