At that time the spoken language was Sanskrit, which later dwindled into the local variation that we now call Arabic. The proof of this is that thousands of words that were derived from Sanskrit still survive in Arabic today. Here is a sampling of some: Sanskrit, Arabic, English: Sagwan, Saj, Teakwood/ Vish, Besh, Poison/Anusari, Ansari, Follower/ Shishya, Sheikh, Disciple/ Mrityu, Mout, Mortal/ Pra-Ga-ambar, Paigambar, One from heaven/ Maleen, Malaun, Dirty, soiled,MALevolent/ Aapati, Aafat, Unfortunate, Karpas, Kaifas, Cotton/ Karpur, Kafur, Camphor/ Pramukh, Barmak, Prominent Chief/Naranga, Aranja, Orange. Even various kinds of swords were referred to as Handuwani, Hindi, Saif-Ul-Hind, Muhannid and Hinduani. The Sanskrit Astronomical treatise Brahma-Sphuta-Siddhanta in Arabic translation is known as Sind-Hind, while another treatise Khanda-Khadyaka was called Arkand. Mathematics itself was called Hindisa . The Arabs derived technical guidance in every branch of study such as astronomy, mathematics and physics from India. A noted scholar of history, W.H. Siddiqui notes: "The Arab civilization grew up intensively as well as extensively on the riches of Indian trade and commerce. Nomadic Arab tribes became partially settled communities and some of them lived within walled towns practised agriculture and commerce, wrote on wood and stone, feared the gods and honored the kings." Some people wrongly believe that Arabs used the word Hindu as a term of contemptuous abuse. No
