The
Arab Invasions in India
- During Omar's
Caliphate, Arab forces made
numerous unsuccessful attempts to take Bombay. Sindh was conquered by
Arabs in 712 AD. Invasion of India began in the 8th
century as part of the Umayyad
Caliphate's expansion policy. In 712 CE, Arabs led by Muhammad bin Qasim, a general of the Umayyad Caliphate, invaded India from the northwest region (Sindh). Muhammad bin Qasim led
the Arab conquest of Sindh.
Muhammad Bin Qasim
- Muhammad ibn Qasim (December 31, 695 – July 18, 715) was an Arab
military commander in the service of the Umayyad Caliphate who
led the Muslim conquest of Sindh during the Umayyad campaigns in
India.
- His military exploits resulted in the establishment of Arab Sind and the annexation of the region from the
Sindhi Brahman dynasty and its ruler, Raja Dahir, who was later
decapitated and his head sent to al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf in Basra.
- With the capture of
Aror, the then-capital of Arabia, by Arab forces, Qasim
became the first Muslim to successfully capture Hindu land, ushering
in Muslim rule in India.
- He was the Umayyad general who had led the conquest of Sindh at the age
of 17. This adolescent conqueror followed in Alexander's footsteps by
bringing a new faith and culture to the Indus basin.
- He is mentioned in the ChachNama between
709 and 711 CE, when Hajjaj, the
governor of Iraq, appointed him to lead an expedition against Sindh. Qasim
was Hajjaj's nephew, and because he was a capable commander, his uncle
appointed him as the commander of Makran's frontier district.
- He was assigned a conquest mission in the direction
of Sindh. Qasim's expedition against Sindh was meticulously planned.
Battle of Rewar
- Muhammad-bin-Qasim fought against Dahir,
the ruler of Sindh.
- Dahir was defeated. Sindh and Multan had been taken.
- Multan was dubbed the "City of Gold" by Muhammad-bin-Qasim.
Administrative System
- After the conquest, Sindh was governed by
Arabs.
- This was the same pattern used by the Arab
conquerors in other areas they had conquered. Scholars believe that this
administration pattern was more liberal than later systems.
- This was primarily due to the fact that the
school of Islamic law in the earlier centuries was not as strict as that
in the later centuries.
- For the same reason, Muslim regimes around the
world were perceived to be more austere in the later centuries.
- This trend can be seen in the cases of Turkish
or Mughal rule in India from the 12th to the 18th centuries.
- The district subdivisions were administered by
the local Hindu Officers.
- Jizya, a type of tax, was levied on non-Muslims.
- A Muslim officer known as an amil was
stationed with a cavalry troop to manage each town on a hereditary basis.
Effects of Arab Conquest
- Sind's subjugation paved the way for Islam's
entry into India. Because Arabs were not cruel, people's
perceptions of Islam shifted.
- There were no additional taxes imposed on
Hindus for believing in Hinduism, which won their hearts and they
welcomed the Arabs with open arms.
- The Arabs opened the way for communication
with the other Islamic regions, and thus direct trade and business
with Islamic countries began (should be added or not). Sind, which was
considered tribal prior to Arab invasion, became economically strong and
civilised.
- The Arabs adopted a policy of tolerance,
allowing Hindus to practise their religion. The Arabs adopted the rich
rituals of the Brahmins and learned Astrology, Medicine, and Arthashastra.
Many Sanskrit words were included in Arab dictionaries.
End of Muhammad Bin Qasim
- Al-Hajjaj died in 714, followed by Caliph al-Walid I,
who was succeeded by his brother Sulayman a year later.
- The latter exacted vengeance on the generals
and officials close to al-Hajjaj. Sulayman owed political support to
al-adversaries Hajjaj's and thus summoned both of al-successful Hajjaj's
generals, Qutayba ibn Muslim, conqueror of Transoxiana (Central Asia), and
Muhammad.
- He also appointed Yazid, the son of the
distinguished general al-Muhallab ibn Abi Sufra, who had previously been
imprisoned and tortured by al-Hajjaj, as governor of Fars, Kirman, Makran,
and Sind; he immediately imprisoned Muhammad.
- Muhammad ibn Qasim died on July 18, 715, in
Mosul, Iraq. According to some sources, his body was transferred to Makran
in Balochistan at the Hingol National Park, which is now part of
modern-day Pakistan.
Significance of Arab Conquest
- The Arab conquest of Sindh had very little impact
on Indian politics. The Arabs were unable to penetrate deep into India
and thus could not break India's military might. By the newly established
Arab rule, a section of Sindh's people were dubbed Zimmis (protected
subjects) and were required to pay the religious tax known as Jizya.
- When Muhammad bin Qasim conquered
Sindh, he categorised Hindus as Zimmis because he thought it was
inappropriate to convert all Hindus to Islam or even kill them for
refusing to convert.
- Thus, the Arab conquest of India resulted in cultural
exchange between the two places. The Arabs benefited from Indian
astrology and medicine as well.
- Lastly it is important to mention that the
Arabs in Sindh failed to remain united and their kingdom was divided into
two parts-lower and upper Sindh with Mansura and Multan as their capitals
respectively. This scenario persisted until the invasion of Mahmud of
Ghazni.
Conclusion
The Arab invasion of the Sind region was a significant historical
event that resulted in social and economic development in the tribal region
of Sind. Law and order were established. Peace and culture were created.
Education was widely distributed. Trade with Arab countries was established.
Sind's people adopted Islamic culture. Their perception that Islam only
believes in cruelty shifted, and Islam spread. The Brahmins were respected,
and they were free to practice Hinduism. They rebuilt some Hindu temples that
had been destroyed during the Islamic invasion. As a result, Hindus developed a
respect for Arabs. Hinduism and Islamic culture coexisted, and the two
religions had healthy cultural exchanges.
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