Review the image showing a mosque in Timbuktu, a city in western Africa.
Two people carrying baskets walk in front of a long wall.
How is the image an example of Arab influence on West African culture?
It shows how trans-Saharan trade activities helped West African scholars build universities.
It illustrates how Arab merchants peacefully introduced their religion during trading trips.
It demonstrates how West Africans worked with Arab soldiers to build forts and conquer territory.
It reflects the ways in which gold was used to build palaces for West African rulers.
The image of a mosque in Timbuktu, a city in western Africa, does not explicitly depict any direct examples of Arab influence on West African culture. However, considering the historical context, the image indirectly portrays the influence of Arab merchants and scholars on West African society.
The presence of a mosque in Timbuktu suggests the influence of Islam in the region. During the medieval period, Arab merchants from North Africa traveled across the Sahara Desert to trade with West African societies. These peaceful trading trips provided an avenue for the introduction of Islam to West African communities. As a result, many West Africans converted to the religion, and mosques were constructed as places of worship. Therefore, the image indirectly illustrates how Arab merchants peacefully introduced their religion during trading trips and how it ultimately influenced West African culture.
Additionally, although the image does not depict it explicitly, the trans-Saharan trade activities mentioned indirectly contributed to the establishment of educational institutions, such as the famous Sankore University in Timbuktu. Arab scholars and traders brought knowledge, books, and manuscripts to West Africa, fostering intellectual and cultural exchanges. As a result, West African scholars were able to build universities and acquire educations.
In contrast, the image does not demonstrate the ways in which West Africans worked with Arab soldiers to build forts and conquer territory, nor does it reflect how gold was used to build palaces for West African rulers. These aspects of gold and military collaboration are not visible in the given image.
In conclusion, the image of a mosque in Timbuktu indirectly represents the Arab influence on West African culture through the peaceful introduction of Islam during trade, as well as the subsequent establishment of educational institutions.