Muhammad bin Qasim, Ghaznavi, Aurangzeb, Ilamd Din, AQ Khan, Mumtaz Qadri: Heroes of doom as role models – by Waseem Altaf
There is hardly any sector of Islamabad left where so called scientist A Q Khan does not have a plot or a palatial house, including the illegally built palace at Bani Gala. Last time he was in the news when he plagiarized an entire extract from the prospectus of a British university. A Pakistani student caught him on that and exposed his intellectual caliber.
Those portrayed as national heroes’ impact our lives. We are enthralled by them. We tend to idealize them. Regardless of their integrity and behavior we often become enamored with their power and status and allow ourselves to become an extension of their values and beliefs. As we tend to emulate them, we also pass the phenomenon of hero adoration down to our children. Great people like, William Shakespeare, Florence Nightingale, Albert Einstein, Dr.Abdus Salam, Mozart and Alexander Fleming were all great heroes and did influence the lives of countless people. The way these heroes appear in folklore, popular literature, text books etc shows their bravery and courage, devotion and compassion, selflessness and humility, hard work and brilliance. It also sheds light as to how they contributed towards the greater good of the society and the influence they cast on the development of culture and civilization. In text books they are built up as role models for children to emulate. Let’s examine our national heroes as to who they were and what were their achievements.
Muhammad Bin Qasim was an Umayyad General sent for the conquest of Sindh and Punjab to control the trade route down the Indus River valley to the seaports of Sindh, an important link in the ancient silk route. Another reason for the invasion cited was the significant influence of Mids (a local tribe) which preyed on Arab shipping. And lastly the Sassanids and rebels, fleeing the Arab advance were increasingly seeking refuge in Sindh. It was said that a son of Imam Hasan had taken refuge in the court of Raja Dahir and Hujjaj wanted to kill him. It was the third attempt on Sindh by the Arabs while the first two failed.
After capture of Debal, Muhammad Bin Qasim carried out a bloody massacre and the main temple was razed to the ground. The same act was repeated in Nerun and Salusan (Sehwan) where main temples were demolished and replaced by mosques. After each battle all prisoners of war were executed and their wives and children enslaved in considerable numbers. 1/5th of the booty including innocent women and children were sent to the caliph. Muhammad Bin Qasim inflicted 6000 deaths at Rawar, around 16000 at Brahmanabad, 4000 at Iskalandah and 6000 at Multan. The local natives were subdued into paying a heavy tax called Jazya.
At Multan 6000 custodians of the sun temple were made captive and their wealth confiscated. The temple housing the great idol Sanam was a source of great wealth, hence it was left where it was, yet a piece of cow flesh was hung on its neck by way of mockery. At 22 Muhammad Bin Qasim was killed by his own Caliph and nobody knows where he lies.
Mahmud Ghaznavi killed his brother Ismail, ruler of Ghazni, and became the ruler himself.
In 1001 he attacked the Hindushahi Kingdom (Peshawar) and slaughtered 15000 Hindu soldiers, while 500,000 enslaved persons were brought to Ghazni. He demanded 250,000 dinars to free Raja Jaipal, the ruler of the kingdom which he did receive. In 1008 he again attacked Hindushahi Kingdom and defeated son of Raja Jaipal, namely Anandpal and killed 20,000 Hindus.
In 1009 he attacked Nagarkot (Kangra) which was famous for its wealth kept in temples. His army destroyed everything in its path. In 1014 he invaded Thanesar. The Hindus wanted to reach a compromise but Mahmud refused. His army destroyed the city, massacred the inhabitants and plundered the sacred temples. In 1015 he attacked Kashmir Valley, and then Mathura and Kanuj in 1018 – 19. Kalinga and Lahore were invaded in 1023. In 1025 he attacked Somnath, which was his 16th invasion.
He ordered his men to destroy the sacred idol Linga. He also looted wealth worth 20 million dinars. It is also to be noted that Mahmud warred equally with other Islamic sects, as he was a Sunni Muslim. Ten of thousands of Shias were butchered by him in the name of Islam.
Aurangzab the Mughal emperor, highly applauded in our text books as a great Muslim ruler seized the throne in 1658 by killing all his brothers and imprisoning his father Shahjahan, for life. Dara Shikoh, eldest son of Shahjahan was a mystic and Sufi disciple with an interest in India’s diverse religious heritage. Aurangzeb used a fatwa from Muslim scholars denouncing Dara Shikoh as an apostate. He then had the crown prince tortured and murdered. He remained engaged in a useless war with the Marathas for 27 long years. Aurangzeb’s inflammatory and discriminatory practices reached their zenith in 1679 when he re-imposed the Jazya, a poll-tax on non-Muslims that had been abolished by Akbar. It was under his rule that in 1687 Bijapur and Golkonda, the last of the two Shia states were forced to surrender to the Mughal Empire after considerable bloodshed. Aurangzeb ruled as a militant orthodox Sunni Muslim; In addition, Hindu idols, temples, and shrines were often destroyed.
In 1699, on his orders the Mughal governor of Sarhind surrounded the fort of Anandpur in Punjab, which was occupied by Guru Gobind Singh and well armed Sikhs. After oaths of safety by the Mughal forces, the Guru decided to leave the fort. However the Mughal forces broke their promises and attacked the Guru and the Sikhs. The Mughals held his 2 young sons Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh captive and executed them by burying them inside a wall. Meanwhile his elder sons (15 and 17 years old) named Sahibzada Jujhar Singh and Sahibzada Ajit Singh fell fighting Mughal Musketeers at Chamkaur (close to Anandpur Fort). Gobind Singh wrote a letter named Zafarnamah to Aurungzeb. The letter is written in exquisite Persian verse. In this letter, Guru Gobind Singh reminds Aurangzeb how he and his henchmen had broken their oaths taken by the holy Qu’ran and loyalty to the Mughal Empire.
Ghazi and Shaheed simultaneously, Ilam Din was a 19 year old carpenter from old Lahore. While he and his friend Sheeda were passing by a mosque, they heard the maulvi instigating the audience against a Hindu publisher Rampal who had published a compilation of selective Ahadis written under the pen name of Champu Pati Lal (the actual writer was the student of a swami).All the material was reportedly drawn from the “four known books”. Some say that it was supposedly a retaliatory action by Hindu community against a pamphlet published by a Muslim, depicting the Hindu goddess Sita as a prostitute.Ilam Din purchased a knife for one rupee and stabbed Rampal to death on April 6th 1929.
At the trial court Ilam Din entered the not guilty plea thorough his lawyer named Farrukh Hussain. The court ruled against him. Ilem Din filed a mercy petition to the King Emperor asking for a pardon which too was refused and he was hanged on 31st October 1929. Maulana Zafar Ali Khan the writer cum journalist said before the burial “Ah only if I had attained this blessed stature”. Dr. Sir Mohammad Iqbal while attending his funeral, with tears in his eyes said “This young man left us behind” (in stature).
Dr. Abdul Qadir Khan, whose product is capable of destroying all other products, was working with URENCO in the Netherlands when he stole blueprints for uranium centrifuge and left for Pakistan. He was convicted in 1983 in absentia by a court in the Netherlands for stealing the designs; however the conviction was later overturned on a technicality.
By the year 2000 it became clear that Khan was at the center of an international proliferation network. In March 2001 he was dismissed as Director of the nuclear lab due to numerous complaints of financial irregularities. In January 2001 he was also removed from his post as the scientific advisor to the President. In January 2004 intelligence officials in Pakistan concluded that two of the countries senior most nuclear scientists A.Q Khan and Muhammad Farooq had black market connections that supplied sensitive technology to Iran and Libya.
On 4th February 2004, Khan appeared on national television and confessed to running a proliferation ring. On 5th February 2004, the day after Khan’s televised confession, President Musharraf pardoned him.
There is hardly any sector of Islamabad left where this so called scientist does not have a plot or a palatial house, including the illegally built palace at Bani Gala. While extremely fond of publicity Dr. Khan remained in close contact with a number of journalists whom he obliged to win favors in the form of write-ups, exaggerating his accomplishments as a national hero. Last time he was in the news when he plagiarized an entire extract from the prospectus of a British university. A Pakistani student from abroad caught him on that and exposed his intellectual caliber before the nation.
How unfortunate that we could not portray intellectuals, writers and poets, scientists and inventors, painters and artists, philanthropists and social workers, missionaries of peace and ambassadors of goodwill as our heroes.
On the contrary, since our heroes comprise murderers, plunderers, looters, conspirators and traitors, what else can we expect from those who are indoctrinated to emulate them? In a state where such individuals are glorified and a society where such personalities are applauded, there is not one but countless Mumtaz Qadris’ epitomizing all characteristics of a murderer, a conspirator and a traitor.
On January 4th 2011, Malik Mumtaz Qadri shot the Governor of Punjab Salman Taseer whom he was under oath to protect. Wearing an official uniform and carrying an official sub-machine gun he struck from behind and riddled Taseer’s body with bullets. Today a large number of people consider Mumtaz Qadri as their hero. This has shocked the entire world. However it is not unusual for us as our history is replete with such characters.
Let us not forget that the culture which promotes and glamorizes those who symbolize death and destruction ultimately becomes a victim of the Frankensteins it creates.
Source: Viewpoint
Very well researched article. The point is we do not know who to idolize and who not to. We have false heroes, who have been made heroes through sheer distortion of history.
Somnath ka mandir, the story of Mahmood Ghaznavi’s conquest talks about him breaking an idol, but not about the loot and plunder he did. Afterall, he was a lutera.
aurangzeb alamgir, imprisoned his father, got his eldest brother, Dara Shikoh blinded. However, he is remembered as a great muslim ruler.
On these matters, our analysts and text book writers forget objectivity. It is only on matters like Mumtaz Qadri, that objective analysis is sought.
FInally Finally Finally a writer brave enough to break the idols and myths of glory. The true face of our historical heroes brought on file. How few people know and believe these facts of history!!!!!!!!!
Hats off to Waseem Altaf
@Waseem,
Thanks a lot for this well-researched article, keep up the good work !
My grandfather told me the story (not sure if true or not) that it is said that from the grave of Hazrat Niazmuddin Aulia, his foot would come out and then go in. It was becoming an ajooba and off course people of Delhi would come in hordes to see this. Aurangzeb found out about it. He reached the tomb of Hazrat Nizamuddin and said to his grave, “Agar agli dafa aisa hua to to mayn aap kee taang kaat doonga!”
It really is saddening to read all this. Do we really have no heroes we can look up to??? or have we glorified fake heroes and neglected the true ones.
While reading the article, I felt maybe someone with a bias is writing all this..its so difficult to accept the harsh reality.
The shocking trend of glorifying Mumtaz Qadri is very dangerous..we definitely need to screw our mind caps in the right direction.
Ashamed of the truth on a London bus
Express Tribune Blogs
London was bathed in sunlight and the sky was a beautiful combination of azure and orange hues this morning. As I stood at my window, staring out at the city, it seemed to stare back at me. I smiled but I felt London didn’t smile back.
This morning I met a lady on the bus. A painfully prim and proper lady, the way most aged British women are. An Alice band was tucked in her hair, a basket of fruit was in her hands, a typically British floral dress peeked from beneath her typically tweed coat. As I sat down next to her, she commented on the gorgeous weather. I nodded my head and smiled.
She then gave my son a long look and said what a handsome young man he was and commented on what huge eyes he had. I smiled again and said, why thank you. Next, she asked,
“So where in Spain are you from?”
I looked at her with knitted eyebrows and said,
“I’m not Spanish. I’m Pakistani.”
The good humour which the beautiful weather seemed to have brought out in her, disappeared in a jiffy.
“Oh Lord! What a torment that country is!” she declared, with clear disgust and turned to face the window.
There were a thousand things I wanted to tell her, I wished with all my heart to negate her but words failed me. All I did was sit there and fiddle with my fingers, once or twice I even chided my son, Zoran to sit still “or else”- and the poor thing looked at me with questioning eyes as he had been sitting still. When she was leaving, the old dame turned towards me and said,
“Good thing you left! That is no country for sane men!”
I controlled a burning desire to jab my elbow in her side and push her off the bus all this while fuming silently at myself for not having been able to say anything to her. Why did I not say anything? I could have said a million things to defend Pakistan but I didnt. And then the realization struck.
I didn’t because I didn’t want to. How does one defend a country where a murderer is glorified?
The real face of Aurangzeb in the Sikh History
Aurangzeb had fallen under the influence of the Ulama who believed in a more rigid form of Islam. Beginning in 1657, upon the severe illness of his father, Aurangzeb challenged his brother to the succession. He claimed that Dara Shikoh was a habitual gambler, had drinking problems and was an atheist. Shah Jahan (Seizer of the World) had given his blessings and the royal treasure at Delhi to Dara who hastily used the funds to raise an army which would soon prove to be no match for the well trained professional forces of Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb who had been repeatedly humiliated by his brother’s influence with his father at court, had, as well, the support of his youngest brother and his forces. Despite strong support from Shah Jahan, who had recovered enough from his illness to remain a strong factor in the struggle for supremacy, Dara was defeated. He attempted to rally support after this defeat, but was betrayed and turned over to his brother. Dara Shikoh’s severed head was presented to Aurangzeb, the story goes that Aurangzeb had the severed head taken to their father to be served to the old man in a dish. He also killed another of his brothers who had supported Dara.
Imprisonment of Shah Jahan
In July 1658 he put his father under house arrest in Agra Fort limiting his authority. Shah Jajan’s access to his costumes and jewels was limited, his food was cut back, he was finally confined to one room from which he could at least view the Taj Mahal, he was never to see any of his sons again. His only company was his daughter Jahanara. It is said the major reason for putting his father under house arrest was that Shah Jehan wanted to build another Taj Mahal, a black one this time. But recent research has found that their was a black Tag in the garden across the Yamuna. One whose ‘Black Taj’ could be seen reflected in a large tank in the garden. Aurangzeb was to waste much of the Mogul fortune of his forbearers in endless wars in the Deccan suporting an army of more than a million men.
The Selafist of His Time?
Before Aurangzeb, Indian Islam had been influenced by mystical Sufi precepts. But based on his conservative interpretation of Islamic principles, Aurangzeb propagated a less mystical, more severe form of Islam. People were forcefully converted to Islam.
Aurangzeb became fascinated with conservative interpretations of the Qur’an, which he set about codifying. According to Aurangzeb’s interpretation, Islam did not allow music, so he banished court musicians, dancers and singers. Further, based on Muslim precepts forbidding images, he stopped the production of representational artwork, including the Persianate Mughal miniature painting that had reached its zenith before his rule. He even stopped the practice of his morning appearance on the balcony of the Laal Qila.
In 1675, Aurangzeb publicly executed the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. Sikh history states that Guru Tegh Bahadur sacrificed himself to save Hindus who the Emperor had condemned for failure to convert to Islam. This marked a turning point for Sikhism. His successor, Guru Gobind Singh further militarised his followers (see Khalsa). After Aurangzeb killed four of Gobind Singh’s sons, Gobind Singh sent Aurangzeb the Zafarnama (Notification of Victory) a famous letter, indicting the Emperors Godlyness, deceit, and treachery. Sikhs believe this document caused Aurangzeb to realize his mistakes and lose the will to live, finally ending in his death in 1707. He was suceded by his son Bahadur Shah who the Sikh army helped to win his throne.
http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Aurangzeb
Under Aurangzeb, Indian Islam had been informed by mystical Sufi precepts. But based on his conservative interpretation of Islamic principles, Aurangzeb propagated a less mystical, more didactic form of Islam. People have often said that he forcefully converted people to Islam.
Unlike his more ecumenical predecessors, Aurangzeb dealt harshly with non-Muslims. He reimposed jizya (a tax on non-Muslims), after a lapse of one hundred seventeen years. He encouraged the destruction of idols, sculptures and paintings in Hindu temples. He destroyed temples, including the important Hindu shrines at Mathura, Ayodhya, and Varanasi, and built enormous mosques in their place, even using stones scavenged from the former temples. Those mosques remain sites of controversy and violence up to this day.
In 1675, Aurangzeb publicly executed the ninth Sikh Master, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. Sikh mythos says that Guru Tegh Bahadur sacrificed himself to save Hindus who the Emperor had condemned for failure to convert to Islam. This marked a turning point for Sikhism. His successor, Guru Gobind Singh further militarised his followers (see Khalsa). After Aurangzeb killed four of Gobind Singh’s sons, Gobind Singh sent Aurangzeb the Zafarnama (Notification of Victory). Sikhs believe this document caused Aurangzeb to realize his mistakes and lose the will to live, finally ending in his death.
Aurangzeb’s harsh treatment of non-Muslims led to wars in the western Deccan plateau, with the 96 Maratha clans under the leadership of their prince Shivaji. So fierce were these conflicts around the Deccan that Aurangzeb eventually left the Mogul capital Delhi to take up residence in nearby Kirki, now known as Aurangabad, and he remained there until the end of his reign. Though Marathas under Shivaji were not strong enough, his descendents gave stiff resistance to Mughals and eventually led to downfall of Mughal Empire and established Maratha hegemony over North India which was only effectively checked during the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761
Unlike his predecessors, Aurangzeb left few buildings. He created a modest mausoleum for his first wife, sometimes called the mini-Taj, in Aurangabad. It pales in comparison to his father’s masterpiece, being made with cheaper material and clumsy decoration. He also built in Lahore what was at the time the largest mosque outside Mecca: the Badshahi Masjid (‘Imperial’ Mosque, sometimes called the ‘Almagir’ Mosque). He also added a small marble mosque known as the Moti Masjid ( Pearl Mosque) to the Red Fort complex in Delhi.
He died in Ahmednagar in 1707 at the age of 90.
After Aurangzeb’s death, his son Bahadur Shah I took over the throne, and the Mughal Empire, strained by Aurangzeb’s constant military campaigns, entered a long decline.
Each and every word well said and well writen…Plz some one should write on our an other so called SHAIR A MUSHRIQ SIR ALLAMA IQBAL..he is another MULLAH product imposed on us by ZIA and Maudoodi Jamat Harami…IQBAL was very much against the creation of PAKISTAN..he has writen letter to his German friend that I dont want to be part of this bad idea of creating ISLAMIC country…but unfortunatly he has become our national poet..not MIRZA GHALIB..not FAIZ AHMED FAIZ..not HABIB JALIB..
Eventually came across the site , A nice well researched article.
In fact these people or such characters are made our ideal to convince us accept the rule of such blood thirsty heroes in future as well. Any one may come up with a good write up upon two nation theory and conspiracies of state and its institutions will be highly appreciated.
@Ahmed baloch, it is unfair to call Iqbal as a Product of Zia or jamat islami. Iqbal was a great poet and his real ideology of the concept of continous hard work or justojoo is something not talked about. He was a true nationalist and an ashiq e rasool. He may have some not so good points, but one cannot write him off. He was born in now
Pakistan hence we may lay a claim to him being national poet. I would request you to read his sultan Tipu kee wasiyat. Honestly read it over and over and you would realize his real message which is never discussed by our people.
Allama Iqbal had written a Qasida in favour of the British king, which said “Aap ka saya Hindustan par hamesha qaim rahay”
MQM & Altaf Hussain “SUPPORT” AL-QAEDA TERRORISTS.
http://sachaylog.blogspot.com/2011/01/mqm-altaf-hussain-support-al-qaeda.html
Great post. I was checking constantly this weblog and I am impressed! Very helpful information particularly the final part 🙂 I take care of such info much. I used to be looking for this certain information for a long time. Thanks and best of luck.
anybody knows that where is tomb of muhammad bin qasim?
It needs nerves of steel to publish such a post.
Dear Sir,
Your article is very nice, BUT, you are no one to declare your judgement by giving lame argues just what you think on a negative side, You shouldnt forget the positive aspects of all such personalities. People of Pakistan are not blind who like such all subjected personalities as HERO.
A person become evil only when he or she on negative or satanic approach 100%,
Good or Bad are everywhere, there is not a single person including Prophets whom one say are 100% perfect EXCEPT my beloved and the last & the final prophet Mohammad P.B.U.H. he is a total role model and without any single bit of flaw.
A.Q. KHAN:
can we know the link where we can see so called plagiarization done by this Mohsin-e-Pakistan or the university name. besides it is not the point that he has stolen the blueprints of atom bomb, the point is due to his try we are atomic power, who other scientist did this??? can u name any pakistani??? again chutyapay ki batain kar k pls do not divert the minds of the nation. most of the invention till to date by non muslims scientist are just because of the muslim scholars. Muslims were better in Maths, Physics, Chemistry, we all should need to find truth and have research on it.
MOHAMMED BIN QASIM:
Sir, I would request you just to see what wikipedia is saying about Mohammed Bin Qasim, the description you wrote up there is more or less same wordings but a little manipulation. the bloody massacre according to you done at several places was actually during the wars, if this massacre would have been really happend then why the casualties was very low in 3 other places. for more detail see wipipedia.com. regarding the demolishing of temples, statues of their GODS were demolished and broken in the era of Mohammed PBUH in Bait-Ullah at his times. Besides, Mohammed Bin Qasim gave administration in the hands of SHARMANAS and BRAHMANS of SIND after conquering the SIND.
GHAZI ALAM DIN:
Brother, a true muslim never hear anything bad or misbehaving the propeh Mohammed PBUH. why ur trying to impose him a villian??? he had courage to do that, same if anyone misbehaving ones father? what will he do??? chutyapay ki batain mat kia karain pls.
Mumtaz Qadri:
This is the most recent happening, you should have been written in detail on this issue and this incident is still fresh in the nation`s minds. he shot him on the back, bad.. he must shot him on head and on his heart from the front….
Why Mumtaz Qasri did it??? has the article stated???
claiming ones as villian by giving lame jazbaati bhashan is one of the easiest way to malaign the minds of nation like Mr. PM did in his compaign…
I strongly request to all users and readers that before giving judgement on anyone`s charecter please have a thorough research and genuine reference on that particular subject or issue..
It is a hadees of Prophet PBUH. Allah kami beshi maaf karain. Hadees ka mafhoom hay…. “have a proper and thorough research on a news with authentic references before spreading”
the drawback of muslims in recent era is that we show our faith on any news spoken by any one before knowing is fact, context & authenticity……
For Allah`s sake. do not follow such things…. may Allah bless us all ….
Very appropriate description of the true history of the plunderers , looters, murderers who did all these crimes in the name of religion. They made lives for the people hell in their respective times and unfortunately declared as our heroes by the court historians employed by their masters.
There is great need to research and re-write the history.
congratulation to the writer.
ye blog likhne wala dimag se paidel lagta hai is ki koi baat puri nahi hai kabhi ek ke baremein likhta hai to kabhi dusre ke baremain likhta hai, Inmein se kise bhi Ek ke baremein puri baat nahi likhta ….
…Good worked..
After reading comments and reading whole story,it seems writer is so jealous and mentally retard person that cannot explain the truth correctly.
People like these can never see and identify the heroism. Mere allegations does not make innocent guilty until proven and confession is only admissible in the court of law.
These scientist were under the duress and confession made under duress is not a confession but just mere an information.
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You are suffering from self pitty. What are your thoughts about Ali. Prophet’ s son in law conquering Khyber and killing the Jews and taking their women as Bandis. If Mohd bin Qasim was such a horrible person, then why are one out of 10 Sindihs named Qasim. No Muslim name his child Yazid
.