Final answer:
Islamic Empires might have opted for diplomatic, educational, and economic methods to integrate traditional Africans into Islamic society rather than relying on enslavement, which could have fostered collaboration and reduced resistance.
Step-by-step explanation:
Exploring alternative ways Islamic Empires could have handled traditional Africans who resisted Islamic policies, it is essential to recognize that the Islamization of Africa often came with heavy taxation and demands for enslaved individuals. Enslavement was not the only possible approach. Islamic powers could have pursued more diplomatic methods, such as fostering political alliances, engaging in intermarriages, or using trade incentives to create economic dependencies that encouraged voluntary assimilation into Islamic societies.
Furthermore, the imposition of Islamic law, which prohibited the enslavement of fellow Muslims, could have been presented as a protective measure, incentivizing conversion without direct coercion. Instead of capturing and selling people as slaves, Islamic states could have focused on the establishment of educational institutions, promotion of shared religious practices, or the integration of local leaders into Islamic governance structures, thereby encouraging collaboration and mutual respect.
Adopting such measures might have alleviated the intensity of resistance and revolts that marked the history of Islamic expansion in Africa, including those that erupted in 739 and 740, challenging the Caliphate and leading to eventual political fragmentation.