To be frank, I just think you're having a hard time admitting that the tenacity of Islamic expansion had a part in creating the underdeveloped, chaotic Africa of today. That doesn't make them weak, would you say Africans are weak due to slavery or colonialism too? I wouldn't. The things that happened were reality, old institutions and ways of life had to be eliminated in order for Arab/Muslim expansion to succeed. Does that or does that not make them culpable for some of the destruction done in Africa?
Two, you completely misunderstood when I said "African way". Simply put, all the things were carried out in an African way as in developed and practiced IN the continent of Africa. No that doesn't mean its all one uniform style, but in all instances these customs, codes of conduct, what have you, were African whether from the East, West, Central, North, or South. Say for instance, tribes of the Niger delta united and created Nigeria without Europeans, then on the backs of their tribal gods went all the way to Arabia and had them submit to African customs and religions. Whether or not people prosper under these hypothetical conquerors is one thing, but in all instances those Arabs would of had to give up aspects of their culture the conqueror don't like or be annihilated. This is true for any people, call a spade a spade breh Islam did this just like Europeans did this, hell just like African tribes did to one another...only difference between those Africans and Euros/Arabs is those Africans were not influenced by outside forces.
Blame is a strong word, I would say I don't absolve or let Islam off the hook like we often do. Plus lets just stop right there, Islam came to Africa because Bilal suggested to Muhammad to send some of the early Muslims to Ethiopia to receive asylum. Thanks to the Christian Negus(Emperor) Armah of Axum they weren't given up to the pre-Islamic Arabs and the religion made its way down the African East Coast from there. Muhammad even went so far as to advise Muslims not to make war with Christian Ethiopia for giving the Muslim pilgrims refuge in Al Nagash(a town in northern Ethiopia) but of course the insatiable thirst for conquest is too much and in the end Islam isolated Ethiopia and helped to make it the underdeveloped nation it is today much like it did to much of Africa, Muslims all but wiped out the old Nubian Christian culture and devastated the Egyptian Copt community. Furthermore, when Christian nations like Ethiopia barred trading slaves that were non-pagan the slave trade in East Africa became 100% Muslim dominated, but let me stop I don't want to ruin your benevolent Muslim narrative.
Also, I take great issue with you suggesting that somehow Africa had no golden age prior to the Moors or the Islamic age which is unequivocally false. As if a HUGE portion of the knowledge Arabs boasted didn't come from African works. It's funny, you accused me of making Africans look weak for acknowledging how savagely and relentlessly they were attacked and yet you believe Islam somehow was the only thing to give these Africans a golden age. What's even more funny is even the moments in which you can credit the Islamic age, you still have jihadists that were bent on destroying those things. Timbuktu was destroyed not only by the Portuguese by making the desert routes irrelevant, but by the non-stop invasions of non-African peoples. Songhai fell to Morrocans with guns. The destruction of Africa was a collaborated effort whether you care to admit it or not. That doesn't mean we can't also acknowledge the good things that came from the Islamic ages, just call a spade a spade.
As for the Ghana Empire:
http://www.mrdowling.com/609-testr.htm
http://www.timetoast.com/timelines/the-ghana-empire <----Great timeline which also discusses how the Islamic invasion was pivitol in the decline of the Ghana Empire.
Lastly, that's not attributable to my argument. First off, Africa was never universally united to begin with so you can't blame Islam for that. But Islam added something new to be divided by, Islam went through great lengths to have the riches of Africa much like Europe did. This doesn't mean there weren't times of mutual cooperation because the Islamic empire couldn't of succeeded had that not been so. However Muslims took slaves at a high rate which helped to depopulate and ways of life and community were altered by Islam. Many empires suffered and ultimately yes whether you want to admit it or not again, Islam IS culpable in these things.
Who said that?
I don't think it could.
