Mansa Musa Religion

1. Substantiate the piety and moral virtue of Mansa Musa.
In the book Medieval West Africa, Al- ‘Umari (1301–1394) described many actions of Mansa Musa that reflect him as a pious Muslim, and a person of high moral virtue. Many of these actions occurred during Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage to Mecca in 1312. However, even before then Mansa Musa readily accepted the religion of Islam and did everything in his power to be a pious Muslim. For example, when Mansa Musa is told that it is not permissible to have concubines even if you are a king he immediately replies “By God I did not know that. I hereby leave it and abandon it utterly!” (page 59). This provides evidence to his piety as he immediately accepts this belief with complete devotion, and his

When compared to the exorbitant rate that Mansa Musa gave the tradesmen of Cairo it clearly indicates his massive wealth and provides testimony to the fact that he was indeed the richest man in history. Moreover, the actual rate may have been even higher as the book, Medieval West Africa, says that Mansa Musa “paid them back amply” (p.61). Many may say that Mansa Musa was wrong to give such a high rate, however, we clearly see the benefits of it from the accounts in the book given about him. Those who cam into contact with Mansa Musa praise him highly and that praise, prestige, and wealth would have been extended to his people and kingdom as well. Therefore, the kingdom of Mali would become better known around the world and start to appear on more maps. Especially, in Europe where there was great interest in this kingdoms wealth.
The business men of Cairo clearly took advantage of Mansa Musa when he had spent all his gold on them by marking up their prices. As a result, he had to borrow back a large amount at the ridiculously high interest rate.
Another reason for this lending rate would have been to adjust the devaluation of gold and the inflation of prices on goods. Because Mansa Musa gave away so much gold on his journey to the pilgrimage it devalued the metal for the next decade in the cities he visited like Cairo. Therefore, on his way back from Mecca he borrowed all the gold back at the

He was so secure in his power and rule that he did not hesitate to leave his kingdom in the rule of another while he preformed his pilgrimage. Even while on his journey he managed to command a large group of travelers with “100 loads of gold” (p. 60) on an incredibly long walk to Mecca. Today, there aren’t any leaders who could boast about having the same command, or being able to affect the price of a precious metal like gold. During his stay in Egypt Al-Umari writes that Mansa Musa “left no court amir nor holder of a royal office without the gift of a load of gold. The Cairenes made incalculable profits out of him and his suite in buying and selling and giving and taking.” (p. 62) flooding the region with his gifts. However, Mansa Musa was also very generous to his people as Al-‘Umari documents that “The emirs and soldiers of the king have fiefs and benefices, Among their chiefs are some whose wealth derived from the king reaches 50,000 mithqals of gold every year.” (p.56) Al-Umari further goes on to say that the kings whole ambition is to give his people “fine clothes and to make his town into cities” (p. 56). Hence, Mansa Musa was very concerned with the development of his people and kingdom by distributing his wealth, establishing trade, and creating a progressive reputation about the kingdom of Mali to the