Muhammad ibn Qasim was born in Taif and was a nephew of the powerful Umayyad governor Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf.
At only 17 years old, he was sent to conquer Sindh to deal with pirates and Raja Dahir who protected them.
He captured the port of Debal and then defeated Raja Dahir at the Battle of Aror in 712, eventually capturing Multan.
He was known for his relatively tolerant policy toward the local Hindu and Buddhist populations, treating them as 'Protected People' (dhimmis).
Following the death of Al-Hajjaj and Caliph al-Walid I, he was recalled by the new Caliph Sulayman and eventually executed due to political rivalries.