5. As Islam spread to Sub-Saharan Africa by the 9th century, wealthy elites became the first local
adherents, but ordinary people only converted slowly
if at all from native religions. This phenomenon
illustrates the process of
(A) contagious diffusion
(B) stimulus diffusion
(C) hierarchical diffusion
(D) relocation diffusion
(E) migrant diffusion

The manner in which Islam has initially been spreading in sub-Saharan Africa can be described as hierarchical diffusion.

Explanation:

A is not correct because this type of diffusion is characterized by a distance controlled spreading of ideas, where a local population is used to spread it from person to person.

B is not correct because this type of diffusion is characterized by modifying the original ideas in accordance with one's views and perceptions.

C is correct because this type of diffusion is the one where it is the people of high authority that first take the step and adopt the ideas and the people accept them because their rulers did, or may not accept them at all.

D is not correct because this type of diffusion is characterized by relocating a population in order to influence another population to accept certain ideas.

E is not correct because this type of diffusion is characterized by a large group of people migrating and spreading the idea as they settle in a particular area.