Pakistan Studies Assignment

Submitted To:

Sir Habib-Ur-Rehman
Submitted By:

Hanan Javed Goreja

Roll # 79 2nd Year MBBS Islamic International Medical College (IIMC-T)

Muhammad Bin Qasim was a great administrator and was ruling on the compassion of Sindh Society

Introduction:-

Sindh was ruled by autocratic Hindu ruler, Raja Dahir during the Ummayad dynasty. Raja Dahir was known for his cruelty towards his Muslim population. Meanwhile the Indians began to intercept the commercial vessels of the Arabs in Indian oceans. In those days Caliph Al-Malik-ibn-abd-al-Malik, was the ruler of the Ummayad dynasty. In those The King of the Island of Rubies (Ceylon) sent a few vessels carrying some Muslim women who had been born in Ceylon. These vessels were also loaded with some precious gifts for the Governor of Iraq Hajjaj Bin Yousaf. There were some orphaned daughters n children of merchants who had died in Ceylon. The ship in which women sailed was attacked by pirates of Dahir. The pirates took away everything. The women and children were taken as prisoners and put in the jail. One of the captured

women, a member of the tribe Banu Yarbu, cried out, O Hajjaj when Hajjaj heard of this he exclaimed Here am I.
Hujjaj Bin Yousaf; A brief profile:-

Hajjaj Bin yousaf was strict administrator. He sent his personal messenger to Raja Dahir, the ruler of sindh, and asked him to set the women and children free. Raja Dahir bluntly refused and argued that he had no control over the sea pirates. He replied that if Hajjaj wanted the release of the women n children he could do so himself. Hajjaj was extremely infuriated with this reply n decided to punish Raja Dahir for His scornful attitude.
Expedition:-

Hajjaj bin Yusaf was deeply mortified at two successive failure of the expedition of Sind to take revenge on the Sindhis, he fitted out a third expedition. when their commanders were killed in the battles against the Hindus. He then decided to send his young nephew and son-in-law, Muhammad Bin Qasim, who was at that time in Fars (Iran) to head a campaign against Raja Dahir in Sindh. Hajjaj gave him a trained and well-equipped army and also reinforced him with soldiers from Syria and other places. Muhammad bin Qasim was made governor of Persia, where he succeeded in putting down a rebellion. At the age of seventeen,

he was sent by Caliph Al-Walid I on the recommendation of Hajjaj to lead an army towards South Asia into what are today the Sindh and Punjab regions of Pakistan. S. M. Ikram pays tribute to Muhammad bin Qasim thus, He combined great courage and resourcefulness with moderation and statesmanship of high order. . . he was methodical, disciplined, shrewd and humane individual displaying political sagacity and military skill far above his years. He had a warm, humane personality ready to enjoy the honour of new and old situations: with all this he was disciplined soldier. Muhammad Bin Qasim marched towards Deabul via Makran which had already been included in the Ummayyad dynasty. After conquering the adjoining areas Muhammad Bin Qasim encamped on the bank of the river Mehran (Indus) near Deabul. He moved and laid a formidable siege around Deabul which was a strong fortification of the Hindu Raja. From there Muhammad Bin Qasim challenged Raja Dahir for a decisive battle in 712 A.D.
The defeat:-

The battle continued for several days and the Hindu army fought tooth and nail to protect fortification. They were no match to the Muslims soldiers. Raja Dahir was killed on the sixth day of the battle, June 712, bravely fighting against

Muslim army. The captive women and children were set free and sent back to there homeland. Raja Dahirs wife Rani Bai fled to the fort of Rawar with 15,000 troops where she challenged Muhammad Bin Qasim for the battle. Muhammad Bin Qasim chased her to Rawar and ordered his miners to dig and demolish the walls of fort until the bastions were thrown down. Rani Bai, however, finding herself encircled, surrendered and burnt herself along with other ladies.
Onslaught of Islam:-

Muhammad Bin Qasim was the first Muslim Commander to have entered India as conqueror. He remained for few months in the captured fort and demanded the other Chiefs of different parts of India to embrace Islam. He proceeded ahead and conquered all the adjoining areas upto Multan. Muhammad Bin Qasim, after consolidating his control over the conquered areas, set himself to the administrative problems of India.
Administration and policies:-

The military and the administrative success of Muhammad bin Qasim form one of the most brilliant chapters in the history of the Muslim rulers of Indo-Pakistan. He was a born leader and a man of versatile genius.

He was not only a great warrior and conqueror but also a good administrator. The administration introduced by him leads us to believe that he possessed great experience in the art of administration. Some of the temples were no doubt destroyed during the days of war, but that was a temporary phase, for the destruction of the temple was due not to religious bigotry or fanaticism but to the fact that the temples were the repositories of Indias age long accumulated wealth. He adopted kind and conciliatory policy towards the subject. The Brahmins were permitted to perform their rites and ceremonies in the manner prescribed by their religion. He granted the population of Sind the right to life and property in lieu of their submission and willingness to pay taxes to the Muslim administrator.

Sources:-

1. Pakistan Affairs by M. Ikram Rabbani

2. http://www.storyofpakistan.com/person.asp?perid=P041

3. http://atiqqta.wordpress.com/2010/07/21/muhammad-binqasims-life-one-of-the-romances-of-history/

4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_bin_Qasim