Askari Raza Malik
The Arabs were quite familiar with India from the pre-Islamic days. Their
coastal trade route covered Gujarat, Kerala and Bengal. Much before the first
military expedition under young general Muhammad Bin Qasim in 672 CE, the Muslim
traders had built their worship places in several places in India. Barwada
Mosque in Chayna, Gujarat was built in 623 CE, Charaman Juma Mosque, in Methala,
Keralain 629 CEand PalaiyaJumaPalli in Tamil Nadu in 628-630 CE. The Babari
Mosque was built by general Baqi on the orders of Zahiruddin Babar, the king of
Delhi in1528-29. This mosque was not in distant past, seized by the Hindu
extremist RSS, demolished and in its place a temple is being constructed under
the jungle law of might is right that pervades the entire India today.
After 17 years old general Muhammad Bin Qasim captured Sindh and Multan by
defeating Raja Dahir, of Brahmin dynasty, India became a favourite hunting
ground by the Muslim invaders. The reason was simple. The momentum of Islamic
revolution could not be contained within Arabian Peninsula. The vast and fertile
spaces of India provided a compelling temptation. The Indian armiescould not
match the indomitable spirit of Jehad and martyrdom driving the Muslim armies.
(Pakistan Army fortunately trulyretains that spirit).
Here a common misperception needs to be corrected. Islam was not spread by
sword. At the time of Akbar’s death, the Mughal empire spread from Afghanistan
to the Bay of Bengal. Forty years of Akbar’s rule (1556-1605) and twenty-two
years of Jehangir (1605-16270) almost sixty years were enough to convert the
whole of India Muslim. The kings were just kings, primarily interested in
trouble free rule.They were Muslims in name only. Even if the kings had
encouraged and supported innocuous preaching missions to the interior of India
the Muslims would not be a minority in India today. Islam was spread in India by
the Sufis and the Saints with plentiful historical evidence. Modi-minded
extremists who call forceful conversion of Muslims and Christians as ‘coming
back home’ is one of the forms of naked persecution of the minorities. Their
forefathers had converted by their own sweet will.
In the 1950s as beautifully portrayed by Jawed Naqvi (an illustrious Indian
journalist), it was common to see Indian women disembarking flights from the
Middle East with a train of children and baggage followed by a much older Arab
husband carrying the tail. The discovery of vast reserves of crude oil in Saudi
Arabia (SA) and the Middle East (ME) changed the entire spectrum. The impact of
the Petro dollar was being amply felt around the globe including India and the
surrounding countries. Dollars poured in plenty in the Middle East. The hardy
Arabs suddenly became opulent,needed servants, people to work for them, from
household chores, sanitary workers, drivers, office managers, pilots to dancing
girls.It became another Gold rush, this time for the black gold.
The population shift reversed. People from all over the world were attracted by
employment opportunities in SA and the ME.The maximum to benefit were India,
Pakistan and BD, poorer countries, that provided the cheapestlabour. Everyone
was welcomed regardless of religion, caste, colour or creed, inherent Muslim
generosity. The latest arrival of Russian business girls has added another
cultural dimension to the population shift.
The Indians benefitted the most. Those from the South, with software expertise
occupied management slots and encouraged others to join the white collar jobs.
They became the favourites of their bosses. Except for Makkah and Madina they
were everywhere.
The Indians number 2.6 million in the UAE, 30 percent of its population and over
7 million all over the Muslim ME. It is said that India earns over $ 65 billion
from the UAE and overall approximately $120 billion from all the Middle Eastern
countries. Modi of India was recently awarded Bahrain’s highest award, ‘King
Hammad Order of the Renaissance’ and UAE’s highest civil award, ‘The Order of
Zayed’. Saudi Arabia has announced a huge investment of $ 100 billion in Modi’s
India.
The simple Arabs were perhaps carried by the memories of old trading relations
with India. They made no distinction and allowed the Indians in bulk to enjoy
good jobs, perks and privileges. They have no idea of the Hindu instinctive
viciousness and their subcontinental proverbial reputation of‘Baghal main
chhurimunh main Ram Ram. In other words, a cloak and dagger community.
Then the truth shocked the Arab world like a bolt from the blue. Without any
provocation and completely out of context a typical Modi boy, a 29 years old
political brat of BJP tweeted, ‘95 percent Arab women have never had an orgasm
in the last few hundred years! Every mother has produced kids as act of sex and
not love.’
(Major General (Retd) Askari Raza Malik is author of book “Pakistan in Search of
a Messiah)