The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c12.65

Language: English

v1.c12.65.1

Balādhuri tells us a story which curiously reminds us of the idol-breaking incident in the temple of Somnath. We are told that when "he got as far as the provinces of ad-Dāwar, he surrounded the enemy in the mountain of az-Zūr.¹ They soon surrendered to him. The numbers of Moslems with him was 8,000 and each man received 4,000 dirhams. Ibn-Samurah went into the temple of the Zūr, an idol of gold with two rubies for eyes, and cut off a hand and took out the rubies. Then he said to the *Satrap*, 'keep the gold and gems. I only wanted to show you that it had no power to harm or help.' "² Ibn Samurah next "obtained control over Bust and Zābul.³ He did not want to take prisoners from Zābul, saying that ‘Uthmān had made a compact (*walth*) with them. Wakī‘ says that he made an agreement (*‘aqd*) with them, which is inferior to covenant (*‘ahd*)."⁴ Ibn-Samurah was succeeded by Umair ibn Aḥmar. The people of Zaranj expelled him and closed the town. But in the reign of ‘Alī, Rib‘ī ibn al-Kās "established order in the country." In the reign of Mu‘āwiyah, Ibn Samurah again became governor of Sijistān. He was faced with a formidable task, for we are told that the people of Sijistān had apostatized, and the people of Zābulistān and Kābul had broken their treaties. By a series of campaigns he is said to have captured Kābul, in spite of the vigorous resistance of the '*polytheists*,' defeated the inhabitants of Zābulistān, and captured Bust and Rukhkhaj.

v1.c12.65.2

Balādhuri says that this officer "took with him to al-Baṣrah slaves captured at Kābul, and they built him a mosque in his castle after the Kābul style of building.” He died in A.H. 50 (A.D. 670) but before his death he was succeeded by ar-Rabī‘ ibn Ziyād. During his administration Kābul and Zābulistān again revolted. We are told that the “*Kābul Shāh* assembled a force to oppose the Moslems and drove out all of them that were in Kābul. And Ratbīl came and gained control of Zābulistān and ar-Rukhkhaj as far as Bust. Ar-Rabī‘ ibn Ziyād led out his men and attacked Ratbīl at Bust and put him to flight, and pursued him until he reached ar-Rukhkhaj. After attacking him in ar-Rukhkhaj, he continued to advance, and subdued the city of ad-Dāwar.” He was succeeded in the government of Sijistān by ‘Ubayd Ullāh ibn Abi Bakrah. He continued the campaign for some time and reached Razān. But “ Ratbīl sent to him *asking for peace for his own country and the land of Kābul in return for* 1,200,000 dirhams.” This sum was reduced to 1,000,000 dirhams and the peace was confirmed by Ziyād, the governor of Baṣra. In about 61 A.H. (A.D. 680) “ the people of Kābul treacherously broke the compact and imprisoned Abū ‘Ubaydah ibn Ziyād.” The governor of Sijistān, Yazīd ibn Ziyād, proceeded against them in Junzah, but he and many of those with him were killed and the rest put to flight. Among those who were martyred were Zayd ibn ‘Abd Ullāh and Ṣilah ibn Ashtam Abu’ṣ-Ṣabhā.

v1.c12.65.3

After this defeat the Arabs “ransomed Abu-‘Ubayda for 500,000 dirhams.” The cities of Sijistān, being “ aided and abetted ” by Ratbīl, became for a time at least free from the control of the representatives of the Caliph. Balādhurī informs us that “when ‘Abd ul-‘Azīz ibn ‘Abd Ullāh ibn ‘Amir arrived as *Wāli* over Sijistān in the time of az-Zubair (c.A.H. 64=683 A.D.), he was compelled to stop in the city of Zaranj because Ratbīl was at war with him.” But soon after “ *abu-‘Afrā’ ‘Umair al-Māzini killed Ratbīl and the polytheists were put to rout.*” But the war did not end with the death of this prince. In about A.H. 73 (A.D. 692) ‘Abd Ullāh was appointed to rule over Sijistān. “ He made war on Ratbīl (the successor as king to the former Ratbīl, who had been killed). He stood in awe of the Moslems,” and when ‘Abd Ullāh arrived at Bust, he offered to make peace for a sum of 1,000,000 dirhams, but the treaty fell through, for the Arab general wanted his tent to be filled with gold. Fighting was therefore resumed. “Ratbīl did not oppose his advance into the land until he had penetrated deep into it, when he seized the mountain paths and passes against him, asking the Moslems to cease hostilities and offering to refrain from despoiling them.

v1.c12.65.4

This was refused, and Ratbīl said, ‘Well, then take 300,000 dirhams for a treaty, and put it in writing for me, agreeing not to raid our land while you are *Wāli*, nor to burn nor lay waste.’” ‘Abd Ullāh did this, and when the Caliph ‘Abd ul-Malik (685-705 A.D.) learned of it, he dismissed him. Later, when al-Ḥajjāj (*c.* 694-713 A.D.) was governor of ‘Irāq, ‘Ubayd Ullāh ibn Abi Bakrah was sent to Sijistān. He carried on the war against Ratbīl, and advancing by way of ar-Rukhkhaj encamped “in the neighbourhood of Kābul, stopping at a mountain path. The enemy blocked it against him and Ratbīl joined them. So ‘Ubayd Ullāh made peace with them on condition that they should give him 500,000 dirhams and he should send him three of his sons Nahar, al-Ḥajjāj and Abu Bakrah as hostages, and he should make a treaty with them that he shall not fight as long as he was governor.”¹ This humiliating peace caused serious disaffection in the Arab camp, for it was felt that the action would seriously weaken Islam on this frontier. As a result of this, hostilities were again commenced. Shuraiḥ, who was mainly instrumental in the rejection of the peace “made a charge but was killed. The army fought their way along the desert of Bust.

v1.c12.65.5

Many of them perished of thirst and hunger, and Ubayd Ullāh died of grief for what he had brought upon his men and the fate that had overtaken them.” Soon after this disastrous Arab expedition “Ḥajjāj made peace with Ratbīl agreeing not to make war upon him for seven years (others say nine years), on condition that he pays thereafter every year 900,000 dirhams in kind.” This peace was respected by Ḥajjāj with scrupulous care, and he dismissed an officer who was disposed to deal “harshly with Ratbīl in regard to the goods which he paid.” In the reign of Caliph Walīd (705-715 A.D.) an attempt was made to exact the “tribute from Ratbīl in coined money.” In 710 A.D. Qutayba, the governor of Khurāsān, undertook a campaign against this “formidable foe” who had made Sijistān “an ill-omened frontier.”¹ The expedition was abortive, and the Arabs were compelled to continue accepting ‘payment in kind.’ In the reign of Caliph Sulaymān (715-17 A.D.) Ratbīl ceased to pay any tribute at all. Balādhuri informs us that “thereafter he did not pay any tribute to any of the *‘āmils* of the Umaiyads or of Abu-Muslim over Sijistān.” It was not till the reign of the Abbasid Caliph al Manṣūr (754-75 A.D.) that active steps were again taken against this prince.

v1.c12.65.6

Ma‘n ibn Zā’idah on his appointment as governor over Sijistān, wrote “to Ratbīl to bring tribute for which al-Ḥajjāj had stipulated.” On the receipt of this letter Ratbīl is said to have sent some “camels, Turkish tents, and slaves, reckoning each at double its value.” This aroused the anger of the Arab general, and war was resumed; but when Ma‘n came to ar-Rukhkhaj “he found that Ratbīl had withdrawn from that place and had gone to Zābulistān to spend the summer there.” Ar-Rukhkhaj, we are told, fell to the Arabs, and Ma‘n secured some 30,000 slaves; but his success does not appear to have been of any substantial character. Balādhuri tells us that “Sijistān was never completely subjugated,”