Answer: It helped create unity and a money economy, and facilitated the spread of ideas and culture.
Trade was an important economic activity in the Islamic world. Islamic merchants traded with faraway places like China, Africa and Europe. Their trade goods consisted of sugar, salt, textiles, spices, slaves, gold and horses.
Their routes followed both land (such as the Silk Road) and sea, and it passed through cities such as Mecca, Medina, Constantinople, Baghdad, Morocco, Cairo and Cordoba.
The expanse of trade contributed to the spread of Islam and Arabic culture.