We all have heard the story of Muhammad Bin Qasim, the young general from the Ummayad Dynasty who took Sind by storm. We all have heard how young MBQ was and how bravely his outnumbered army triumphed over King Dahirs legion. We all have heard how the conquest of Sindh enabled Islam to establish its roots into the subcontinent and blah blah blah what not.
But wait…… is that all to the legend of MBQ? Whatever happened after he had conquered Sindh and Multan? That, dear children, in my opinion is the most interesting part of the MBQ saga.
After toppeling the hindu rule in Sindh and lower Punjab, MBQ started to gear up for a further northern push. During his preperations for the next campaign, the Caliph of the Umayad Dynasty, Al-Walid I died and was suceeded by the Suleman Bin Abd-Aziz. Suleman, being a young man himself was envious of MBQs exploits and loathed his popularity among the local population. And so he ordered MBQ to return to Syria and face trial for treason. Upon receiving this order, MBQ started to pack his bags for a march towards Syria, but his soldiers knew that MBQ marches to certain death, for Suleman is a merciless carnivore who will enjoy seeing MBQ beheaded for treason he did not commit. And so the loyal men of MBQ’s army drew their swords and swore to their beloved general that they would fight the Caliph till death for MBQ is being wrongly accused.Yet MBQ smiled and told them to sheath their swords, for the last thing he desires is fragmentation of the Islamic Empire on his behalf. And so MBQ, who did not know the meaning of the word “surrender”, conceded to the tyrant Suleman and sacrificed what was rightfully his for the greater good of his clan.
What happened later is disputed among historians. Some say MBQ died during his journey to Syria. Some say that he was tried in Damascus and executed, while some say that he was imprisoned in Mousil where he died due to extreme torture on daily basis.
Hence children, the lesson we learn from the life of this extra-ordinary man is that sometimes conceding takes greater courage than confronting. So the next time you get into a fight with one of your friends or get engaged into an argument with your parents or cannot agree upon something with your spouse, think of MBQ and think what is harder; fighting on or surrendering. And then do the harder of the two.
