Then the command fell to the lot of Munzir son of Hárúd son of Bashar. In the year 61* when under the orders of the Khalí-fah, Munzir put on the dress of honour (presented to him), and started for his post, his robe stuck to a piece of wood and was torn. Ubaidulláh son of Ziyád* became much grieved at this incident, and interpreted it as an evil omen signifying bad luck for Munzir. He bade him adieu, and returning to his place, wept for him, and said: “Munzir will never return from this journey, and will die.” Abdul Azíz asked the son of Ziyád: “So much money is being lost; are you not going to appoint anyone to go and collect the tribute.” “I have sent Munzir,” replied Ubaidulláh, “as there is no one else who is his equal, in point of bravery and skill in fighting. If fortune favours him, he will return success­ful.”

When Munzir started from there, and came to the country of the enemy, he fell ill at Búrábí and gave up his soul to God. His son Hakam was then at Kirmán and the sad news was communicated to him there Munzir's brother Abdul Azíz now applied for the vacant post, but Hajjáj* coming to know of this (application) called Abdul Azíz and reprimanded him, observing: “A noble personage out of our grandees and chief men has sacri­ficed himself in the cause of the great God. His son is alive; are you so shameless as to apply for his post?”

It is related that when Hakam returned home, Ubaid-ulláh was informed of the fact, and he wept and became very sad. He called Munzir's son and made a gift of 30,000 dirams to him. The administration of the affairs of Hind was (also) entrusted to him. When Hakam put on the robe of honour, every one was struck with his brave and undaunted appearance, and instantly Abdulláh son of Aúr Hawárí rose and recited the following verses:—

Verses.—O Hakam son of Munzir son of Hárúd,

Extremely generous (you are) yourself, and your generosity is praiseworthy;

Follow a straight path—and follow it with dignity. May good befall you;

May my lines be east in the pleasant places of this prince of the generous.

It is related by the historians that when the Khalífate came into the hands of Abdul Malik son of Marwán, he gave (the governor­ship of) Irák, Hind and Sind to Hajjáj son of Yúsif.* Hajjáj sent Aslam Kilábí to Makrán.* When the latter arrived there Safahwí son of Lam Ham-mámí met him on his way. Saíd said to him: “I am going to get down here; will you join me and be my helper?” “I have no army under me,” replied Safahwí. “Are you so hold,” said Saíd, “as to disregard the request I make on the authority and in the name of the Kha-lifah.” “By God,” replied Safahwí, “I will not obey your command; I consider it below my dignity to do so” Thereupon Saíd arrested him, and killed him, then he took off his skin, and sent his head to Hajjáj, and himself went to Makrán, and fixed his residence there. He appointed trustworthy men to collect the tribute, and by adopting gentle measures, he succeeded in securing more wealth from Hindustán (than was ever secured before). One day, he was coming to Marah-Bákhráj, when he accidentally encountered a party of Aláfís.

It is said in a tradition on the authority of Kaibat son of Ashas, that one day, Kublaibat son of Halaf Mughanní, Abdulláh son of Abdur Rahím Aláfí, and Muhammad son of Muáwiyeh Aláfí, conspired among themselves, saying “Safahwí son of Lam was from our country. He belongs to Ammán and our part of the country jointly. How dared Saíd to kill a kinsman of ours?” So when they met him accidentally near Marali-Bákhráj, while he was coming to that place, (as said above) an altercation occurred between them, which ??nded in a fight and the Aláfís made an assault on Saíd and killed him. Thenceforth, they became permanent residents of Makrán. On this event Farzdak composed the following verses:—

Verses.—“O Saíd, you prepared for the holy war, but the earth has closed its doors against you and held you fast in its bosom (that is, you lie buried now).

The land of Makrán—verily closed around Saíd

—Said who was generous and from whose liberal fountain no bucket ever came forth empty,

Hard was it to rouse you to anger, and courageous were the guards at your gate, (but alas, you are gone);

When my eyes recall (your face), O Saíd, they shower unceasing tears and my grief is ever renewed.”

Saíd's men returning home, Hajjáj became very angry with them, for returning without Saíd, and he asked them where their leader was. As they denied any knowledge on the point, Hajjáj ordered some of them to be beheaded. Then they stated the truth, and said that the Aláfís had rebelled against him and killed him. Thereupon Hajjáj ordered a man of the family of Baní Kiláb to kill Sulai-mán Aláfí. He then sent his head to the house of Saíd's dependents and followers. He further consoled them, and showed much kindness to his relations, some of whom were the following:— Chach* son of Aslam, Bashír son of Ziyád, Muhammad son of Abdurrahmán, Ismáíl son of Aslam. These men, together with Saíd's slaves and freed slaves, began to cry and lament loudly. Then Saisaah son of Muhammad Kilábí uttered the following verses:—

Verses.—Gone is he (the here)! How can our hearts be without sorrow, when we hear of that (heroic) story of Saíd?

His brothers have, for his sake, given up (as it were) their life;

(Time was) when even high game retreated before him,

But when the hour struck—he was as if he was not;

And the decree of the Lord became manifest and martyrdom fell upon him;

I see him, in my dreams, at Kandáíl—there he kindly accords me an interview. Let not the fools of the market-place and new-fangled lordlings say aught against me.

The writers of this history have related on the authority of Bashír son of Isá Sahib Inhat, who had received the information from Barkad son of Mughairah, and Umar son of Muhammad Tamímí, that when Hajjáj sent Mujá??ah son of Suáir to Khurásán, and the province of Kandáíl was conquered in the year 85,* during the administration of Hajjáj, the Aláfís had left that part of the country before the arrival of Mujá-ah. The latter sent men after them to find them, but they went to Dáhar son of Chach, the ruler of Sind. Mujá-ah remained at Makrán for one year and then breathed his last.

In the year 86,* Walíd son of Abdul Malik, who was a son of Marwán, became the Khalífah He entrusted the management of foreign affairs to Muhammad Hárún. It is said by historians that when Mujá-ah's life came to its close, Hajjáj son of Yúsif sent Muhammad son of Hárún to Hindustán, with full and absolute powers to command and to inhibit. He instructed him to make every effort to collect tributes (in arrear) for the royal treasury. Further he said: “Find out the Aláfís, and try your best to secure them, and exact the vengeance due to Saíd from them.” Accordingly, in the commencement of the year 86, Muhammad found one of the Aláfís, killed him, under those orders, and in the name of the Khalífah, and sent his head to Hajjáj. At the same time, he wrote a letter to Hajjáj, in which he said: “I have made one of the Aláfís food for the sword of the Khalífah; if my life lasts, and fortune smiles, I hope to capture the others also.” For five years Muhammad son of Hárún continued there, gaining victories both on land and water.

It is related that the king of Sarandeb* sent some curiosities and presents from the island of pearls, in a small fleet of boats by sea, for Hajjáj. He also sent some beautiful pearls and va­luable jewels, as well as some Abyssinian male and female slaves, some pretty presents, and unparalleled rarities to the capital of the Khalífah. A number of Mussalman women also went with them with the object of visiting the Kaabah, and seeing the capital city of the Khalífahs. When they arrived in the province of Kázrún, the boat was overtaken by a storm, and drifting from the right way, floated to the coast of Debal. Here a band of rob­bers, of the tribe of Nagámrah, who were residents of Debal, seized all the eight boats, took possession of the rich silken cloths they contained, captured the men and women, and carried away all the valuable property and jewels.* The officers of the king of Sarandeb and the women informed them that, the property was intended for the Khalífah then regnant, but they paid no heed and said: “If there is anyone to hear your complaint, and to help you, purchase your liberty.” Then they all cried with one voice: “O Hajjáj, O Hajjáj, hear us and help us.” The woman who first uttered that cry belonged to the family of Baní Azíz. Wasat Asaadí states that when Debal was conquered he had occasion to see that woman, who was fair-skinned and of tall stature. The merchants (who were in the boats) were brought to Debal, and the people who had fled from the boats came to Hajjáj and informed him of what had happened. “The Mussalman women,” said they, “are detained at Debal and they cry out: ‘O Hajjáj, O Hajjáj, hear us, help us’.” When Hajjáj heard this, he said, as if in reply to the call of the women: “Here am I, here am I.” It is also stated in a tradition about Hajjáj that, when the Mussalman women were asked what they meant by calling Hajjáj to their help, they replied: “We were in a sleep-like repose and we were disturbed in it, and so we called him to save us from the cruel and unmerciful people, who had confined us in captivity.”