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| Sindhi Girls in Traditional Attire |
The desire to extend the Caliphate to India was motivated by two reasons:
- "Jehad" mission to conquer India and impose Islam in the region
- Control the sea trade route via the strategic ports of Sindh
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| Mohammad Bin Qasim in Sindh |
The Chach Nama is the oldest chronicles of the Arab conquest of Sindh. It was translated in Persian by Muhammad Ali bin Hamid bin Abu Bakr Kufi in 1216 from an earlier Arabic text believed to have been written by the Thaqafi family (relatives of Muhammad bin Qasim).
Chach Nama is an historic document that recounts the conquest of Sindh in great details. It tells of an intriguing yet widely believed tale of Muhammad bin Qasim's death.
The Chachnama is set in the principality of Aror in Sindh and has three parts:
Chach Nama is an historic document that recounts the conquest of Sindh in great details. It tells of an intriguing yet widely believed tale of Muhammad bin Qasim's death.
The Chachnama is set in the principality of Aror in Sindh and has three parts:
- The first part describes how young Brahmin minister Chach is manipulated by the king’s wife, Sohnan Deo, to become king. After the king’s death, that Chach is proclaimed king with the queen’s support.
- The second part details the conquest of Mohammad bin Qasim to the Sindh kingdom now ruled by Chach’s son, Dahir. It also describes how Dahir’s queen, Ladi grasps the situation after Dahar’s overthrow and then advises Qasim on strategies toward a just and ethical rule.
- The book’s third part narrates the death of Mohammad bin Qasim on the Caliph’s orders, following the accusations against Qasim by the daughters of Dahir - Surio Deo and Pirmal Deo.
Siege of Bhambhore
The Caliphate led five unsuccessful attempts to invade Sindh but these attempts failed because of Raja Dahir, the powerful ruler of Bhambhore - a city near Karachi In Sindh that lies in ruins today. The city was part of the state was previously known as Debul, a thriving Indian stronghold ruled by Raja Dahir. Strategically located, Bhambhore is believed to be some 2,100 years old coastal town on the Arabian Sea. Its location prompted Caliph Umar to send his forces from Oman to attack Sindh and other adjoining areas. The sixth attempt was led by Muhammad Bin Qasim, a young Arab Jehadi from an aristocratic family of Damascus who invaded Debul and defeated Raja Dahir and his forces.
The siege of Bhambhore had continued for some time until a defector informed Muhammad bin Qasim about how the temple could be captured. Thereupon the Arabs, planting their ladders stormed the citadel-temple and swarmed over the walls. Raja Dahir died in the battle, his forces were defeated and a triumphant Muhammad bin Qasim took control of the city. From here, Muhammad Bin Qasim made inroads to interior Sindh and on wards to Multan and spread the Jehad of Islam.
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| Ruins of Bhambore Fort |
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| First Jehadi incursion in Sindh and Punjab |
Among towns and fortresses that were captured through force of arms, Muhammad bin Qasim performed executions as part of his Jehad mission based on the Islamic tradition of ahl-i-harb (execution of fighting age men and enslaving of surviving dependents - women and children).
Where resistance was strong, prolonged and intensive, often resulting in considerable Arab casualties, Muhammad bin Qasim's response was dramatic, inflicting 6,000 deaths at Aror, between 6,000 and 26,000 at Brahmanabad, 4,000 at Iskalandah and 6,000 at Multan. The Hindu and Buddhist temples were destroyed everywhere and inhabitants massacred. Mohammad bin Qasim robbed a bracelet off one arm of the deity is symbolic of the commander’s new stature as ruler. But he lets the other bracelet remain is a sign of accommodation.
A small minority who converted to Islam were granted exemption from Jizya in lieu of paying the Muslim mandated Zakat. Hindus and Buddhists were given the status of Dhimmi or Zimmi (protected slaves).
Where resistance was strong, prolonged and intensive, often resulting in considerable Arab casualties, Muhammad bin Qasim's response was dramatic, inflicting 6,000 deaths at Aror, between 6,000 and 26,000 at Brahmanabad, 4,000 at Iskalandah and 6,000 at Multan. The Hindu and Buddhist temples were destroyed everywhere and inhabitants massacred. Mohammad bin Qasim robbed a bracelet off one arm of the deity is symbolic of the commander’s new stature as ruler. But he lets the other bracelet remain is a sign of accommodation.
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| Ruins of temple/mosque at Bhambore |
A small minority who converted to Islam were granted exemption from Jizya in lieu of paying the Muslim mandated Zakat. Hindus and Buddhists were given the status of Dhimmi or Zimmi (protected slaves).
Princess of Sindh as Trophies
According to Chachnama, when Raja Dahir was killed in the battlefield, his two daughters Surio Deo and Pirmal Deo were captured as war booty as per Islamic tradition. Muhammad bin Qasim, then sent them as gifts to the Caliph Walid Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik, to be included in his harem.
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| Gift to Caliph's Harem |
According to Chachnama, the virgin daughters of Raja Dahir upon being presented to Caliph Walid Malik misrepresent out of malice: that Muhammad bin Qasim had violated them before sending them to him. The Caliph got so incensed for having been sent ‘tainted’ gifts that he ordered Muhammad bin Qasim to be wrapped in oxen hides and returned to Syria. The torturous journey resulted in his death from suffocation. He arrives dead and Walid gloats over the corpse.
The Caliph had a stick of green emerald in his hand at that time, and he placed it on the teeth of the dead body, and said, “O daughters of Rai Dahir, look how our orders are promptly obeyed by our officers …”’, the Chachnama tells us.
The Chach Nama also states that upon discovering that he had been tricked by the young girls, the Khalifa deeply repented his action and ordered the sisters dragged on the streets of Baghdad by their hair tied to the tails of horses. They were then buried alive in a wall as a punishment.
The Caliph had a stick of green emerald in his hand at that time, and he placed it on the teeth of the dead body, and said, “O daughters of Rai Dahir, look how our orders are promptly obeyed by our officers …”’, the Chachnama tells us.
The Chach Nama also states that upon discovering that he had been tricked by the young girls, the Khalifa deeply repented his action and ordered the sisters dragged on the streets of Baghdad by their hair tied to the tails of horses. They were then buried alive in a wall as a punishment.
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| Skeletons buried in wall |
Questions for Pakistanis
Do you think Mohammad Bin Qasim is your hero or Raja Dahir? Or the two young princess of Bhambhore who avenged the death of their father, massacre of their people, and plundering of Sindh and Punjab?
All Umayyad caliphs are considered sinners in all 4 schools of Islamic law except Umar bin Abdul Aziz. This article shows your own lack of knowledge of Islam. First read Islam, then comment on it.
ReplyDeleteIslam was the worst religion and it is today. Jehad/Jihad, Kafir these terms are used by them. People of the world be aware of these people. Learn from what happened in history.
ReplyDelete