The Crusades represent perhaps the worst of the Middle Ages, an already shameful time in human history. Of course, followers of the two religions involved romanticize the Crusades focusing on their respective conquests. The aggregate outcome was that Christendom came out of the Crusades as the "victor" because it was able to establish the East-West trade route and prospered, while despite defending their lands Muslim factions (except the Turks) faced heavy losses and all but lost their former glory.
When we talk of religion today, Islam stands out as the largest purveyor of violence, and it is true. The overwhelming majority of violence, atrocities, and acts of terror are carried out by people drawing inspiration from Islam. There is no question about that. However, when the topic comes up for discourse in the West, very often an allusion is made that there is something wrong in particular about Islam or within the Quran. This could not be further from the truth. There are equally, if not more, reprehensible and dangerous passages in the Bible and for all the excuses made about the poetry and inspiring teachings in the Bible, similar things can also be found in the Quran, and they aren't unique or original to either. Then there are arguments about how "Western culture" just happens to be better than "Islamic culture."
Now culture is generally aggregated over time. At this point in history, we do see that a majority of countries with predominantly Muslim populations suffer from many evils. But go back a few decades, and it was "Western culture" to treat people of non-white color as inferior, and women of any color as inferior. A little over a century ago, it was perfectly fine to brand aforementioned "inferior" people as animals and witches, and burn them alive. Yes, Western society has moved on since then, while most of the places in the Arab world are still stuck in those brutal times. The "enlightenment" never happened in the Arab world. The main reason for this is the economic stagnation: while there are rich sheikhs swimming in oil, the majority of the population in the Arab world remains in economic hardship. They were never introduced to democratic rule: power of the people. The only real distinguishing factor is the different paths that the regions heavily following these two religions took post the Middle ages. During the course of a discussion, I heard the argument from a person that "she was glad that the conclusion of the Crusades happened the way it did, because she would hate to have to wear a burqa." I immediately saw this point as hollow, because if history turned out differently, neither Islam nor Christianity would have turned out the way that they have. So here is an alternate history:
The Ottoman Empire is able to expand upwards from Romania, and maintain its economic stronghold. The influence of the papal order wanes with the lack of economic power. Infighting between the kingdoms resume to gain control of the remaining scraps. The Islamic world continues to revere the ancient works of science and literature. With continuing prosperity, more centers of learning and culture emerge. The "Enlightenment" happens, and thinkers rise that question the absolutist, dangerous teachings within the Quran. They are faced with stigmatization, prison, and even death. Eventually reason wins, and Islam is forced to reexamine its position, given the role that science plays in the continuing progress of the Arab civilization. Meanwhile, the Roman Catholic Church still manages to use religion to stay relevant even between warring factions. Feudalism continues, with no sign of the rise of any "Renaissance" in the destitute poverty that most of the people live in. Witch-burning and bloody wars continue in an endless cycle.
Explorers from Turkey would travel to the Americas. Islamic explorers wage bloody battles in South America against the Incas, expanding the Islamic culture. However, in North America, small bands of Islamic "rebels," wanting a freer society would end up on the North-Eastern shores. Carrying no inherently indigenous diseases, rather than wiping out the local population, they would be forced to co-exist at the minimum level. Attempts at conquest by Muslim pilgrims would not be as successful, and ultimately the local Americans and Muslims would lay the foundations towards a pluralistic society.
Back in the Middle-East, at the turn of the 19th century, science slowly overcomes religion. There are groundbreaking discoveries in technology and understanding of nature, facilitated by works that were never lost after the Crusades. These are further contributed by the existence of a direct trade channel with the East. Even as the Mughals fall to the Marathas in India, these routes continue. The rest of the Islamic world comes to a compromise with the Marathas regarding their sovereignty over the Indian lands*. Revival of ancient Indian literature, coupled with the Indian renaissance to rid society of superstitious evils leads to a strong, united India with a sense of nationalism even before the 20th century dawns. Coupled with the influence of the new Indian nation and similar cultures in the Far East, thinkers in the Arab nations make a push for democracy. Islam is influenced by this progressive culture to become more open, making followers brush aside the violent aspects of the Hadiths.
In Europe, civilization still lingers in the Dark Ages. Women and ethnic Jews are blamed for the overwhelming poverty and strife. These groups are still regularly tortured and killed. The Catholic Church continues to exert its influence. It keeps out the influence of the progressive nations of Asia and the Middle East, demonizing them and exhorting people to reject their "corrupt" ideas. These infidels are also to blame for draining Europe of its wealth. No World Wars happen, instead there are several smaller conflicts: between China and Japan, between certain Arab nations over political ambitions, and between Muslim colonist and local Americas over sovereignty in the Americas. No longer at the mercy of violent battles between outside colonizers, the African nations slowly rise.** Formerly influenced by Islam, yet retaining their ancient sense of African heritage, they slowly move away from organized religion and return to their richer African culture. Leaders emerge that use economic stimulus and education to stop tribal wars, thus uniting them under their respective national flags. They willingly immigrate to newer lands of opportunity in the Americas (and yes, African American culture still thrives). And the burqa would be an exhibit in a museum or a uniform for the religiously devout Muslim women clerics in madrasas.
* Trade routes between India and the Arab world existed for centuries. Once the Mughals fell, Arabs would see little reason to risk a beneficial economic partnership over any ambitious plans to start a battle against a well-equipped and invigorated Maratha Empire.
** A big reason for the perpetual poverty in Africa is that they were constantly stuck in the tug of war between Europeans and the Arabs. In a world where Europe falls, and it is the neighbouring Arab world that undergoes an "Enlightenment." Africa gets a chance to breathe and escape the clutches of colonialism on its own.
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