islamic-jihad-legacy-of-forced-conversion-imperialism-slavery

Islamic Imperialism in Indiathey ‘intermarried considerably with the local population.’ 495 About the status of Muslims in Balhara’skingdom, al-Istahkri wrote (c. 951): ‘It is a land of infidels, but there are Musalmans in its cities and none butthe Musalmans rule them on the part of Balhara.’ 496Ibn Haukal—renowned tenth-century Arab traveler and geographer and the author of famoustreatise, Surat al-Ardh or The face of the Earth (977)—observed while traveling in the region betweenCambay and Saimur that ‘The inhabitants were idolaters, but the Musalmans were treated with greatconsideration by the native princes. They were governed by the men of their own faith… They had erectedtheir mosques in these infidel cities and were allowed to summon their congregations by the usual mode ofproclaiming the time of prayer.’ 497 Al-Idrisi also gives a similar account of the treatment of Muslims in theterritory of Balhara: ‘The town is frequented by large number of Musalman traders who go on business. Theyare honorably received by the king and his ministers and find protection and safety.’ Al-Idrisi continues: ‘TheIndians are naturally inclined to justice, and never depart from it in their actions. Their good faith, honesty,and fidelity to their engagements are well known, and they are so famous for these qualities that people flockto their country from every side.’ He was further impressed by Indian’s "love of truth and horror of vice". 498Even modern Muslim historian Habibullah states that ‘Muslims were treated by the Hindus with generosityand respect and allowed them freedom, even to govern themselves.’ 499These ethical principles of Indians were rooted in its civilizational value system. King Ashokaseemed to have deviated from these principles in his ambition to become a great conqueror. However, he wasleft devastated by the casualties that occurred in the conquest of Kalinga, in which about 100,000 soldiers andcommoners died. Subsequently, he became a great humanist and used to feel frightened by wars; he becamean avowed anti-war activist. Killing the infidels in large numbers by Muslim conquerors was a commonoccurrence, generally glorified by Muslims at all levels—including by most of their greatest intellectuals.Evidently, the Indian rulers showed generosity, humanity and chivalry toward Muslims, despitesuffering terrible cruelty at the hands of ruthless Muslim invaders. This generosity and chivalry wasdemonstrated very early, when the Hindus revolted and ousted the Muslim rulers from Sindhan during thereign of Caliph Al-Mutasim (833–42). Despite suffering so much slaughter, destruction, pillage, enslavementand defilement of their temples over two centuries, the Hindus ‘respected the mosque, which the Musalmansof the town visited every Friday, for the purpose of the reading of usual offices and praying for the Khalif.’ 500Tolerance & chivalry of Hindu rulers during the Muslim periodIndian rulers exercised the principle of Hindu tolerance, generosity and chivalry toward Muslims well into thelast days of Islamic domination; by this time, Muslim invaders had inflicted terrible cruelty upon the Hindusand destruction of their religion for nearly a millennium in some parts. During the period of the Muslim rulein India, courageous Indian princes and commoners, revolting against the Muslim invaders, occasionallycurved out Hindu kingdoms. Vijaynagar was one such Hindu kingdom (1336–1565) in South India (AndhraPradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala). Constantly under attack by Muslim rulers, sometimes it exercisedindependence, and paid tribute to Muslim overlords at other times. Still, Vijaynagar rose to be one of thegreatest empires in the world of the time. Abdur-Razzak of Herat, who came to Vijaynagar in 1443 as anenvoy of the Mongol Khan of Central Asia, wrote, ‘‘The city is such that eyes has not seen nor ear heard ofany place resembling it upon the whole earth.’’ 501 Paes, a Portuguese traveler, visiting Vijaynagar in 1522,495. Eaton (1978), p. 13496. Ibid, p. 27497. Elliot & Dawson, Vol. I, p. 457498. Ibid, p. 88499. Sharma, p. 89500. Elliot & Dawson, Vol. I, p. 450501. Ibid, Vol. IV, p. 106160