A Book of Conquest The Chachnama and Muslim Origins in South Asia

DEAR SON, WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU? 91

erosity is the understanding that this is only the first phase of a wider
campaign that is dependent on the blessing of God. This also recalls
Chach's declaration in his letter to the raja of Ahujam. Qasim's vic-
tory is thus an analogue to Chach's, as the Muslim polity is a successor
to Chach's. That God would sanction Chach's imperial formation just
as he would Qasim's works in an ontological register but also in a legal
register.
A dialogic form of letter exchange is used to address difference in
the thirteenth century. Using this mode, Chachnama articulates the
nitty-gritty modes through which one accommodates difference. A
number of letters in Chachnama-including Hajjaj's brief to,Qasim-
advocate for making alliances where possible. After the conquest of
Daybul, Hajjaj sends instructions on how to execute such alliances:

After the conquest of each fort, distribute all gains on the mainte-

nance of the army. Do not stop any one from eating or drinking tl:ie

needful, and make sure that the supply of foodstuff is maintained so

that the commodities for the army are cheap and accessible. What

you rescued in Daybul, do not confine to treasuries. Instead, dis-

tribute it among the people, because after the conquest of the polity

and the opening of the forts, one should strive to help the people

(ra'iya) and the dwellers (astamalat sakanan), because if the farmers

(zara'i), artisans (sana'i), and traders (tujjar) are at ease, the polity will

be green and prosperous, by the grace of God.

Written on the tenth of Rajah of the year 93.^20

In another letter soon after, Hajjaj advises Qasim to grant "sanc-
tuary to whomever request it, and when the elders and notables of the
town approach you, give them significant robes (khil'at) and put them
in your debt."^21 In these sets of letters and commands, Hajjaj consis-
tently emphasizes the difference between the king, his elite, and the
populace and that the Muslim army's chief concern is the populace and
not the nobility. This is clearer when he chastises Qasim for granting
a governorshjp to one of Dahar's nobles as a bribe, without first making
sure that the noble was not taking advantage of Qasim's naivite.^22
I suggest that the letters represent a thorough argument-with s11e-
cific examples-for governance and a political theory that foregroqnds
accommodation and alliance building. Chachnama, read as 'political