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. In this article, we will discuss the Arab Invasion in India which will be helpful for UPSC exam preparation.

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.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Muhammad-bin-Qasim.

Battle of Rewar

• Muhammad-bin-Qasim fought against Dahir, the ruler of Sindh.
• A Brahmin named Dahir was defeated. Sindh and Multan had been taken.
• Multan was dubbed the "City of Gold" by Muhammad-bin-Qasim.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Battle of Rewar.

Administrative System

• After being conquered, the region of 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.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Administrative System.

Effects of Arab Conquest

• Changes in Religion: Islam was established in Sind and Multan. The attempt failed because the Rajputs held a strong position in the north. Initially, the Khalifah were shaken by Muhammad bin Qasim's death, and Islamic propagation was slowed.
• Political and social impact on India: The poor management of the Hindu rulers, as well as their weak army forces, were exposed to the world, piqued the interest of Arabs in occupying the entire India.
• Economic and cultural developments: The Arabs adopted a toleration policy, 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.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Effects of Arab Conquest.

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.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link End of Muhammad-bin-Qasim .

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.