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Islam in South Asia: Its Beginning & Emergence

Arrival of Islam in South Asia; Its Historical Perspective 

Arrival of Islam in South Asia; Its Historical Perspective

The arrival of Islam in South Asia through Sindh in 711-12 AD, led by Muhammad Bin Qasim, marks a significant moment in history. While it's commonly believed that this invasion was a deliberate effort to spread Islam, the reality is much more different than that. Historians mostly agree that Islam came to South Asia in 712 AD but religious clerics have their own interpretations which are contradictory to the view of historians.

Historically, there's a divide in interpretations. Some hail Raja Dahir as a hero for resisting Arab invasion, while others see Muhammad Bin Qasim as a liberator, freeing oppressed communities like the Shudras, Dalits, and Adivasis (low caste Hindus) from Brahmans and Pandits (upper class) caste oppression. 

The backdrop to this invasion reveals a complex narrative. Arab traders, mainly from Baghdad, often travelled towards South Asia via sea routes, with Sailon (modern-day Sri Lanka) serving as a key hub. Incidents of piracy targeting Arab travelers sparked tensions, leading to demands for restitution from Raja Dahir, who claimed no control over the pirates. The non cooperating reply of Raja Dahir further ignited the issue and hence Umayyad governor of Baghdad (Hajjaj-Bin-Yousuf) decided to invade Sindh.

Hajjaj-Bin-Yousuf's decision to send Muhammad Bin Qasim after the failure of a couple of previous army generals was a strategic move, culminating in the invasion of Sindh. Though initially targeting Raja Dahir's fort was challenging as previous generals have already been failed to invade, the support of local oppressed communities, disenchanted with Brahman oppression, shifted the balance in Muhammad Bin Qasim's favour.

Muhammad Bin Qasim's conquest of Arror (situated in modern day Rohri near Sukkur, Sindh) and subsequent expansion to Multan (part of Sindh at that time) reshaped the landscape of Sindh and South Asia. However, it's crucial to note that the invaders' primary goal wasn't to spread Islam; rather, Islam permeated the region incidentally as locals observed and embraced the faith practiced by the Arab army. Locals who were previously being oppressed by Brahmans and Pandits, got impressed by Islam due to equality and no any discrimination on the basis of caste, colour, creed, riches or wealth among the Arab soldiers. 

As subsequent rulers like Ghaznis, Ghauris, Tartars, and Mughals entered South Asia, Islam continued to spread, sometimes accompanied by misconceptions and misinterpretations. Concepts like the Peer (Murshid) and Mureed (Follower) relationship emerged, often diverging from authentic Islamic teachings. It is pertinent to mention here that the concept of "Murshid and Mureed" exists only in this part of the world. This pseudo concept doesn't exist any other Muslim countries including Saudi Arabia. Basically the concept of "Murshid (Syed) and Follower (Non-syed)" is an advanced form of Brahman and Shudder, mainly taken from Hinduism doctrine.

During colonial rule, several so called religious books were also written in the name of Islamic history but actually they infused serious misconceptions among ordinary Muslims. This notion is still continue though in this particular region of South Asia just because of fabricated claims in the name of Islam. 

Many central Asian migrants who came to South Asia from Bukhara, Kabul, Kandhar, Tehran, Baghdad, and other cities of Central Asia as well as Middle East also took great advantage by calling themselves the so called Syeds and thus enjoyed luxuries and superiority in the name of Islam.

In conclusion, the emergence of Islam in Sindh and its subsequent spread across South Asia was a multifaceted process, shaped by political, social, and cultural dynamics. Understanding this nuanced history is essential to grasp the complexities of Islam's journey in the region. Similarly, one thing is crystal clear that the arrival of Islam in South Asia through Sindh is incidental as Arabs purely came here to take revenge and plunder the resources. Additionally, discrimination on the basis of caste and creed caused emergence of Islam in South Asia. This is why Sindh is called the Gateway to Islam in South Asia. However, Islam is under control of Syeds and religious clerics. It hasn't been reached to a common man in its true letter and spirit form as yet.

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Location: Sindh, Pakistan

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