North Africa was first taken by the Vandals and other barbarian tribes from Europe around the same time as Rome itself. Their rule was so poor that the North African subject populations practically welcomed the outside invader that was Islam.
the vandals practiced a form of christianity called arian christianity. constantine anathematized it at the council of nicea in 325 AD but it persisted anyway especially in north africa and the middle east. its said that muhammad’s encounter with christianity in jerusalem was with arian christianity. the view of Jesus that the arians had is not dissimilar to that of Islam. that jesus is a great good man but just a man. therefor the Vandals did not have great theological difference s with their conquering armies of Islam. Similarly it was the arian bishops of spain that invited the moors into spain. Today’s liberal churches in europe and america are also welcoming of the moslems because they have the same low view of christ that Islam has.