Islam in the Swahili Civilization

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The Swahili people, an ethnic group along the East African coast, primarily inhabit areas like Zanzibar, Kenya, and Tanzania. Their name, derived from Arabic, reflects their coastal roots. Originating from Bantu agriculturalists, they settled in this region by the first millennium. Archaeological discoveries in Zanzibar reveal a community engaged in agriculture and fishing as early as the 6th century CE, with evidence of timber buildings and limited long-distance trade, indicated by imported pottery from the Gulf dating back to the 5th to 8th century.