Throughout his reign, Maharaja Dahir had to face invasions from the Umayyad Caliphate which had grown quite powerful by that time. According to Chachnama and the Arab historian
Biladhuri, Dahir defeated the Arabs twice in pitched battles during the twin battles of Debal in which the invading Arab commanders
Ubaidullah and Budail or Bazil were killed by Sindhis under Dahir's son Jaisiah. Jaisiah later appointed his own chief or
Thakur who governed on his behalf. According to
Chachnamah, when the news of Bazil's death was relayed to
Hajjaj, he became very sad and full of rage. This led to the fateful expedition by
Muhammad bin Qasim. Before the
Battle of Aror, Maharaja Dahir is said to have given this speech as per
Chachnama Sometime before the final battle, Dahir's vizier approached him and suggested that Dahir should take refuge with one of the friendly kings of
India. "You should say to them, 'I am a wall between you and the Arab army. If I fall, nothing will stop your destruction at their hands.'" If that wasn't acceptable to Dahir, said the vizier, then he should at least send away his family to some safe point in
India. Dahir refused to do either. "I cannot send away my family to security while the families of my thakurs and nobles remain here." == See also ==