Flying Together 3-Ghana

M.M.NINAN
their ancestors with the help of spiritual leaders. Ghanaians at this time believed that their
ancestors were a mediator to the gods.
By the 9th century Islam was introduced to Ancient Ghana. The Muslims came to Ghana for
trading purposes and along with their goods they brought the Islamic religion. Many Ghanaians
began to practice Islam at this time. In 1076 the Almoravids, who were Muslims, conquered
Ghana. They attempted to make Islam the only practiced religion but failed.
By the 15th century, Christian missionaries from Portugal were known to be on the coast of the
ancient Ghana, But until then the Empire consisted of Islam and traditional Ghanaian religious
practices. Half of the town of Kumbi Saleh, which was the capital, was called El Ghaba and was
the traditional Ghanaian religious center of the town. The other half of the capital was the trading
center or business district and since the Arab and Berber merchants were Muslim this side of
town consisted of the Islamic faith. Several mosques were built in this business district of Kumbi
Saleh.
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