تجارة المسلمين مع افريقيا حتى 904 ه/ 1498 م (بلاد الزنج والسودان)

Abstract

This thesis analyzes the role of Bilad al-Zanj and Bilad al-Sudan in the international trade activities during the Islamic era until the end of the 9th/15th century. It consists of an introduction and five chapters which accounted for the trade activity with all its sides. The inevitability of contact with peoples and the reciprocity of interests, was the base upon which commercial activity was built since early times. Bilad al-Zanj and Bilad al-Sudan, which were integral parts of that commercial system, had direct contacts with the Islamic world and they were affected by all political and socio-economic transformations that occurred there. As a result, the Zanj and Sudanese seaports and commercial centres flourished and the African commercial activities gained new dimensions under the safeguard of Muslim power on land and sea. Bilad al-Zanj and Bilad al-Sudan represented the main sources of vital commodities such as animal and forest products, metals and manpower. The African gold and slaves were of a major importance. Gold enabled Muslims to achieve economic superiority on eastern and western countries. It also helped African governors to gain validity and enabled them to have strong hold over their regions. The African slaves and emigrants played important roles in the political and socio-economic activities in so many Islamic countries. To control such flourishing commercial activities, the Islamic states started to develop their administrative and financial systems. They Arabized and Islamized the coins, established banking system and superintendence of markets in commercial centres and main seaports. Some of these systems were introduced and applied in some of Zanj and 12 () Sudanese seaports and big commercial centres. By the beginning of the 7th/13th century, some of African towns and commercial centres were almost ruled by that Islamic system and coincided with African traditional system under the supervision of the African Kings and Sultans. There were many international traders sects, such as Arabs, Persians, Jews, Romans, Berbers and Sudanese who represented the principal component upon which international trading activities were built. They made effective organizations and commercial cooperation in towns and seaports to serve their business. Some of those international traders represented the most influential groups in their societies because the governors’ interests were coupled with their business. This situation paved the way for Muslim merchants to play an important role in the Islamization of some Zanj and Sudanese regions. 261 pages with 10 explanatory maps.