The governor 'Ubaidu-llah, son of Ziyád, then appointed Ibn Harrí al Báhalí. God, by his hands, subdued these countries, for he waged fierce war in them and conquered and plundered them. Some writers say that it was Sinán, son of Salama, who was appointed to the (chief) command by 'Ubaidu-llah and that Harrí led the forces.
The people of Núkán are now Muhammadans. 'Amrán, son of
Músa, son of Yahya, son of Khálid the Barmakide, built a city there
in the Khalifat of M'utasim bi-llah which he called Al Baizá (the
white). When al Hajjáj, son of Yúsuf, son of al Hakim, son of
Abú 'Akail al Sakifí, was governor of Irak, Sa'íd, son of Aslam,
son of Zura'a al Kalábí was appointed to Makrán and its frontiers.
He was opposed and slain there by Mu'áwiya and Muhammad, sons
of al Haras al 'Aláfí. * * * * *
Hajjáj then appointed Mujjá', son of S'ir al Tamímí to the frontier.
He made war upon, plundered and defeated the tribes about Kandá-
After the death of Mujjá', Hajjáj appointed in his place Muhammad,
son of Hárún, son of Zará' al Namarí. Under the government
of Muhammad, the king of the Isle of Rubies*
sent as a present
to Hajjáj, certain Muhammadan girls who had been born in his
country, the orphan daughters of merchants who had died there.
The king hoped by this measure to ingratiate himself with Hajjáj;
but the ship in which he had embarked these girls was attacked and
taken by some barks (bawárij) belonging to the Meds of Debal.
One of the women of the tribe of Yarbú' exclaimed, “Oh Hajjáj!”
When this news reached Hajjáj, he replied, “I am here.”*
He
then sent an ambassador to Dáhir to demand their release, but
Dáhir replied, “They are pirates who have captured these women,
and over them I have no authority.” Then Hajjáj sent 'Ubaidu-
The Isle of Rubies is so denominated because of the beauty of the women.
Afterwards, Hajjáj, during the Khiláfat of Walíd, son of 'Abdu-l malik, appointed Muhammad, son of Kásim, son of Muhammad, son of Hakim, son of Abú 'Ukail to command on the Sindian frontier. Muhammad was in Fárs when the order arrived, and had previously received instructions to go to Rai.* Abú-l Aswad Jahm, son of Zahru-l Ju'fí, was at the head of the advanced guard, and he was ordered to return to Muhammad, and he joined him on the borders of Sind. Hajjáj ordered six thousand Syrian warriors to attend Muhammad, and others besides. He was provided with all he could require, without omitting even thread and needles. He had leave to remain at Shíráz until all the men who were to accompany him had assembled, and all the preparations had been duly made. Hajjáj had some dressed cotton saturated with strong vinegar, and then dried it in the shade, and said, “When you arrive in Sind, if you find the vinegar scarce, soak the cotton in water, and with the water you can cook your food and season your dishes as you wish.” Some authors say, that when Muhammad arrived on the frontiers, he wrote to complain of the scarcity of vinegar, and this was the reason which induced Hajjáj to send cotton soaked in vinegar.
Then Muhammad, son of Kásim went to Makrán, and remained there some time. He then went to Kannazbúr and took it, and then to Armáíl, which he also took. Muhammad, son of Hárún, son of Zará', went to meet him, and joined him, but he died near Armáíl at Kásim's side, and was buried at Kambal.*
Muhammad, son of Kásim, left Armáíl, accompanied by Jahm, the son of Zahru-l Ju'fí, and arrived at Debal on Friday, where ships brought to him a supply of men, arms, and warlike machines. He dug an entrenchment which he defended with spearmen, and unfurled his standards; each body of warriors was arrayed under its own banner, and he fixed the manjaník, which was called “the bride,” and required five hundred men to work it. There was at Debal a lofty temple (budd) surmounted by a long pole, and on the pole was fixed a red flag, which when the breeze blew was unfurled over the city. The budd is a high steeple, below which the idol or idols are deposited, as in this instance. The Indians give in general the name of budd to anything connected with their worship or which forms the object of their veneration. So, an idol is called budd.
In the correspondence which ensued, Muhammad informed Hajjáj of what he had done, and solicited advice respecting the future. Letters were written every three days. One day a reply was received to this effect:—“Fix the manjaník and shorten its foot, and place it on the east; you will then call the manjaník-master, and tell him to aim at the flag-staff, of which you have given a description.” So he brought down the flagstaff, and it was broken; at which the infidels were sore afflicted. The idolaters advanced to the combat, but were put to flight; ladders were then brought and the Musulmáns escaladed the wall. The first who gained the summit was a man of Kúfa, of the tribe of Murád. The town was thus taken by assault, and the carnage endured for three days. The governor of the town, appointed by Dáhir, fled, and the priests of the temple were massacred. Muhammad marked out a place for the Musulmáns to dwell in, built a mosque, and left four thousand Musulmáns to garrison the place.
Muhammad, son of Yahya, says that Mansúr, the son of Hátim, the grammarian, a freeman of the family of Khálid, son of Assaid, relates that he had seen the pole broken into fragments which had been placed on the steeple of the temple. 'Ambissa son of Ishak Az Zabbí, the governor of Sind, in the Khalífat of Mu'tasim billah, knocked down the upper part of the minaret of the temple and converted it into a prison. At the same time he began to repair the ruined town with the stones of the minaret; but before he had completed his labours, he was deprived of his employment, and was succeeded by Hárún, son of Abí Khálid-al Marúrúzí, and he was slain there.
Muhammad, son of Kásim then went to Nírún,* the inhabitants of which place had already sent two Samanís, or priests, of their town to Hajjáj to treat for peace. They furnished Muhammad with supplies, and admitting him to enter the town, they were allowed to capitulate. Muhammad conquered all the towns successively which he met on his route, until he had crossed a river which runs on this side of the Mihrán [Indus]. He then saw approaching towards him Sarbídas, the Samaní, who came to demand peace in the name of the inhabitants. Muhammad imposed tribute upon them, and then went towards Sahbán, and took it. Then he went to the banks of the Mihrán, and there remained. When this news reached Dáhir, he prepared for battle. Muhammad, son of Kásim, had sent Muhammad, son of Mus'ab, son of 'Abdu-r Rahmán as Sakifí, to Sadúsán, with men mounted on horses and asses, at whose approach the inhabitants solicited quarter and peace, the terms of which were negociated by the Samaní. Muhammad granted them peace, but he imposed tribute on the place, and took pledges from them, and then returned to his master. He brought with him four thousand Jats, and left at Sadúsán an officer in command.
Muhammad sought the means of crossing the Mihrán, and effected the passage in a place which adjoined the dominions of Rásil, chief of Kassa, in Hind, upon a bridge which he had caused to be constructed. Dáhir had neglected every precaution, not believing that the Musulmáns would dare to advance so far. Muhammad and his Musulmáns encountered Dáhir mounted on his elephant, and surrounded by many of these animals, and his Takákaras [Thákurs] were near his person. A dreadful conflict ensued, such as had never been heard of. Dáhir dismounted and fought valiantly, but he was killed towards the evening, when the idolaters fled, and the Musulmáns glutted themselves with massacre, According to Al Madáiní, the slayer of Dáhir was a man of the tribe of Kaláb, who composed some verses upon the occasion. * * * * Various authors concur in saying that Muhammad took the village of Ráwar* by assault, in which city there was a wife of Dáhir, who, afraid of being captured, burned herself along with her handmaids and all that she possessed.