Question

What are the three major cities of the Mali empire that converted to Islam?

1) Timbuktu, Gao, and Djenne
2) Cairo, Mecca, and Medina
3) Istanbul, Baghdad, and Damascus

Answer 1

The three major cities of the Mali Empire that embraced Islam were Timbuktu, Gao, and Djenne. These cities became vital centers of Islamic scholarship, commerce, and education.

Step-by-step explanation:

The three major cities of the Mali Empire that converted to Islam were Timbuktu, Gao, and Djenne. These cities were influential centers of commerce, education, and religion within the empire. Following the conversion of the Mali court to Islam, Muslim scribes and scholars were integral to the administration and development of these cities. The legendary ruler Mansa Musa, during his reign, greatly enhanced Timbuktu by constructing mosques and schools there, reaffirming its status as a hub of Islamic scholarship.

The annexation of Gao expanded the empire for a time, and it too became a prominent center under the Songhai rulers. Djenne, alongside Timbuktu, was a central Islamic intellectual center, known for its great mosque and as a place of learning within the Mali Empire.