Trade and Geography in the Spread of Islam

Area of Science:

• Historical Geography
• Socio-religious Studies
• Economic History

Background:

• Numerous historical accounts highlight the role of trade in the adoption of Islam.
• Existing literature often emphasizes trade as a primary driver for Islam's expansion.
• A need exists to empirically validate these historical claims across diverse regions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the historical determinants of contemporary Muslim representation.
• To empirically test the hypothesis that pre-Islamic trade networks influenced Islam's spread.
• To examine the role of ecological factors in the historical diffusion of Islam.

Main Methods:

• Construction of detailed datasets on pre-Islamic trade routes, harbors, and ports.
• Cross-country and intra-country analyses examining ethnic groups.
• Statistical analysis to identify robust predictors of Muslim adherence.

Main Results:

• Proximity to the pre-600 CE trade network is a significant predictor of present-day Muslim adherence in the Old World.
• Regions with ecological characteristics similar to the Arabian Peninsula (arid/semiarid with limited fertile land) show higher Muslim populations.
• The study establishes an empirical regularity supporting the trade and ecological hypotheses.

Conclusions:

• Pre-Islamic trade networks played a crucial role in the historical diffusion and contemporary distribution of Islam.
• Ecological suitability, particularly arid and semiarid conditions, facilitated the successful spread of Islam.
• The findings provide empirical evidence for understanding the geographical patterns of Muslim adherence.