Trade networks spread Islam across Africa and Southeast Asia more than armies did

Evidence

Where religion transcends ethnicity, however, trade networks have brought religious conversion with them. The best known such case is how Islam made inroads into Africa, as well as in Southeast Asia, as far east as Malaysia and Indonesia. Stunningly, Indonesia is now the most populous Muslim country in the world today, far ahead of Saudi Arabia, the cradle of Islam, or even Egypt, the most populous Arab country in the world. Unlike the spread of Islam in the Middle East, Asia Minor, and the Balkans, Islam’s spread in these parts of the world owed more to networks of highly disciplined Muslim merchants, rather than to highly disciplined Muslim armies (although the two often went together, and no doubt, military power played a role even there). — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 202

Categorization

• DEFINE: Establishes that Islam’s universalist (trans-ethnic) character is what made merchant networks conversion vehicles — the crucial contrast to ethnic religions like Armenian Christianity and Judaism.
• SHARE: Indonesia outranking Saudi Arabia in Muslim population through merchant rather than military spread is a striking fact for anyone interested in religion’s diffusion.
• corroborated: 3 independent passages support this claim — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 202
• XREF: connects to: Trade networks facilitated the spread of Buddhism beyond its birthplace. — Neil MacGregor, A History of the World in 100 Objects, 927; Arab immigration brought Islam and accelerated Somali and Oromo expansion; The Indian Ocean facilitated extensive trade between multiple cultures. — Neil MacGregor, A History of the World in 100 Objects, 50 (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• Trade networks facilitated the spread of Buddhism beyond its birthplace. #corroborates (0.85) — Neil MacGregor, A History of the World in 100 Objects, 927
• The Indian Ocean facilitated extensive trade between multiple cultures. #expands (0.85) — Neil MacGregor, A History of the World in 100 Objects, 50
• Islamic belief self-enforced contracts, cutting transaction costs across the Sahara #exemplifies (0.75)
• Arab immigration brought Islam and accelerated Somali and Oromo expansion #complicates (0.70)