How did ideas like the ones expressed in the passages contribute to the spread of Islam in northern Africa between 1200 and 1450
CE? "I was sitting with Abu Darda' in the mosque of Damascus, when a man came to him and said: 'O Abu Darda,' I have come to you from Al-Madinah, the city of the Messenger of Allah (saw), for a Hadith which I have heard that you narrate from the Prophet (saw).' He said: 'Did you not come for trade?' He said: 'No.' He said: 'Did you not come for anything else?' He said: 'No.' He said: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say: "Whoever follows a path in the pursuit of knowledge, Allah will make easy for him a path to Paradise. The angels lower their wings in approval of the seeker of knowledge, and everyone in the heavens and on earth prays for forgiveness for the seeker of knowledge, even the fish in the sea. The superiority of the scholar over the worshipper is like the superiority of the moon over all other heavenly bodies. The scholars are the heirs of the Prophets, for the Prophets did not leave behind Dinar of Dirham, rather they left behind knowledge, so whoever takes it has taken a great share."
"Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and earth, and the alternation of the night and the day, and the [great] ships which sail through the sea with that which benefits people, and what Allah has sent down from the heavens of rain, giving life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness and dispersing therein every [kind of] moving creature, and [His] directing of the winds and the clouds controlled between the heaven and the earth are signs for a people who use reason."
a. Monarchs decided to ally with the Islamic empire to prevent war.
b. The Islamic empire established a center of learning in the territories.
c. The Islamic empire conquered the people of the territory and had them convert to Islam.
d. The monarchs converted, then used their Islamic knowledge in government matters.
