Sindh was conquered by Young Muslim General Muhammad Bin Qasim in 712 A.D. Dr. H.T. Sorley narrates the story as under:
“The facts seem to be that the windows and children of some Muslim merchants who had died in Ceylon were being sent back by sea when the ship on which they were travelling was attached and plundered. Failing to get the satisfaction that he demanded, Hijjaj fitted up a punitive force and put it in charge of the young leader, who was his own cousin and son-in-law. [1].
Prior to the Arab Rule, there were Hindus and Budhis and Sindh Society consisted by these both segments. Hindus were in power and Budhis were their subjects. These were a vast Ideological and social difference between both segments. Arab Rule added the Muslim Segment in the Society.
According to the Cambridge Shorter History of India, “the conquest of Sindh had no far-reaching effects and the religion which was designated to dominate India for nearly five centuries did not penetrate beyond the frontier-tract annexed by the Arabs.” [2] under Arab Rule the internal administration of Sindh was left by these conquerors in the hands of natives.
Bheromal Advani quoting references from Henry Census’s book “Antiquities of Sind” and Major General Haig’s book “Indus Delta Country” (P.73) writes that within forty years of Arab Rule most of the portion of Sindh was preoccupied by Hindus[3]
In this shortest period of their rule, Muslim rulers did their best of avail talents and potentialities of local people and never made their policy to divide and rule or to create Hindu-Muslim differences. Due to the patronage of Arab Rulers “The Scholars of Sind and the Works of Sind made ample contributions to the service of medicine, philosophy, astronomy, mathematics, geography and various other sciences, which are attested to and admired by almost all the great writes of medieval times” [4]
There is a place near Sukkur/Alore known as “Satyun jo Astan” It is said that during Arab Rule Hindu women and girls, when found themselves under pressure to convert their religion or were being forced marriages suicide here at his place. It gave the name to place as “Satyun jo Astan” that means a death place of those ladies, who opted for/death to save their sacredness. But it is narrated by mostly Hindu writers and scholars and have never been authenticated by neutral writes or third party.
Hindus very loyal to their faith and followers of their religion, when found themselves unsafe in practicing their religious traditions besides, government’s rules and regulations, opted to migrated to Punjab, and were known as “Alorvansi”/ “Arorvansi”. [5]
Their migration was not because of the government policy, but this was because of misconception ,fear and doubt and it was one sided.
Keeping in view all the available sources and contemporary Authorities [6] in mind, we can conclude that there were no Hindu-Muslim communal riots in the Society of Sindh during Arab Rule. There was no any government policy to air or create religious differences for the cause of Divide and Rule. However, Social problems are very much there in every society and may be some events had occurred, but have not been recorded because of their minor importance.
