Ibn Samura's Campaign and the Zur Idol

فتح ابن سمرة وصنم الزور

Ibn Amir made Abd al-Rahman ibn Samura governor of Sijistan; he besieged Zaranj's marzban in his palace on their feast-day — truced for two million dirhams and two thousand wadif — then conquered between Zaranj and Kish on the India side, and by the Rukhkhaj road to the Dawar country, bottling them in Jabal al-Zur before truce. Eight thousand Muslims took four thousand each; he entered upon the Zur idol — gold, with ruby eyes — cut off its hand and took the rubies: 'yours, the gold and jewels — I meant only to show you it can neither harm nor benefit'. Bust and Zabil he took by compact.

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Ibn Samura's March to Kabul

Mu'awiya's appointment of Ibn Amir over Basra sent Ibn Samura back to Sijistan — Abbad ibn al-Husayn al-Habati over his shurta, and with him the ashraf Umar ibn Ubaydallah ibn Ma'mar, Abdullah ibn Khazim, Qatari ibn al-Fuja'a and al-Muhallab ibn Abi Sufra — reconquering town after town whose folk had apostatized, by force or sulh, until Kabul. Months of siege and mangonels opened a great breach; Abbad spent the night spearing the polytheists so they could not close it — al-Hasan: 'I never thought one man could stand for a thousand until I saw Abbad ibn al-Husayn'. At dawn the foe sallied; Ibn Khazim hamstrung their elephant which fell blocking the gate so they could not shut it — Abu Mikhnaf says it was al-Muhallab — and the Muslims entered by force. Victory-dispatch went with Umar ibn Ubaydallah and al-Muhallab; then Ibn Samura crossed Wadi Nasl, took Khawash and Quzan by force, Wazan whose folk fled, Khushak by sulh, al-Akhj by fighting, Zabulistan broken with captives, and Kabul again.

Ibn Samura's Campaign and the Zur Idol

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Ibn Samura's March to Kabul