Muhammad Bin Qasim

 Who was the Muhammad Bin Qasim? What he did in his life?

Muhammad Bin Qasim

Introduction

Muhammad Bin Qasim was born in 31 December 695 in Taif (in modern-day Saudi Arabia). Qasim’s father name was Qasim bin Yousuf. Who was died when Muhammad bin Qasim was five years old. Then Qasim became orphaned. He grew up under the care of his mother and his paternal uncle Hajaj Bin Yousaf who gave him education, knowledge, governing warfare and military planning skills. He didn’t get the higher education. He was so much intelligent and cultured, talented at the age of fifteen years. He knows the skillful fighting, he knows very well about military planning. Muhammad bin Qasim belongs to the tribe of Thaqeef. Muhammad bin Qasim is also Known by an honorific epithet (laqab) of Imd ad din. When Muhammad bin Qasim became hardly seventeen years old a young man. He was very bold, courageous and ambitious.

Main Body

Umayyad governor of iraq was Hajaj bin Yousuf who was the paternal uncle of Muhammad bin Qasim. His paternal uncle Hajaj taught him the art of governing of warfare. Muhammad bin Qasim married with his cousin Zubaidah who was daughter of Hijaj bin Yousuf. Under the patronage of his Father-in-law Hijaj bin Yousaf Muhammad bin Qasim became the governor of Persia. Where the Muhammad bin Qasim was succeed to putting down a rebellion. Hijjaj bin Yousuf has a completely trust upon Muhammad bin Qasim. In the age of 17 in 711 Qasim served QYTABAH and then he became the commander of leading unit of army. Then He was entrusted by his uncle Hajaj bin Yousuf with the work of invading of Sindh. He gave the foundation of Islamic Rule in Subcontinent. At that time Arabs were trader at the Sindh Banu Tamaim, Banu Abdul Qais who came into Sindh for trade and went back to their country and share the every information about the Sindh with their rulers about political condition, social condition and economic conditions. At that time (salon) which is old name of Sri Lanka send the gifts to the caliph Walid 1 there were eight ships which were attacked by the pirates of deobal Sindh. When Walid 1 listen that news he got angry that was the reason of attacking the Sindh. There were also other reasons of attacking land of Sindh was fertile, there was so much gold in the temples, and the propagation of Islam.  Hajjaj bin Yousuf instructed him not to spare anyone in Debal. In the Sindh Raja Dahir was the ruler who was Brahman. The political condition of Subcontinent was also a major cause of Arab invasion of Sindh. There are mutual rivalry and wars among the kings of provinces of Subcontinent. Raja Dahir was unpopular and not liked by many. Arabs took the full advantage of that.

Qasim’s Attack over Sindh, Multan

    However towards the end of 711 A.D. Muhammad-bin-Qasim at the head of a huge army consisting of three thousand infantry, six thousand cavalry and six thousand Iraqian camel men appeared at the north western border near Makran.

·         Muhammad-bin-Qasim led his army towards Debal, a famous seaport, where the Arab’s ships were looted by some pirates. The port town Debal was well protected by strong fortifications, and it was not easy on the part of the Qasim’s army to penetrate into it so easily. A nephew of Dahir was the governor of Debal. Though he had an army of very small size with him, he tried to resist Qasim. But it became futile, when a treacherous Brahmin deserted the fortress and gave Qasim all the information’s regarding the secrets of its defence. That’s how he conquer the Debal.

·         Muhammad-bin-Qasim marched towards Nirun, which was under the charge of Dahir’s Son Jai Sindh. With the approach of the Arabs, Jai Sindh fled away after handing over the fort to a priest. Qasim captured it without a fight. It is said Nirun fell because of the treachery of some Buddhist citizens. That’s how he conquer the Nirun.

·         He also came to know from the Brahman that the strength of the Sind army lay in the massive Hindu temple inside the fort of  Debal and as long as the red flag fluttered atop the temple, he could not defeat the Hindus. 

·         After capturing Debal & Nirun, Muhammad-bin- Qasim marched against Sehwan, a town which was under the charge of the cousin of Raja Dahir named Bajhra. That town was mostly inhabited by the merchant class and the priests. Bajhra could not defend the town in the face of the Arabian attack and fled away with panic.

·         Dahir could have taken the full advantage of this opportunity to attack and destroy the Arabs. But he remained inactive. He also did not check the Arabs when they crossed the river Mihran. Probably, Dahir was confident to defeat his enemy in a Single encounter and that’s why he was waiting for it at Rawar on the bank of the Indus.

·         After conquering Sindh, Muhammad-bin-Qasim marched towards Multan, a major city situated in the upper Indus basin. On the way he had to encounter tough resistance by the local people but over powered them. That is how counquered the Sindh, Multan

·         The Death of Muhammad-bin-Qasim has been put to debate as there are two divergent views by different Historians. Some modern historians believe that Muhammad had become a victim of the court intrigues of the Caliph. Caliph Walid 1 died in 715 A.D. and was succeeded by his brother Sulaiman who had enmity with Hajaj, the governor of Iraq and father-in-law of Muhammad-bin-Qasim.

·         He could not tolerate the importance of Hajaj as a result of Muhammad’s victorious campaigns in India. To bring an end to this Caliph might have ordered to kill Muhammad-bin-Qasim. Whatever may be the fact? Mohammad bin Qasim got a tragic end of his life.

Conclusion

Muhammad bin Qasim got success. People of Sindh being unsatisfied by the rule of Brahmans came into contact with Arab invaders and helped them to succeed Brahmans. Muhammad bin Qasim conquered the Sindh and Indus Valley, bringing South Asian societies into contact with Islam. Islam got spread so much. He got defeated the Raja Dahir, and captured the cities of Aror, Multan and Debal, but in the end he got tragic death.