Gul,

let's analyze this statement step by step and the reach our conclusion.

First thing first, what do we mean by Islam. Islam being a religion, is not like the rest of the ordinary religions. It is a Deen, meaning it's a way of life. Now having understood that atleast, we reach the point where we understand that the term Islam will have the following aspects:

1- Political Aspects.
2- Religious Aspects
3- Social Aspects
4- Economical Aspects.

It is a proven fact that, Islam had reached Makran during the reign of the Pious Caliphs. However, we should understand that Baluchistan (Makran Including) was never a part of the Subcontinent. It was under the influence of the Persians (a fact substantiated by the Baluchi populations living on both sides of the Iran-Pakistan border in the present day).

Politically Sind was the first part of the Subcontinent where Islam came in force. Islam established it's political ideology in Sind. This, however, should not be confused that the Arabs came here religiously motivated or that they were not influenced by the local way of ruling/customs etc. Thus, if you were an Indian in 712 (although the term Indian could not be used here because there was no concept of Central Authority in Subcontinent at that time and Indians were segregated into different kingdoms), Sind was the first place where you will learn to live under the banner of Islam. It would be the first place where Islamic Shariah (to some extent) may be applied to you. The rest of the Subcontinent had to wait for the Turks to arrive, before they may share the same experience with you.

Culturally, we see Islam arriving in Sind. for instance, the Hindus for the first time may have had Muslims as their neighbors, or Muslims as the shop keeper. Although Arab merchants lived on the shores of Southern-Western shores since times immemorial, but i doubt the level of interactions they may have had with the locals. So this led to a lot of cultural mixing and all.

Socially and Economically Islam made its presence felt in Sind. Trade and all, must have received impetus (due to single authority in the center, and relative political stability). Economically, the imposition of Jizya and other reforms must have left their marks as well.


All said, we must realize that although the nature of these impacts may have been temporary, since within a few decades, the dynasty coming to power in Sind was more of a Sindi origin rather than Arab, or we may also say that the Arabs failed to go further deep into the Subcontinent via Sind but that is another issue. If the question would have been, was Sind instrumental to the forays of Muslims into the heartland of Subcontinent, then the answer would have been a definite NO!. Here the question is whether Sind is Babul Islam. Ofcourse it is because this was the place Arabs tried to leave their influence upon these lands and tried to get deeper into the area. Ofcourse they failed into extending their rule inland but that's a seperate topic to discuss!!

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Umar Abbas Babar
I Know I am Bad But When Bad is the Best, Bad is the Only Choice