Muhammad bin Qasim: life and message
Indians and Arabs are having very strong relationship, date back to ancient times. Main targets of Arabs travelling across the sea were trade and propagation of Islam. Due to high demand existed for spices and other articles of Indians in southern Europe and Arabia, especially Egypt. Arabs were mainly involved in exchange of spices with their products .the transit trade between these areas was mostly in the hands of Arabs, who used to carry Indian merchandise from the Indian ports to the Yemen in southern Arabia, from where the goods were carried by land to the Syrian ports to be shipped again to Egypt and Europe .this trade continued after the peoples of the Indian subcontinent and Muslim Arabia arose out of developments connected with the Arab sailors plying in the Indian ocean.
Advent of Islam in south Indian states
In Islamic history of India, south Indian states hold very important position. Malik bin dinar and his colleagues were pioneers in Islamic propagation in southern India. Trade was also the main purpose of their journey. They focused in building masjids across the state with support and help of Hindu rulers of the region. Malik bin dinar posted his colleagues as leaders of Islamic propagation in the locality where they were residing.
Arrival of Arabs to Sind
In history of Sind, it might be divided into seven periods:
(1)Pre-Muslim
(2)Arab-rule
(3)Middle Ages from Mahmud Gasnavi to the establishment of Mughal Rule
(4) Kalhora period
(6) The Talpure period
(7) The British period.
But on looking out history, we can find several reasons to the Arab arrival to invade Sind. Firstly, some military problems as co-operation with other territories in war against Arabs as sindi rajahs has helped the Persians and sindi forces joined in the wars of Nehawand.
Secondly, after these wars Arabs returned to Sind .it is said that cause of their refusal of demands of khaliphas.
Thirdly, exactly, presence of Arabs starts some crucial circumstances. Some Arabs traders with their families, returning to Basra from Ceylon were plundered by sindi pirates. Meantime, Hajjaj ibn Yusuf was the governor of Basra. He took this seriously and sent a message to Dahir, the king of Sind to release the people and send hem in full safety. But Dahir refused, saying he is helpless. Hajjaj informed the khalipha, Walid. He sent two forces in two times. But these attempts were defeated by the army o Sind.
But Hajjaj, excellent military general, realized the power of king of Sind and began to make large-scale preparations. He selected his nephew Muhammad bin Qasim for this important campaign because Muhammad bin Qasim and the army with him were given strong training and practice for over one year in the desert of southern Iran. Hajjaj collected the details of secret of Sind army and strength of weapons and people. Apart from e studied geographical atmosphere of Sind. And he handed over strategy and tactics. Not content it this Hajjaj made arrangements to convey his messages and orders to Muhammad bin Qasim from Basra to any point in Sind within a week. Orders were that Muhammad bin Qasim should not attack any city or fort or engage his forces in any large-scale battle with the enemy without getting orders from Basra. Even instructions concerning the day and time of attack and weapons to be used in a particular place or battle were sent by Hajjaj.
Muhammad bin Qasim
Muhammad bin Qasim was orphaned. His father, Qasim bin Yusuf died when Muhammad bin Qasim was young. His mother was his guardian. The responsibilities of his upbringings fell upon his mother. Hajjaj bin Yusuf was his paternal uncle and his teacher of warfare and governing. Muhammad bin Qasim was an intelligent and cultured young man who at the age of fifteen was considered by many to be one of his uncle’s greatest assets. As a show of faith in his nephew’s abilities, Hajjaj married his daughter, Zubaidah to Muhammad. At age of sixteen he was asked to serve under the great general, Qutayba bin Muslim. Under his command Muhammad bin Qasim displayed a talent for skilful fighting and military planning. Hajjaj’s complete trust in Muhammad’s abilities as a general became even more apparent when he appointed the young man as the commander of the all-important invasion on Sind. He was only seventeen years old. Muhammad bin Qasim proved Hajjaj right when he, without many problems, managed to win all his military campaigns. He used both his mind and military skills in capturing places like Daibul, Raor, Uch and Multan. History does not boast of many other commanders who managed such a great victory at such a young age.
Hajjaj came to India with 6000 horsemen, a camel corps of equal strength and baggage train of 3000 camels marched against Debul by way of Shiras and through Makran. Hajjaj sent also by sea the siege artillery, including a huge balista, called “the bride” which was so big as to be worked by five hundred men. Even though Debul was well protected by strong stone fortifications, but ultimately the fort was captured and the Muslim flag was hoisted for the first time on the soil of the Indian subcontinent. Muhammad bin Qasim, after accepting the surrender of Nirun(near modern Hyderabad)and Sehwan, moved in 94/712 to the place where Dahir had mustered his army on the side of the Indus. Several months passed without decisive encounter owing to the difficulties confronting the Arabs. In June 712 the battle between Arabs and Dahir’s army was fought with great vigor on both sides, but the superior Arab generalship and the skill of the Arab general’s gave them victory. Dahir died in this battle and Muhammad captured Brahmanabad. Arabs built the city Mansura. They occupied Rur and Multan and other important territories. Muhammad became the ruler of Sind.
Causes of success
In the history, we can see a lot of reasons of success of Muslim army.
(1) Superior military equipment. This was one of major reasons of victory in Sind.
(2) Troop discipline ad leadership. The generalship of Muhammad bin Qasim was agreed by his army and they depended in abilities of Muhammad bin Qasim. He archived his objectives more by negotiation and the grant of liberal terms than by sanguine warfare.
(3) The concept of jihad as a morale booster. Jihad was main reason of this success. Because Muslims always wish victory of Islam over all other ideologies. It is duty of Muslims that to release the humankind from slavery of brutal regiments and propagate Islam.
(4)Specialty of Islam and its moral stands include the wide-ranges of life. Meantime Dahir who was the ruler of Sind married to his sister and other immoral activities which alienated him from his others. Islam’s moral studies were influenced deeply in Indian mind.
(5)Tortures of Hindu rulers, especially Dahir against Buddhists. Muhammad bin Qasim offered them full religious freedom and treated the local population generously and even the spiritual leaders of local religions were given salaries from the government fund. The Buddhists population of Sind decided to extend full cooperation to Mohammad bin Qasim and even acclaimed him as liberator from Brahmin tyranny. The Buddhists ruler of Nerun (Hyderabad) had secret correspondence with Muhammad bin Qasim, similarly, Bajhra and kaka kolak, Buddhist rajas of Sewstan, allied themselves with Muhammad bin Qasim.
(10) Ready support from the lower caste races; the Jats and meds
(11) Positive response by Muhammad bin Qasim to overtures of surrender and an avoidance of excessive bloodshed and destruction.
Governance of Muhammad bin Qasim
In history, it was a miraculous that almost entire Pakistan was conquered by a younger skilful general. Muhammad bin Qasim aged below 20, ruled these territories his pluralist view point. Because majority of Hindu people would have treated in tolerance and religious freedom. Therefore, Muhammad bin Qasim considered the local religious leaders by giving the salaries and treated affectionately. Apart from the main reason of the hearty relationship between was, Muhammad bin Qasim escaped them from Brahmin tyranny as a liberator.
Although Muhammad bin Qasim’s rule was according to Islamic shari’a,Hindus were allowed to rule their villages and settle their disputes according to their own laws and traditional hierarchical structures such as those of village headmen(Rais),chieftains(Dihwans) were maintained. On the purpose of protection of those regions Muhammad bin Qasim prepared a Muslim officer called an Amil with a troop of cavalry.
According to The Chachnama, (it was the oldest chronicle of the Arab conquest of Sind) Muhammad bin Qasim’s governance was very mutual understandable. He permitted all to practice their religion freely. His concept about Hindus was that they were also included in Ahlul kitab.
He negotiated with leading scholars in Arabia about Hindu status of sub Indian continent for including in the term of Ahlul kitab. He allowed local people to hold offices in local administrations. The status of Dhimmis(protected people)was conferred upon Hindus and Buddhists in return for payment of the poll tax(jizya) and they were excused from military service or payment of the tax paid by Muslim subjects- Zakat.
Professor Muhammad .S. Aydin says in his article, Islam and the challenges of pluralism,” I have already referred to a Quranic verse pertaining to this fact. Now, I would like to quote few more verses which deal with status of the people of book,i.e., the Jews ,the Christians and the Sabians. This status has always been the starting point of the pluralistic thinking in Islam. Especially the inclusion of the Sabians the possibility of extending the Quranic spirit of pluralism to the adherents of some other religious groups, not mentioned in the book, when Islam grew geographically and culturally. For example, the Muslim rulers treated the Hindus in the same way as they did the people of book”.
In this period, a number of mosques and madrasas were constructed in important places. Within a short time, Sind became the epicenter of Islamic knowledge. The well known scholars, writers were emerged and they spent their life to spread the knowledge. Indian science like medicine, astronomy and mathematics were learned in those institutons. The prominent scholars translated the Sanskrit books into Arabic and Persian languages. Moreover, some Hindu scholars were even invited to Baghdad, during the reign of Haroon Rasheed. Brahmins had also great role in his governance. They used to go from village to village and urge people to support the Arab regime. It is said when Muhammad bin Qasim was recalled from by the Calipha in very unhappy circumstances, the Hindus and Buddhists of Sind wept over his departure; and when he died they erected a statue in his memory and worshipped it for a long time.
Sind and its relevance.
In regime of Muhammad bin Qasim, some famous manipulators had suitable stands as he appointed Sisakar, the prime minister of raja Dahir, his own prime minister ,and Kiska, another Hindu, his revenue minister. And government prohibited cow slaughter when local population were experiencing shortage of cows and bull which they were needed for agriculture and transport. The economic and agriculture fields were very famous in this period. Bishari Maqdasi writes that there were innumerable gardens in Sind and the trees were tall and luxuriant. The whole city of Mansura was covered with almond and nut trees. The cities of Sind also became as great centers of trade. Historians say that “a busy trade grew up and the merchants of different nationalities carried Indian goods through Sind to Turkistan and Khurasan imported horses into Sind”. Exports and imports made the cities, Debal, Nairun, Kot, Sehwan, Aror, Multan, Mansura flourishing commercial centers.
Bishari notes that: the people of Multan were prosperous, they did not drink wine and their women did not use cosmetics. Both Arabic and Sindi were spoken”. He says about Mansura, the people in this region were very well- read, courteous and religious. This city had a large number of scholars and the general standard of morals and intelligence was high. Mansura was the capital of Sind till arrival of Mahmud Gaznavi.
The destruction of Sun temple at Multan was explainable from the side of Muhammad bin Qasim. But he allocated 3% government revenue to the Brahmins. Another important thing that was, there were no mass conversions to Islam. This was slow and took place centuries. Moreover some
Historians say his regime as secular style. Some misunderstandings about governance of Muhammad bin Qasim written in history were groundless. As assumption in granting rights of the Dhimmis to the Hindus and the Buddhists, Muhammad bin Qasim deviated from the provisions of Islamic law.” Historically this is not correct. When Arab conqueror made his administrative arrangements (in 93/711), Islamic law had not been codified, and the four schools of Islamic law-Maliki,Hanafi,Shafi’I and Hambali had not come into existence. Muhammad bin Qasim and hajjaj were guided by the Quran, Sunnah and the practice of Caliphas, and their arrangements were approved by the ulama of Damascus.”
Death of Muhmmad bin Qasim
Meanwhile leadership of Amawi caliphate had changed when Walid bin Abdul Malik died. Hajjaj died in 96/714 and next year Walid also died. Sulaiman, his younger brother succeed him as khalipha .The relationship between Hajjaj bin Usuf and Sulaiman bin Abdul Malik was not good. Muhammad bin Qasim already knew this fact. The wrath of Sulaiman against Hajjaj’s family caused to recall Muhammad bin Qasim and Qutaibah bin Muslim from Sind after appointment Yazid bin Yazid bin Almuhallab as new governors. Sulaiman put Muhammad bin Qasim behind bars where he died at age of twenty. According to some historians, Muhammad bin Qasim would have conquered the entire south asian region.
References:
(1) History of Muslims in India
(2) Sind: the Arab period, Muhammad bin Qasim’s rule (www.geocities.com/pak_history/sind.html)
(3) Muhammad bin Qasim (Wikipedia.org)
(4) Theory and Practice of Muslim state in India
(5) Islam and the challenges of pluralism: Professor Muhammad S. Aydin
Advent of Islam in south Indian states
In Islamic history of India, south Indian states hold very important position. Malik bin dinar and his colleagues were pioneers in Islamic propagation in southern India. Trade was also the main purpose of their journey. They focused in building masjids across the state with support and help of Hindu rulers of the region. Malik bin dinar posted his colleagues as leaders of Islamic propagation in the locality where they were residing.
Arrival of Arabs to Sind
In history of Sind, it might be divided into seven periods:
(1)Pre-Muslim
(2)Arab-rule
(3)Middle Ages from Mahmud Gasnavi to the establishment of Mughal Rule
(4) Kalhora period
(6) The Talpure period
(7) The British period.
But on looking out history, we can find several reasons to the Arab arrival to invade Sind. Firstly, some military problems as co-operation with other territories in war against Arabs as sindi rajahs has helped the Persians and sindi forces joined in the wars of Nehawand.
Secondly, after these wars Arabs returned to Sind .it is said that cause of their refusal of demands of khaliphas.
Thirdly, exactly, presence of Arabs starts some crucial circumstances. Some Arabs traders with their families, returning to Basra from Ceylon were plundered by sindi pirates. Meantime, Hajjaj ibn Yusuf was the governor of Basra. He took this seriously and sent a message to Dahir, the king of Sind to release the people and send hem in full safety. But Dahir refused, saying he is helpless. Hajjaj informed the khalipha, Walid. He sent two forces in two times. But these attempts were defeated by the army o Sind.
But Hajjaj, excellent military general, realized the power of king of Sind and began to make large-scale preparations. He selected his nephew Muhammad bin Qasim for this important campaign because Muhammad bin Qasim and the army with him were given strong training and practice for over one year in the desert of southern Iran. Hajjaj collected the details of secret of Sind army and strength of weapons and people. Apart from e studied geographical atmosphere of Sind. And he handed over strategy and tactics. Not content it this Hajjaj made arrangements to convey his messages and orders to Muhammad bin Qasim from Basra to any point in Sind within a week. Orders were that Muhammad bin Qasim should not attack any city or fort or engage his forces in any large-scale battle with the enemy without getting orders from Basra. Even instructions concerning the day and time of attack and weapons to be used in a particular place or battle were sent by Hajjaj.
Muhammad bin Qasim
Muhammad bin Qasim was orphaned. His father, Qasim bin Yusuf died when Muhammad bin Qasim was young. His mother was his guardian. The responsibilities of his upbringings fell upon his mother. Hajjaj bin Yusuf was his paternal uncle and his teacher of warfare and governing. Muhammad bin Qasim was an intelligent and cultured young man who at the age of fifteen was considered by many to be one of his uncle’s greatest assets. As a show of faith in his nephew’s abilities, Hajjaj married his daughter, Zubaidah to Muhammad. At age of sixteen he was asked to serve under the great general, Qutayba bin Muslim. Under his command Muhammad bin Qasim displayed a talent for skilful fighting and military planning. Hajjaj’s complete trust in Muhammad’s abilities as a general became even more apparent when he appointed the young man as the commander of the all-important invasion on Sind. He was only seventeen years old. Muhammad bin Qasim proved Hajjaj right when he, without many problems, managed to win all his military campaigns. He used both his mind and military skills in capturing places like Daibul, Raor, Uch and Multan. History does not boast of many other commanders who managed such a great victory at such a young age.
Hajjaj came to India with 6000 horsemen, a camel corps of equal strength and baggage train of 3000 camels marched against Debul by way of Shiras and through Makran. Hajjaj sent also by sea the siege artillery, including a huge balista, called “the bride” which was so big as to be worked by five hundred men. Even though Debul was well protected by strong stone fortifications, but ultimately the fort was captured and the Muslim flag was hoisted for the first time on the soil of the Indian subcontinent. Muhammad bin Qasim, after accepting the surrender of Nirun(near modern Hyderabad)and Sehwan, moved in 94/712 to the place where Dahir had mustered his army on the side of the Indus. Several months passed without decisive encounter owing to the difficulties confronting the Arabs. In June 712 the battle between Arabs and Dahir’s army was fought with great vigor on both sides, but the superior Arab generalship and the skill of the Arab general’s gave them victory. Dahir died in this battle and Muhammad captured Brahmanabad. Arabs built the city Mansura. They occupied Rur and Multan and other important territories. Muhammad became the ruler of Sind.
Causes of success
In the history, we can see a lot of reasons of success of Muslim army.
(1) Superior military equipment. This was one of major reasons of victory in Sind.
(2) Troop discipline ad leadership. The generalship of Muhammad bin Qasim was agreed by his army and they depended in abilities of Muhammad bin Qasim. He archived his objectives more by negotiation and the grant of liberal terms than by sanguine warfare.
(3) The concept of jihad as a morale booster. Jihad was main reason of this success. Because Muslims always wish victory of Islam over all other ideologies. It is duty of Muslims that to release the humankind from slavery of brutal regiments and propagate Islam.
(4)Specialty of Islam and its moral stands include the wide-ranges of life. Meantime Dahir who was the ruler of Sind married to his sister and other immoral activities which alienated him from his others. Islam’s moral studies were influenced deeply in Indian mind.
(5)Tortures of Hindu rulers, especially Dahir against Buddhists. Muhammad bin Qasim offered them full religious freedom and treated the local population generously and even the spiritual leaders of local religions were given salaries from the government fund. The Buddhists population of Sind decided to extend full cooperation to Mohammad bin Qasim and even acclaimed him as liberator from Brahmin tyranny. The Buddhists ruler of Nerun (Hyderabad) had secret correspondence with Muhammad bin Qasim, similarly, Bajhra and kaka kolak, Buddhist rajas of Sewstan, allied themselves with Muhammad bin Qasim.
(10) Ready support from the lower caste races; the Jats and meds
(11) Positive response by Muhammad bin Qasim to overtures of surrender and an avoidance of excessive bloodshed and destruction.
Governance of Muhammad bin Qasim
In history, it was a miraculous that almost entire Pakistan was conquered by a younger skilful general. Muhammad bin Qasim aged below 20, ruled these territories his pluralist view point. Because majority of Hindu people would have treated in tolerance and religious freedom. Therefore, Muhammad bin Qasim considered the local religious leaders by giving the salaries and treated affectionately. Apart from the main reason of the hearty relationship between was, Muhammad bin Qasim escaped them from Brahmin tyranny as a liberator.
Although Muhammad bin Qasim’s rule was according to Islamic shari’a,Hindus were allowed to rule their villages and settle their disputes according to their own laws and traditional hierarchical structures such as those of village headmen(Rais),chieftains(Dihwans) were maintained. On the purpose of protection of those regions Muhammad bin Qasim prepared a Muslim officer called an Amil with a troop of cavalry.
According to The Chachnama, (it was the oldest chronicle of the Arab conquest of Sind) Muhammad bin Qasim’s governance was very mutual understandable. He permitted all to practice their religion freely. His concept about Hindus was that they were also included in Ahlul kitab.
He negotiated with leading scholars in Arabia about Hindu status of sub Indian continent for including in the term of Ahlul kitab. He allowed local people to hold offices in local administrations. The status of Dhimmis(protected people)was conferred upon Hindus and Buddhists in return for payment of the poll tax(jizya) and they were excused from military service or payment of the tax paid by Muslim subjects- Zakat.
Professor Muhammad .S. Aydin says in his article, Islam and the challenges of pluralism,” I have already referred to a Quranic verse pertaining to this fact. Now, I would like to quote few more verses which deal with status of the people of book,i.e., the Jews ,the Christians and the Sabians. This status has always been the starting point of the pluralistic thinking in Islam. Especially the inclusion of the Sabians the possibility of extending the Quranic spirit of pluralism to the adherents of some other religious groups, not mentioned in the book, when Islam grew geographically and culturally. For example, the Muslim rulers treated the Hindus in the same way as they did the people of book”.
In this period, a number of mosques and madrasas were constructed in important places. Within a short time, Sind became the epicenter of Islamic knowledge. The well known scholars, writers were emerged and they spent their life to spread the knowledge. Indian science like medicine, astronomy and mathematics were learned in those institutons. The prominent scholars translated the Sanskrit books into Arabic and Persian languages. Moreover, some Hindu scholars were even invited to Baghdad, during the reign of Haroon Rasheed. Brahmins had also great role in his governance. They used to go from village to village and urge people to support the Arab regime. It is said when Muhammad bin Qasim was recalled from by the Calipha in very unhappy circumstances, the Hindus and Buddhists of Sind wept over his departure; and when he died they erected a statue in his memory and worshipped it for a long time.
Sind and its relevance.
In regime of Muhammad bin Qasim, some famous manipulators had suitable stands as he appointed Sisakar, the prime minister of raja Dahir, his own prime minister ,and Kiska, another Hindu, his revenue minister. And government prohibited cow slaughter when local population were experiencing shortage of cows and bull which they were needed for agriculture and transport. The economic and agriculture fields were very famous in this period. Bishari Maqdasi writes that there were innumerable gardens in Sind and the trees were tall and luxuriant. The whole city of Mansura was covered with almond and nut trees. The cities of Sind also became as great centers of trade. Historians say that “a busy trade grew up and the merchants of different nationalities carried Indian goods through Sind to Turkistan and Khurasan imported horses into Sind”. Exports and imports made the cities, Debal, Nairun, Kot, Sehwan, Aror, Multan, Mansura flourishing commercial centers.
Bishari notes that: the people of Multan were prosperous, they did not drink wine and their women did not use cosmetics. Both Arabic and Sindi were spoken”. He says about Mansura, the people in this region were very well- read, courteous and religious. This city had a large number of scholars and the general standard of morals and intelligence was high. Mansura was the capital of Sind till arrival of Mahmud Gaznavi.
The destruction of Sun temple at Multan was explainable from the side of Muhammad bin Qasim. But he allocated 3% government revenue to the Brahmins. Another important thing that was, there were no mass conversions to Islam. This was slow and took place centuries. Moreover some
Historians say his regime as secular style. Some misunderstandings about governance of Muhammad bin Qasim written in history were groundless. As assumption in granting rights of the Dhimmis to the Hindus and the Buddhists, Muhammad bin Qasim deviated from the provisions of Islamic law.” Historically this is not correct. When Arab conqueror made his administrative arrangements (in 93/711), Islamic law had not been codified, and the four schools of Islamic law-Maliki,Hanafi,Shafi’I and Hambali had not come into existence. Muhammad bin Qasim and hajjaj were guided by the Quran, Sunnah and the practice of Caliphas, and their arrangements were approved by the ulama of Damascus.”
Death of Muhmmad bin Qasim
Meanwhile leadership of Amawi caliphate had changed when Walid bin Abdul Malik died. Hajjaj died in 96/714 and next year Walid also died. Sulaiman, his younger brother succeed him as khalipha .The relationship between Hajjaj bin Usuf and Sulaiman bin Abdul Malik was not good. Muhammad bin Qasim already knew this fact. The wrath of Sulaiman against Hajjaj’s family caused to recall Muhammad bin Qasim and Qutaibah bin Muslim from Sind after appointment Yazid bin Yazid bin Almuhallab as new governors. Sulaiman put Muhammad bin Qasim behind bars where he died at age of twenty. According to some historians, Muhammad bin Qasim would have conquered the entire south asian region.
References:
(1) History of Muslims in India
(2) Sind: the Arab period, Muhammad bin Qasim’s rule (www.geocities.com/pak_history/sind.html)
(3) Muhammad bin Qasim (Wikipedia.org)
(4) Theory and Practice of Muslim state in India
(5) Islam and the challenges of pluralism: Professor Muhammad S. Aydin
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