World Religions without Islam

You are right. This happened not only in Africa but also in Southern America and even in Europe.

But do not forget that Christians are living in India since the first century. And I have never read about a syncretic religion based on Christianity and Hinduism despite the centuries of living together. I think that the cast system in Hinduism and the fact that Christianity abhors it did prevent the creation of a syncretic religion based on those religions. A syncretic religion based on Hinduism and Islam is possible because as far as I know the Islam in India adopted the caste system.

The caste system has infiltrated both Christianity and Islam, more in Christianity than Islam. In Kerala Syrian Catholics are viewed as high caste and Latin Catholics as low caste. The converts from scheduled castes are looked down by the upper caste Christians and marriage between them is unthinkable. The lower caste Christians have their own churches and priests.

So much discrimination does not exist in Islam. Even there the lower caste converts cannot expect equality with elite Muslims. They cannot also expect intermarriage with elite families.

A syncretic religion of Hinduism and Islam is almost impossible as Islam do not tolerate idols. For Hinduism Sanskrit is the sacred language and cannot give importance to Arabic. India alone is considered the holy land and messengers of God or holy men born in the Middle East cannot easily enter the Hindu Pantheon. Further Hinduism is fundamentally different from the Abrahamic religions in its spiritual worldview and cultural foundations.
 
One simple question: Would the Arabs have stayed pagan in a world without Islam?

Possible, but not all too likely. Christianity, of one strain or another, was likely to take root in Arabia. If the Arabs don't burst forth and conquer everything, then they are likely to continue being a nomadic and trading people. Conversion to a new religion brought with it a lot of potential assets and ties, both religious and business, that could be useful for a trader.

That said, the interior might not convert for some time, and when/if they do, they will retain some pagan practices for a while after.
 
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