[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [General history and culture](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general) › [The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period)](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.ray-1931) › v1.c12.65.1 # The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c12.65.1 The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c12.65.1 - **Language:** English ### [v1.c12.65.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.ray-1931.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. - [Previous: v1.c12.64](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.ray-1931.v1.c12.64) - [Next: v1.c12.65.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.ray-1931.v1.c12.65.2) - [Up: v1.c12.65](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.ray-1931.v1.c12.65) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.ray-1931.v1.c12.65.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.ray-1931.v1.c12.65.1) · Pramāṇa