Muhammad bin Qasim: Early Life and Conquest of Sindh

Early Life and Background

• Muhammad bin Qasim was a Umayyad Arab general who lived in the 8th century
• Born in 695 CE in Ta'if, Arabia
• Belonged to the Banu Thaqif tribe
• Nephew of al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf, the governor of Iraq

Conquest of Sindh

• In 711 CE, Muhammad bin Qasim was appointed by his uncle al-Hajjaj to lead an expedition to Sindh, a region in modern-day Pakistan
• The campaign was motivated by the desire to punish the pirates of Debal, who had been raiding Arab ships and disrupting trade
• Bin Qasim's army consisted of 6,000 Syrian cavalry and 3,000 Iraqi infantry

Military Campaigns

• Bin Qasim defeated the Raja of Sindh, Dahir, in the Battle of Aror in 712 CE
• He then conquered the cities of Debal, Nerun, and Brahmanabad
• The city of Multan was also conquered, but it was later lost to the Arabs

Administration and Legacy

• Bin Qasim established a new administration in Sindh, with a governor and a system of taxation
• He introduced Islam to the region and encouraged conversion
• His legacy is still celebrated in Pakistan, where he is considered a national hero

Later Life and Death

• Bin Qasim was recalled to Iraq by the Caliph Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik in 715 CE
• He was imprisoned and later executed, allegedly due to his uncle's fall from favor
• The exact date of his death is unknown, but it is believed to be around 715-718 CE

Early Life and Background

• Muhammad bin Qasim was an Umayyad Arab general born in 695 CE in Ta'if, Arabia.
• He belonged to the Banu Thaqif tribe.
• Bin Qasim was the nephew of al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf, the governor of Iraq.

Conquest of Sindh

• In 711 CE, Bin Qasim was appointed by his uncle al-Hajjaj to lead an expedition to Sindh, a region in modern-day Pakistan.
• The campaign was motivated by the desire to punish the pirates of Debal, who had been raiding Arab ships and disrupting trade.
• Bin Qasim's army consisted of 6,000 Syrian cavalry and 3,000 Iraqi infantry.

Military Campaigns

• Bin Qasim defeated the Raja of Sindh, Dahir, in the Battle of Aror in 712 CE.
• He conquered the cities of Debal, Nerun, and Brahmanabad.
• The city of Multan was also conquered, but it was later lost to the Arabs.

Administration and Legacy

• Bin Qasim established a new administration in Sindh, with a governor and a system of taxation.
• He introduced Islam to the region and encouraged conversion.
• Bin Qasim is still celebrated in Pakistan, where he is considered a national hero.

Later Life and Death

• Bin Qasim was recalled to Iraq by the Caliph Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik in 715 CE.
• He was imprisoned and later executed, allegedly due to his uncle's fall from favor.
• The exact date of his death is unknown, but it is believed to be around 715-718 CE.