How the Islamic World Discovered Coffee and Conquered the World
Coffee is today synonymous with modern lifestyle, productivity, and global work culture. Yet behind every cup of coffee consumed by billions daily lies a long history connecting the Islamic world, global trade, and the transformation of how humanity works.
According to Superluminal, coffee was first introduced to the Islamic world by the Shadhiliyya order in South Arabia during the 13th to 15th centuries. A shaikh from this order is believed to have discovered coffee in Ethiopia, known as bun, before bringing it to Yemen and introducing its benefits as a sleep suppressant.
To this day, this figure is venerated as the patron of coffee farmers and drinkers. In some regions such as Algeria, coffee is still called shadhiliyya as a form of honouring this heritage.
Initially for Worship, Then Spreading to Social Life
According to the Folger Shakespeare Library, coffee as a hot beverage began to be widely used by Sufi communities in Yemen in the 15th century. They drank coffee to help them stay awake during zikr rituals and meditation throughout the night.
Coffee consumption then spread to the general population, even appearing in the vicinity of the Masjid al-Haram and becoming part of various religious rituals such as dhikr and mawlid. In Arabic, qahwa or coffee previously referred to wine, which led Europeans to call coffee the “Wine of Islam.”
The development of coffee bean roasting techniques that are now the global standard also emerged during this phase, including refinement by Persian communities, marking coffee’s transformation from a religious ritual to part of broader social life.
In coffeehouses, artists, merchants, poets, and officials met in a single space that was previously unavailable within traditional social structures. Activities such as discussion, games, music, and poetry recitations became part of daily life.
Egyptian ruler Ahmet Pasha utilised coffeehouses as a public service facility to boost his political popularity. In Istanbul, the first coffeehouse established by two Syrian entrepreneurs also expanded rapidly in economic terms.
Prohibition and Scientific Debate over Coffee
At that time, some parties attempted to ban coffee on the grounds that it was considered intoxicating and encouraged deviant behaviour. Coffeehouses were even accused of being centres of social rebellion and competitors to mosques as gathering spaces. Sultan Murat IV once ordered the closure of all coffeehouses in Istanbul.
In the 16th century, some Orthodox scholars equated coffee with prohibited substances such as alcohol and cannabis.
However, this prohibition did not last long. Coffee supporters, including doctors and legal experts, argued that coffee was not mentioned in the Qur’an and had effects opposite to alcohol. Coffee increases alertness rather than causing intoxication.
Coffee Enters Europe
Coffee trade initially centred on the Red Sea region, with the port of Mocha in Yemen as the main distribution hub receiving supplies from Ethiopia. From this network, coffee spread widely throughout the Islamic world before eventually catching the attention of European nations.
Entering the 17th century, European trading companies began to enter this trade route. Britain and the Netherlands gradually took over distribution, then in the 18th century began cultivating coffee in their colonial territories such as Indonesia, South India, Sri Lanka, and the Caribbean.
Coffee itself began to enter Europe through port cities such as Venice in 1615, followed by Marseille in 1644 and London in 1651. However, this beverage only became truly popular among the elite in 1669, when it was introduced in Paris by Ottoman ambassador Suleyman Mustapha Koca, which subsequently became the starting point for coffee’s expansion as a global commodity.