However, the Vikings and the Russians were slave traders to the Baltic and Caspian regions, not to mention the Mediterranean (those galleys weren't going to row themselves), so it's not beyond belief that they picked up some attractive gear with silver embroidery and engraved stones with Islamic themes - religious belief likely wasn't an issue?
As the first article notes, Islamic coins are commonly found in Scandinavian countries, often cut up indicating they were considered just another form of bullion. Vikings ranged far across land and sea to trade: Czarist Russia, crossroads of East, Mideast, and West, developed out of Viking cities in what is now Russia and Belarus. The copying of Persian script, which weavers may or may not have realized was anything more than decoration, certainly does not imply a religious motive. We should expect middle-eastern beads to turn up in Scandinavia as well.
Here is another viewpoint:
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/art-historian-debunks-viking-story-1120607
