The Enchanting History of Arains: Exploring Historical Theories

One of the most prominent theories regarding the origins of the Arain community is the Arab theory, which deserves careful examination. Numerous historical works discuss the Arains, including one significant theory that traces them to “Al Arayeen” (or Areehai) – the community of Areeha (Jericho, Syria) who migrated to India and Pakistan during the early Islamic conquests. This term was later Punjabised to “Arain.”

Several scholarly works have documented this history, including:

“Saleem at Tarawikh” by Sufi Ali Akbar

“Tarikh Arains” by Asghar Ali Choudhury

“Aina Haqeeqat Numa” by Akbar Shah Najeeb Abadi

A common objection raised by critics is that all Arab-origin theories were written during the British period. Some even go so far as to claim that Muhammad bin Qasim is a mythical character, and that the Arab settlers who first arrived in Pakistan vanished from historical records along with their descendants. These claims, however, are fundamentally baseless and reflect a lack of familiarity with historical academic works.

In fact, documentation of the Al Arayeen community predates the British period by centuries. The book “Futuh al-Buldan,” written in the 3rd century Hijri (approximately 1100 years ago) by Imam Abul Abbas Al Baladuri, provides detailed historical accounts of the Arains community, which we will explore in more detail in upcoming posts.

While it’s true that Arab historians generally paid less attention to events in Sindh and India, and much of the Arain community’s history was lost over time, significant historical records survived. Notably, the scrolls containing correspondence between Muhammad bin Qasim and his men are reportedly still preserved today.

More detailed analysis and historical evidence will be presented in future blog posts. Stay connected for updates.