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The last Prophet of Islam, Prophet Muhammad (SAW), completely changed the
intellectual outlook of Arabia. Within a span of 23 years he transformed the
barbarous and impious Arabs into a civilized and religious nation. During his
life and also after his death, Muslims took the message of Islam to every corner
of the world and within a few years Muslims became the super power of the era.
Trade relations between Arabia and the Sub-continent dated back to ancient
times. Long before the advent of Islam in Arabia, the Arabs used to visit the
coast of Southern India, which then provided the link between the ports of South
and South East Asia. After the Arab traders became Muslim, they brought Islam to
South Asia. A number of local Indians living in the coastal areas embraced
Islam. However, it was the Muslim conquests in Persia, including the provinces
of Kirman and Makran, which brought the Arabs face to face with the then ruler
of Sindh, who had allied with the ruler of Makran against the Muslims. But, it
was not until the sea borne trade of the Arabs in the Indian Ocean was
jeopardized that serious attempts were made to subjugate Sindh.
During the reign of the great Umayyad Caliph Walid bin Abdul Malik, Hajjaj bin
Yousaf was appointed as the governor of the Eastern Provinces. At that time,
Raja Dahir, a Brahman, ruled Sindh. However, the majority of the people living
in the region were Shudders or Buddhists. Dahir treated members of these
denominations inhumanly. They were not allowed to ride horses or to wear a
turban or shoes. Sindhi pirates, protected by Dahir, were active on the coastal
areas and whenever they got a chance, they plundered the ships passing by Daibul.
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