The Islamization of the Silk Road

Foltz's explanation for the spread of Islam does support Bentley's argument that conversions are brought about by voluntary association, pressure or force, and assimilation.  Voluntary conversion to Islam is seen when non-Muslims wished to convert to Islam even when Arab Muslims did not want them to join the faith.  This even goes to the extent that "by the early eighth century non-Arab converts were probably beginning to outnumber Arab Muslims." Conversion by force is also seen in the conversion of the Arabian tribes to Islam. A big part of the Muslim income came from raiding caravans, although "one couldn't raid clan members or groups with whom one had made a nonaggression pact." Because of this, the various tribes of the Arabian peninsula faced pressure to "sent emissaries to Muhammad in order to seek such pacts." Lastly, assimilation is also seen in the conversion of Central Asians to Islam.  Initially, Islamization took place mostly in the urban areas of Central Asia, where trade thrived along the silk roads.  The "Sufi shayks" spread Islam to the countrysides of Central Asia according to their own personal interpretations of the faith.  These personal interpretations "were accommodating towards pre-existing local beliefs and practices", leading to new expressions of Islam which differed from the original faith.