Culture & Traditions
This traditional West African wide-sleeved flowing robe is commonly worn by Muslim men for Friday Jummah prayers and Eid celebrations across Senegal, Nigeria, and Mali.
What is a boubou/kaftan?
This Islamic prayer is performed entirely while standing, with participants making only silent supplications rather than the usual bowing and prostration.
What is Salat al-Janazah (funeral prayer)?
This famous American ciil rights leader and human rights activist changed his name to El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz after going on Hajj.
Who is Malcom X?
This famous 14th-century empire, ruled by Mansa Musa, became incredibly wealthy through its control of West Africa's gold and salt trade routes.
What is the Mali Empire?
This country has the largest muslim population in all of Africa.
What is Nigeria?
These two traditional, unstitched wrap garments worn by women in Sudan and Mauritania consist of a single long piece of flowing fabric draped over the head and body and go by different names depending on the country.
What are a toub (Sudan) and a melahfa (Mauritania)?
This is the main school of thought followed throughout Africa.
What is the Maliki Madhhab?
This Libyan leader ruled his country for over four decades until being overthrown in 2011, and had promoted a pan-African, pan-Islamic vision through the African Union.
Who is Muammar Gaddafi?
This country has what's considered to be the oldest continually operating university in the world, since 859 CE.
What is Morocco?
Situated on the Niger River in Mali, this legendary city was world-famous during the Middle Ages as a major hub of Islamic manuscripts, trade, and universities.
What is Timbuktu?
Early Muslims made their first historical migration (the First Hijrah) to seek sanctuary under the Christian King Najashi in this East African kingdom.
What is Abyssinia (or Aksum / modern-day Ethiopia and Eritrea)?
This is the famous 14th-century Moroccan explorer who traveled over 70,000 miles across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, writing about his trips in a book.
Who is Ibn Battuta?
Situated along the Nile River in Sudan, this historic region is famous for containing more ancient pyramids than Egypt, dating back to the Kingdom of Kush before the area's Islamic history.
What is Nubia (or Meroë)?
This East African island off Tanzania's coast has a Muslim population exceeding 99% and a rich Swahili-Arab history.
What is Zanzibar?
This is where the qibla (direction of prayer) was directed toward before the Kaaba, until a revelation instructed Muslims to change direction roughly 16-17 months after the Hijrah to Medina.
What is Al-quds/Jerusalem (specifically Al-Aqsa Mosque / Bayt al-Maqdis)?
According to the Quran, Dhul-Qarnayn constructed a massive iron-and-copper barrier to protect a group of people from these two destructive tribes, whose release is tied to end-times prophecy in Islamic eschatology.
Who/what are Gog and Magog (Ya'juj wa-Ma'juj)?
Originating in the desert region of modern-day Mauritania, this 11th-century Muslim empire conquered Spain and grew wealthy by controlling the Trans-Saharan gold and salt trade routes.
What is the Almoradive Empire?
This ethnic group, spread across Nigeria, Niger, Senegal, and other Sahel countries, and is one of Africa's largest predominantly Muslim ethnic groups.
Who are the Fulani (Fulbe)?
This mystical branch of Islam, emphasizing spiritual brotherhoods (tariqas), has deep roots accross West and North Africa.
What is sufism?
This queen, ruler of the kingdom of Sheba, is mentioned in the Quran as initially worshipping the sun before being invited by Prophet Sulayman to submit to God — she is famously tested with a palace floor made of glass that she mistook for water.
Who is the Queen of Sheba (Bilqis)?
Located in Eritrea this is widely considered to be the oldest mosque in all of Africa.
What is Masjid al-Sahaba (Mosque of the Companions)?
These two countries were the only ones believed to never have been conquered by a foreign power.
What are Ethiopia and Liberia?