The conflicts among the two, along with Islam's inability to effectively fit into the caste system, ultimately led to religious tolerance throughout the region. .
The Delhi sultanate did not promote a significant cultural revival in India, aside from a degree of mixed Indian and Muslim painting, architecture, and clothing styles. In the end, the waves of Islamic invasions did not bring permanent political change to India. They did, however, create a new religious minority, and encouraged the hold of Hinduism on the majority, and stimulated a growing piety among the general population. Southeast Asia was directly impacted by the newly introduced religion in India. These particular regions relied heavily on trade with other areas, and as a result, saw some influences from India. Buddhism was the main religion of Southeast Asia, as there was an opposition to the Brahmin caste seen in Hindu India. This form of Buddhism was much more focused on personal devotion and meditation than that of other areas. Between 650 and 1250 AD is when Islam first gained ground in Southeast Asia, as Indian merchants encouraged the production of spices and other goods, connecting them to central trade routes. Around 1300 AD, Arab and Muslim traders were gaining increasing significance in Southeast Asian trade. The highly demanded spices and teas were brought to the Middle East and even Europe. As a result of this increasing interaction between the diverse areas, a significant amount of Malaysian, Indonesian, and Filipinos were converting to Islam. In a matter of a century, Buddhism had almost been completely eliminated from the region, as regional rulers converted to Islam to consolidate rule. .
During the same time period, Africa had developed large empires, but never embraced more than a fraction of the sub-Saharan region. There was never a single language, religion, or "great tradition," such as Confucianism in China and Hinduism in India.
