CONSTANCE HILLIARD

A large part of the spread of Islam was military conquest and conversion by the sword. However, the Arabs and other people of the desert were great traders and the trade routes went right through the newly Islamic areas. As the camels went, so did the new Muslims and many converted because Islam was a more modern and humane religion than what they had, and in some cases the motivation was to be more acceptable to Arab customers.

A large part of the spread of Islam was military conquest and conversion by the sword. However, the Arabs and other people of the desert were great traders and the trade routes went right through the newly Islamic areas. As the camels went, so did the new Muslims and many converted because Islam was a more modern and humane religion than what they had, and in some cases the motivation was to be more acceptable to Arab customers.