India and Arab Invasion

 

India and Arab Invasion

Geographical features of India

India is a country which is located in Asian continent. India is one of the most prominent country in the world. India is a sub continent, surrounded by three oceans Arab ocean, Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean. Apart from this India is a land of richest natural resources like mountains, Deserts, Rivers, & Forests with different spices & species. India is a land of flora and fauna.

To study history of a country is necessary to understand and to know about its geographical conditions. According to Richard Hakluyt says “Geography and chronology are the sun and the moon, the right and the left eye of history” It is therefore essential to study geographical features of India while going through its history. Geographically India can be divided into four natural divisions which may be described as follows:

1.      Himalayas in the North

2.      The Great Indo-Gangetic plain

3.      The Deccan plateau

4.      Coastal Ghats and Rivers

Arab Invasion on Sindh:

After the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings upon him) the founder of Islam. The faith and followers of Islam had spread around the Arab world. After Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings upon him) the task of expansion of Islam came into hands of Caliphs(Khalifa). And all the Caliphs made a significant contribution to expand the Islam and Islamic territory. Islam was spread in the neighbor countries of Arab like Iran, Iraq Afghanistan. Arabs also reached up to Sindh and made many invasions on it since from ().

The causes of the invasions were:

There were many causes responsible for Arab invasion on Sindh among them, religious enthusiasm in Arabs, the great commanding and extension policy of Caliphs and according to some historians the greed for wealth is also a cause. The Indo-Arab relation was quite good since from earlier time. As we know that India was a land of rich natural resources like spices and pearls etc. As we come to a conclude that they had a good trade relation from a long period.

 

Sindh (India) and Muhammad Bin Qasim:-

          The Arab made many invasions on Sindh since from during the period of Caliph Hazrat Umar bin Khattab to Walid Bin Abdul Malik. Among these invasions the invasion made by Muhammad bin Qasim was a great land mark in the history of Medieval India which opens new door and new chapter in the Indian History. Not only Muhammad bin Qasim’s invasion effected on Indian soil but also other invasions of Arab effected on its root cause.

Immediate Cause for the Invasion:

            The king of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) had sent a few ships to present gifts to Caliph which were plundered by the Sea pirates near Debul in Sindh. According to Sir Wolseley Haig in these words “The king of Sri Lanka had sent to Caliph's representative Hajjaj those orphan girls whose father had died in Sri Lanka but this ship was looted by the sea pirates. King Dahir was the ruler of Sindh, when this incident took place. Hajjaj felt offended, and he impressed upon Dahir, the king of Sindh, to make the loss good. Dahir very frankly informed the representative of Caliph that sea pirates were not his subjects, and they did not come under his control, therefore, he was not responsible for the faults of others. Hajjaj felt all the more insulted by this reply, and he decided to plan an invasion of Sindh. He sent his nephew and son-in-law, Muhammad-bin-Qasim, who was a young lad of 17 years, to invade Sindh.”

            Muhammad Bin Qasim advanced to Sindh via Makran with a powerful army he was a efficient commander and able general. His army consists of 6000 Iraqi soldiers, 4000 camel riders. At that time Dahir was the ruler of Sindh. Dahir made no attempt to safeguard his kingdom, as a result Mohammad bin Qasim forward towards his capital. He firstly captured Debul which was 240 km away from his capital but Rajputs faced defeat in this.

            After this victory Muhammad bin Qasim proceeded towards the fort Nerun. The son of Dahir left Nerun under the charge of one of his commander and proceed towards Brahamanabad on the command of his father. Nerun surrendered before fighting  with him. After this victory he proceed towards Shehwan where Dahir’s cousin Bajhhar was ruling he also ran away from battlefield and was killed at Sisa.

            After establishing authority over Brahamanabad he proceed advanced towards Rewar here both the armies remain face to face for many days. King Dahir fought very greatly and he was defeated and killed on the battle field. The queen of Dahir Rani Bai she burnt herself after his husband’s death (Jauhar). He established his control over Brahamanabad, Aror, Multan & Kannuj etc. He made Surya Devi and Parmala Devi, the daughters of king Dahir prisoner and sent in the service of Caliph.

 

Effects of Arab invasion on Sindh:

1.      The spread of Islam

2.      Cultural effects

3.      Effect on Indian economy

4.      Transfer of knowledge

5.      Opening of new trade centers etc.