Re: MUSLIMS IN THE AMERICAS BEFORE COLUMBUS
There is speculation that the map by Pir Muhiuddin Ra'is that shows parts of South America is actually inspired by even older maps of the Nabataeans, so we don't really know who got to the Americas first (in ships, by sea, that is)... Nabataeans were great traders (and were the main/direct predessors of Arab Muslims) - many stories of Muslim Arab traders in my opinion are inspired by Nabataean stories, in fact, muslims have inherited Middle Eastern trade routes and the legacy from the Nabataeans (including their writing script: What we call "Kufic").