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The conversion of Somalia to Islam happened through conquest. Somalia and Eritrea were originally part of a prosperous sea trading Christian Ethiopian kingdom. They lost their capital and sea ports to invasion and there was absolutely vicious warfare to stop them at the mountains. This is why Ethiopia is such a strange and interesting place. They were cut off by the Islamic empire from most outside influences until the Europeans showed up. The developed a really interesting blend of North African and Byzantine culture and religion that lasts to this day.