No, the Malian empire was founded by Sundiata Keita and was traditional West African religion.
I think Islam created the empire through its trading in gold and human flesh, after all, mansu Musa was one of the greatest traders of both gold and human flesh.
The Arabs were the first to create the trans sahara slave trade routes and with the advent of Mohammed, the routes practice and business were absorbed by Islam.
The Arab routes pre existed Christ.
Its this sphere of business that brought the Islamic culture, traditions, and infrastructure to Mali.
That’s the root and foothold of today’s problems in Mali.