Trade has played a role in the spread of Islam since the beginning of the religion. As an important trading post with vibrant economic activity, the city of Mecca, in the Arabian Peninsula, was a valuable setting for Islam, providing important context for Islam's relationship to trade. Expansion through trade, in tandem with conquest and missionary work, led to the development and spread of Islam throughout all of Africa, parts of Europe, Asia and beyond. Whether small minorities or entire regions converted to Islam, the relationship between trade, missionary movements and conquest are integral in understanding Islam's worldwide presence.
