The main point of this paper is the hypothesis that the share of eastern provinces in the overall trade of the Muslim world in the 4th century A.H. had been the essential factor carrying the bulk of the burden to sustain the economy of the western provinces with their capital at Baghdad. In fact, Baghdad had been the link, for trade between the two halves of the vast Islamic state, from which merchandise coming from the east were sent to and distributed in the most westerly reaches the Muslim world. Another point brought up, by implication, in the paper is the achievements of the Muslim Civilization in the 4th century A.H.; a civilization whose blooming would not have been possible without the financial backbone provided by trade from those eastern provinces. Meanwhile, the expansion and spread of Islam from the Indian Subcontinent towards the countries of Far East and the Chinese borders can easily be followed also through the information furnished in this article
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