Through which primary means did Islam initially spread across large portions of East Africa, distinct from military conquest?

Explanation

– Islam initially spread across large portions of East Africa primarily through trade and merchant contact along coastal regions, as Muslim traders established connections with local African communities over centuries.
– This gradual process, occurring through commercial exchange and cultural interaction, led to the development of significant Muslim communities and distinct Islamic cultural traditions along the East African coast.
– For exams, note that this trade-based spread reflects a different historical pattern compared to regions where Islam spread more directly through military conquest and political expansion.