SOURCE A: Because of the increasing presence of Islam in Nor…

SOURCE A: Because of the increasing presence of Islam in North Africa, many African people began to convert to Islam. They did this for several reasons. Early missionaries, such as Abdallah ibn Yasin, influenced thousands of Berbers (Ethnic groups) to accept Islam. Many Saharan Africans converted to Islam to protect themselves against being sold into slavery, which was a flourishing trade at the time. Some leaders converted to Islam to gain political support from the Arabs and to make commercial relationships easier. However, not all North Africans, such as the local Berber -speaking populations, automatically accepted Islam. In fact, Islam did not become the main religion across North Africa until the 12th century CE. Source: Module GR 7