A number of them were mentioned earlier but they should not be regarded as absolute authorities. They were the journalists and travel/writers of their day and they recorded information and opinions that they picked up from travelers and traders. This entire period and area is also somewhat vague. In considering Islam and Ghana, as well as tribes such as the Mande, the first fact that comes to mind is that Ghana was the center of the gold trade. It was therefore certainly in touch with such Ibadi centers as Tahert and Tadmakkat. As mentioned, Tadmakkat, which was especially closely associated with Ghana, was probably a center for Ibadi traders. It is therefore also probable that Ibadi ideas reached Ghana from Tadmakkat and began to circulate in the Ghanaian Empire. Ghana, however, was in touch with other North African and Saharan centers that were no Ibadi. Thus there is every reason to suppose that the Sunni, Maliki form of Islam, as it was being argued out by the earnest and learned Ulami of Qayrawan reached Ghana, if not at the same time as the Ibadiyya at least soon as the zealous Ibn Yasin began to preach it to his wayward Sanhaja. What can be said with confidence with that a Sunni Shaykh had converted the King of Malal, Mali, to Islam before 460-1067, because the well-informed 11 century writer, Al-Bakri said so. Mali was then part of the empire of Ghana. It would be remarkable if the Shaykh converted no more than just the king so it is a reasonable conclusion that both the Ibadiyya and the Maliki madhab were in the air of the Ghana empire before 460-1067, although it is not possible to say precisely how long before. In order to trace the African war or hunter clothing or shirts, one must be able to trace the tribes, and the Muslim influence in Ghana . At this point, we see the advent of Mande successor states. .
After the Mali Empire had crumbled away, the region west of the Niger suffered from a state of complete anarchy until it was occupied by the French.
