DDK HistoryF.p65 - CSIR

10.3] INITIAL MUSLIM POLICY 371
plough. The Muslims did introduce the Chinese discoveries of
gunpowder, paper, porcelain, and tea to India. Their Arabic
translations of Greek science and geometry, Indian medicine and algebra,
with new contributions of their own, enabled medieval Europe to take
the first steps towards its Renaissance. The main contribution was to
sweep off certain decadent forms of the relations of production; this
revealed the real prop of the class-state as force, not religion.
The first Muslim raiders under Muhammad ibn-al-Kasim in the
Punjab made good use of the ancient sun-temple at Multan. They
protected but held the idol as hostage and source of profit from the
numerous pilgrims (c/. -Deal 2.274). People were left “to their ancient
belief except in the cases of those who wanted to become Muslims”
(Alb. 1.21), by consent of the Khalif (Ed, 1.185-6). It is recorded
that, in return, the brahmins went about the villages preaching
submission. This was a far cry indeed from that early brahmanism within
the tribe which had instigated resistance to the last man against the
overpowering Macedonian phalanx. The aim of the Muslims then was
to secure an outlet down the Indus, to the sea, which was accomplished
within the next two centuries. The vast booty taken by Mahmud of
Ghazni, who destroyed the richest temples at Somnath, Thanesar,
Mathura, Kanauj meant no change of policy. Mahmud followed a
normal pattern in expropriating previous accumulation. Nevertheless
each successive raid marked a steady advance in penetration by
Muslim traders, who went far ahead of the generals. Thus, at Veraval,
and in Goa, we find protection given to Muslims, their converts, and
mosques, by Hindu kings. Sranath, a late 16th century Tibetan historian
of Buddhism in India, speaks of the peaceful advance of
Muslim (Turuska) doctrine in the last days of northern Buddhism, when
fresh cults like the Dharma-yana still arose out of the most primitive
tribal practices (e.g., Dombhi-Heruka), to spread in the name of the
long-decayed religion. Buddhist monasteries still received occasional
charters as from the Gahadavala kings (EL 11.20-26) and gifts from
conservative pilgrims.
The easy conquests of Muhammad bin Bakhtyar Khalji show that