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

Islamic JihadDuring Khilji dynasty: Under the Khilji (1290–1320) and Tughlaq (1320–1413) dynasties, the hold of theMuslim rule in India had been firmly established with the expanded army and territory. The sultan’s powerwas so overwhelming that ‘no one dared to make an outcry,’ noted Afif. Apart from campaigns to suppressmany Hindu rebellions, many expeditions against infidel-held territories were undertaken with an everincreasingzeal to bring them under the Muslim control. Rich booty was plundered, which obviouslycontained slaves, but their recording is sketchy, probably because, it had become too common. However, afew available testimonies left by contemporary chroniclers give a general idea of the extent of enslavement.Jalaluddin Khilji (r. 1290–96), the founder of Khilji dynasty, undertook ruthless campaigns to suppress Hindurevolts and to extend the boundary of the sultanate. He led expeditions to Katehar, Ranthambhor, Jhain,Malwa, and Gwalior. In the campaigns to Ranthambhor and Jhain, he sacked temples, plundered, and tookcaptives making "a hell of paradise", writes Amir Khasrau. From the Malwa campaign, large quantities ofbooty (which always included slaves) was brought to Delhi, adds Khasrau. 716Next, Sultan Alauddin Khilji (r. 1296–1316) beat all earlier sultans in the capture of slaves. He sent alarge expedition to Gujarat in 1299 sacking all major cities and towns: Naharwala, Asaval, Vanmanthali,Surat, Cambay and Somnath. According to the records of Muslim chroniclers Isami and Barani, he acquiredgreat plunders and a large number of captives of both sexes. In the sack and plunder of Somnath alone,testifies Wassaf, the Muslim army ‘took captive a great number of handsome and elegant maidens, amountingto 20,000’, as well as ‘the children of both sexes.’ Ranthambhor was attacked in 1301 and Chittor in 1303. Inthe Chittor invasion, 30,000 people were massacred; and as a standard practice, their women and childrenwere enslaved although some of the Rajput women had committed Jauhar. Large numbers of slaves werecaptured in the expeditions to Malwa, Sevana and Jalor between 1305 and 1311. Sultan Alauddin alsocaptured slaves in his expedition to Rajasthan. During his reign, capturing slaves became like a child’s play asAmir Khasrau puts it, ‘the Turks whenever they please, can seize, buy or sell any Hindu.’ So stupendous washis slave-taking that he had ‘50,000 slave boys in his personal service’ and ‘70,000 slaves worked on hisbuildings,’ record Afif and Barani, respectively. Barani testifies that ‘fresh batches of captives wereconstantly arriving’ in the slave-markets of Delhi during Alauddin’s reign.’ 717During Tughlaq dynasty: In 1320, the Tughlaqs captured power. Muhammad Shah Tughlaq (r. 1325–51), themost learned amongst Muslim rulers of India, was the most powerful rulers of the Sultanate period (1206–1526). His notorious zeal for capturing slaves had even outstripped the feats of Alauddin Khilji. ShihabuddinAhmad Abbas wrote of his capture of slaves that ‘The Sultan never ceases to show the greatest zeal in makingwar upon the infidels… Everyday thousand of slaves are sold at a very low price, so great is the number ofprisoners.’ During his notorious reign, he undertook numerous expeditions to put down revolts and to bringfar-off regions of India under his sway, reaching deep into South India and Bengal. He also brutally put downsixteen major rebellions. Many of these expeditions brought great booty, which invariably included slaves inlarge numbers. Slaves were so abundant that the sultan had sent ten female slaves to traveler Ibn Battutah onhis arrival in Delhi. 718 The sultan sent a diplomatic mission to the Chinese emperor, led by Battutah, with acaravan of gifts, which included ‘a hundred white slaves, a hundred Hindu dancing- and singing-girls…’ 719Sending slaves as gifts to the caliphs and rulers overseas was also a common practice during Sultan Iltutmishand Feroz Tughlaq (d. 1388). Ibn Battutah testifies that the sultan used to accumulate slaves round the year716. Lal (1994), p. 48717. Ibid, p. 49–51718. Ibid, p. 51719. Gibb, p. 214213