I chose the passage to highlight the gross distortion: "He was interested in finding out more about the people he conquered, and entrusted a scholar named al-B

I chose the passage to highlight the gross distortion: "He was interested in finding out more about the people he conquered, and entrusted a scholar named al-Biruni to write an account of the subcontinent" No. He was not interested in finding out more about the people he conquered. The biographical works of his time are very clear - he wanted the loot and he wanted to get rid of the infidels and idol worshippers.