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.

Depth

At a glance

Era: The Rashidun Caliphate
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Overview

Ibn Amir appointed Abd al-Rahman ibn Samura over Sistan, and he advanced into its land as far as Mount al-Zur, according to al-Baladhuri. ¹

The conquests

He came to Zaranj and besieged its governor in his palace on one of their feast days, and he made peace with him for two million dirhams and two thousand slaves. He prevailed over the land between Zaranj and Kish on the side of India. He took the road of al-Rakhaj to the land of the Dawar, besieged them on the mountain of al-Zur, and then made peace with them. ¹

The idol of al-Zur

The number of the Muslims was eight thousand, and each man received four thousand. He entered upon al-Zur, an idol of gold with two rubies for eyes, cut off its hand and took the two rubies. Then he said to the governor: "Take the gold and the jewels; I only wanted to show you that it neither harms nor benefits." ¹

He also took Bust and Zabul by treaty. ¹

Connections

Explore the connections

Had participant: Abd al-Rahman ibn Samura
Occurred at: Jabal al-Zur

People and things also explored

Ibn Samura's March to Kabul· Muslim 1650 — Do not ask for authority; expiate your oath· Abd al-Rahman ibn Samura· Jabal al-Zur

Sources

Futuh al-Buldan — al-Baladhuri (Mu'assasat al-Ma'arif edition)

Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “Ibn Samura's Campaign and the Zur Idol”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/event/ibn-samura-zur-idol/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-16.

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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.