Who was Raja Dahir? How Muhammad Bin Qasim Conquer Sindh

Portrait of Hindu Ruler Raja Dahir

Raja Dahir was the last Hindu monarch of Sindh, in present-day Pakistan. In 711 CE, his empire was occupied by the Ummayad Caliphate commanded by General Muhammad bin Qasim. He was murdered at the Battle of Aror at the banks of the Indus River, near modern-day Benazir Abad.

The main reason for Hajjaj ibn Yusuf excursion against Raja Dahir was stealing gifts as a result of a pirate raid on the Debal coast which was sent to the caliph from Serendib King. The Umayyad dynasty can be seen advancing upon in 700 CE on the western frontier of the Indian Subcontinent. Hajaj’s launched the next campaign under the command of Muhammad Bin Qasim in 711.

Portrait of Muhammad Bin Qasim and Raja Dahir

Before the battle with Arabs, Dahir’s vizier loomed him and proposed to him that he should take refuge in the kingdom of one of the friendly kings of India. You should say to them, 'I am a wall between you and the Arab army. If I fall, nothing will stop your destruction at their hands.'" If that wasn't acceptable to Dahar, said the vizier, then he should at least send away his family to some safe point in India. Dahar refused to do either. "I cannot send away my family to security while the families of my thakurs and nobles remain here." And he said

I am going to meet the Arabs in the open battle and fight them as best as I can. If I crush them, my kingdom will then be put on a firm footing. But if I am killed honorably, the event will be recorded in the books of Arabia and India and will be talked about by great men. It will be heard by other kings in the world, and it will be said that Raja Dahir of Sindh sacrificed his precious life for the sake of his country, in fighting with the enemy.

Dahir then tried to prevent Qasim from crossing Indus River, who previously successfully secured the western region of the Indus river with the help of local tribes. He moves his forces to the eastern border. In due course Qasim crossed the river and defeated the Dahir army led by Dahir’s son. Dahir fought Qasim in 712 at Roar, Present-day Benazir Abad where he got killed. His head was cut off from his body and was sent to Hajjaj bin Yousaf. Muhammad bin Qasim then captured his eastern territories for the Umayyad Caliphate.