Is Arabs invasion of Sindh merely an episode in the history?

xeesabir · #1 Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Is Arabs' invasion of Sindh merely an episode in the history?

Lecture delivered by Professor Irfan Waheed Usmani

There is a controversy surrounding the Arabs’ invasion, which constitutes an important chapter in the history of the subcontinent. It is regarded as an insignificant event by certain historians e.g. Wolsely Haig opines that it only affected a small portion on the fringe of that territory. He gave more importance to the religious factor.

Professor Habib Ullah is of the view:
Politically Sindh affair led to a dead end. It touched only a fringe of Indian continent and faint strings it produced were soon forgotten.
Havell says:
From political point of view, Arab conquest is insignificant.
Tod deliberates:
Muhammad Bin Qasim never penetrated to Chitor in the heartland of Rajputana.
Lane Poole says:
Arabs had conquered Sindh but the conquest was an episode in the history of Islam, a triumph without results.

But, it is wrong to maintain that the Arabs conquest of the Sindh had no impact on India. There may be 4 -5 themes which can justify our claims and prove the importance of Arabs invasion in the annals of the Indian history.

It sowed the seeds of Islam in India, and hence the Sindh was called Bab-ul-Islam.
The Arabs influenced political, social, sociological life of people of the Sindh.
The Arabs were not actual conquers but they were the pathfinders and it opened the gateway for future conquests.
The conquest of Sindh was a great give and take (great cultural synthesis). Its marks are clearly visible on language, dress, customs and each and every aspect of people of Sindh.
It imparted political, cultural, religious, economic and intellectual impacts.
The modern day Sindh writing style (Rasm-ul-Khat) resembles with that of Arabic.

Conclusion

It was wrongly assumed that the Arabs’ conquest was an episode in history but the effects cannot be denied. Though the conquest couldn’t proceed farther from Multan but, it left indelible impacts on Indian subcontinent. The Sindh did not hold key to conquer India but it left significant impacts.

Hakayat e Roomi · #2 Thursday, November 01, 2012

Good work done by you, Try to emphasize on quotations more it will increase marks ratio...

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