The light of Islam penetrated in this part of  world as early as 712 A.D from the west with  Arab General Muhammad bin Qasim and during the 10th century A.D from the north with the Turk Sultan Mahmud of Ghaznah ( better known as Mahmud Ghaznavi) in this area.

Islam replaced the early way of life of worshipping idols and introduced new philosophy of faith in one God. With Islam in came a new culture in this land from Arabia and Central Asia. Hence, a new type of architecture, hitherto unknown in this area, was introduced.Tens of thousands of Mosques, Madrasahs, tombs and gardens were created by the Muslim rulers all over the Sub-Continent. The new style of Islamic architecture prevailed and matured in this land for over a thousand of  years.The direct influence of the Muslim Rulers was not only confined to the architecture; their food added a variety of new dishes in the Sub-Continental cuisine.The national dress of Pakistan, “ Shalwar Qamiz” is also a direct gift of the Muslim Turks

.An Important feature of Islamic Architecture   is the enclosed space with the result that houses were generally built around a courtyard with few or no windows on the outsite. The court yard masque, though less inward looking drives ultimately from the house of the Prophet in Madina. Its Primary purpose is, of course to accommadata a large number of worshippers

Since the mother tongue of the Muslim Rulers was Arabic, Turkish and Farsi, it was only natural that the local languages of  Sub-Continent were greatly influenced and new language was introduced. Thus the most important contribution of the Muslim rulers to this land is the new language ‘Urdu’ which became the national language of Pakistan since its independence in 1947.

The legacy of our predecessors at the time of our independence, on August 14, 1947, came to us as a treasure which may be called as Pakistan’s national heritage. So rich and diversified is this heritage that Pakistani nation can be proud of its glorious past, be Islamic, Post Islamic or pre-Islamic period as far back as pre-historic times. No other country of the world can produce the treasure of by gone days as can be found in Pakistan. It is now incumbent upon us to treasure our national heritage and save it from further deterioration and theft.

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