After Islam was founded its influence spread out of Arabia into Africa and Asia, and too this day it is the dominant religion in the Middle East, Northern Africa and much of Southeast Asia, mainly Indonesia and Malaysia. However in the Indian subcontinent it is a minority religion, often involved in violent conflicts with other regions like Buddhism and Hinduism. What are the historical reasons for Islam "losing" to Hinduism in India? And how/why did it spread to Southeast Asia despite being halted in India?
On Islam in the Indian subcontinent.
1.) Many of the regions in India (south/central) had relatively few interactions with Muslims. Most trade was restricted to the coastal areas, while the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal Empire only exercised fleeting/symbolic control over these regions.
2.) Many of the areas (Northwest) that did have a strong/continuing contact with Muslims eventually accepted Islam (East-Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kashmir, Bangladesh).
3.) Unlike Southeast Asia, many of the interactions that Indians had with late-Muslims involved conquests/war, which likely made it more difficult for the local populace to accept Islam.
That said, while Islam never came to dominate India, roughly 1/3 of the subcontinent is Muslim, which is fairly impressive considering the region's population size and limited penetrance Islam had.
On Islam in Southeast Asia.
1.) Trade between early Muslims and Southeast Asia was common, with Muslim travelers seeming to penetrate farther into this region than they had in India.
2.) Early Muslims did an excellent job of blending traditional Islamic teachings with the native tribal/religious customs of the region.
3.) Much of the ruling class came to accept Islam in a peaceful manner, making it much easier for local populace to do the same.
4.) During European colonization, Islam sometimes became a rallying point for native-resistance (specifically in Indonesia).
Hope that helps.
hi! check out these earlier discussions:
How did Islam historically interact with Hinduism and Buddhism?
Did the Tughlaq and Mughal dynasties in India use force to spread Islam?
Why were the Islam?Christian preachers unsuccessful in penetrating the religion deep into India?
And this FAQ section:
Huh? There are more Muslims in the subcontinent than all the Middle East and North Africa combined. When we say India now, we think of the modern state formed in 1947. If we look at the historical region called India (i.e., Hind) which encompasses modern day India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, you're looking at the largest Muslim population in the world. About 30% of the total world Muslim population comes from the subcontinent. Deoband and the Tablighi Jamat based in the subcontinent are two of the most influential Muslim movements in the world today. Granted, the sheer population in the subcontinent makes Muslims a minority but it's a very sizeable minority and one that has a large influence in the larger Muslim world.