Abstract
This paper determines the kind of influence the spread of Islam had on the daily life of inhabitants of the West African region. It asks how the spread of Islam affects the development of leadership and society in West Africa. The paper first looks at the concept of history to Islam and then focuses on three major empires during West African history before coming to a conclusion.

Outline
The Spread of Islam in West Africa
The Philosophy of History in Islam
The Spread of Islam into West Africa
Islam in Ancient Ghana
The Almoravids
The Empire of Mali
The Empire of Songhay
Conclusion

From the Paper
"The fundamental principle of Islamic history comes from its ideas on "community,?" which it derives from Islam, "this community formed the "Islamic society" and built the "Islamic civilization" on the foundation of basic ideas. The essence of its thought is a humanitarian message to the world calling for freedom, justice, truth and equality."(1) Islam in its true understanding is a "way of life" and a large frame for a comprehensive and complete ideology that links man with God, the universe and life. Islam in the movement of history is not the Muslim state nor is it Islamic civilization or the Arab nation, except insofar as it is related to that Islam itself. Islam appears through its history as a "living being," which has two ideals "thought and civilization, which renews its cells and moves through periods of strength and weakness. Its constant movement is always forward as it the nature of a living being. (2)"

Tags:almoravis, empire, civilization