Editing Muslim conquests of Afghanistan (section)

===Sistan===
{{main|Muslim conquest of Sistan}}
[[Image:Sakastan Sasanian era.png|thumb|300px|right|Map of [[Sakastan]] under the [[Sasanian Empire]].]]
The earlier Arabs called Sistan as ''Sijistan'', from the [[Middle Persian|Persian]] word ''Sagestan''. It is a lowland region, lying round and eastwards from the [[Godzareh Depression|Zarah lake]], which includes deltas of [[Helmand River|Helmand]] and other rivers which drain into it.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UJqxGH_QuXcC&pg=PA334|title=The Lands of the Eastern Caliphate|author=Guy Le Strange|publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]]|page=334|author-link=Guy Le Strange|isbn=9781107600140|date=2011-06-16}}</ref> The Muslim conquest of Sistan began in 23 [[Hijri year|AH]] (643-644 AD) when [[Asim ibn 'Amr al-Tamimi|Asim bin Amr]] and [[Abdallah ibn Amir]] invaded the region and besieged Zaranj. The Sistanis concluded a treaty with Muslims, mandating them to pay the [[kharaj]].<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress|volume= 59|title=Sistan's transition to Islam in historical perspective|page=914|publisher=[[Indian History Congress]]|first=Hamiddulah|last=Marazi}}</ref>

The cash-strapped [[Sasanian Empire|Sasanian]] king [[Yazdegerd III]] who had a large retinue, had fled to [[Carmania (region)|Kerman]] in 650. He had to flee from Kerman to Sistan after his arrogance angered the [[marzban]] of the place, eluding an Arab force from [[Basra]] which defeated and killed the marzban. Yazdegerd lost the support of governor of Sistan after demanding taxes from him and had to leave for [[Merv]].<ref name=Daryaee/> It is not known whether this governor was a Sasanian prince or a local ruler at that time. The Arabs had campaigned in Sistan a few years earlier and Abdallah b. Amir had now gone in pursuit of Yazdegerd. He arrived in Kirman in 651 and sent a force under [[Rabi ibn Ziyad al-Harithi]] to Sistan.<ref name=Frye>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hvx9jq_2L3EC&pg=PA24|title=The Cambridge History of Iran, Volume 4|author=Richard N. Frye|page=24|publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]]|author-link=Richard N. Frye|isbn=9780521200936|date=1975-06-26}}</ref>

Rabi crossed the desert between Kirman and Sistan, reaching the fortress of Zilaq which was within five [[Parasang|farsangs]] of the Sistan frontier. The fort was surrendered by its [[dihqan]].<ref name=Frye/> The fortress of Karkuya, whose [[fire temple]] is mentioned in the anonymously authored ''[[Tarikh-i Sistan|Tarikh-e-Sistan]]'', along with Haysun and Nashrudh, surrendered to Rabi.<ref name=Daryaee>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Jxd2Zr9Ilw8C&pg=PA214|title=The Oxford Handbook of Iranian History|author=Touraj Daryaee|page=214|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|author-link=Touraj Daryaee|isbn=9780199732159|date=2012-02-16}}</ref><ref name=Frye/> Rabi then encamped in Zaliq and projected the seizure of Zarang, which though had earlier submitted to Arabs, needed to be subdued again. Although its marzban [[Aparviz of Sakastan|Aparviz]] put up a strong resistance, he was forced to surrender.<ref name=Frye/>

The Zaranj forces had received heavy casualties during the battle with Arab forces and were driven back to the city.<ref name=Daryaee/> According to sources, when Aparviz appeared before Rabi to discuss the terms, he found the Arab general was sitting on a chair made out of two dead soldiers and his entourage had been instructed to make seats and bolsters in the same fashion. Aparviz was terrified into submission and wished to spare his people of this fate. A peace treaty was concluded with payment of heavy dues.<ref name=Frye/> The treaty mandated one million [[dirhams]] as annual tribute, in addition to 1,000 slave boys bearing 1,000 gold vessels. The city was also garrisoned by Rabi.<ref name=Daryaee/>

Rabi thus succeeded in gaining Zarang with considerable difficulty and remained at the place for several years. Two years later, the people of Zarang rebelled and expelled Rabi's lieutenant and garrison. Abdallah b. Amir sent 'Abd ar-Rahman b. Samura to take back the city, who also added [[Lashkar Gah|Bust]] and [[Zabul]] to Arab gains.<ref name=Frye/> 'Abd ar-Rahman besieged Zaranj and after the marzban surrendered, the tribute was doubled.<ref name=Doryajee1>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Jxd2Zr9Ilw8C&pg=PA216|title=The Oxford Handbook of Iranian History|author=Touraj Daryaee|pages=216|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|author-link=Touraj Daryaee|isbn=9780199732159|date=2012-02-16}}</ref> The tribute imposed on Zarang was 2 million dirhams and 2,000 slaves.<ref name=Shaban28>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1_03AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA28|title=The Abbasid Revolution|author=M.A. Shaban|pages=28|publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]]|isbn=9780521295345|date=1979-03-08}}</ref>

During the period of the [[First Fitna|first civil war]] in the Arab caliphate (656–661), rebels in Zarang imprisoned their governor while Arab bandits started raiding remote towns in Sistan to enslave people.<ref name=Doryajee1/> They gave in to the new governor Rib'i, who took control of the city and restored law and order.<ref>{{cite book|title=Central Asia|publisher=Area Study Centre (Central Asia), [[University of Peshawar]]|page=87|year=1979}}</ref> 'Abdallah b. Amir was made the governor of Basra and its eastern dependencies again from 661 to 664. Samura was sent back to Sistan in 661.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K-poAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA217|title=The Oxford Handbook of Iranian History|author=Touraj Daryaee|page=217|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|author-link=Touraj Daryaee|isbn=9780199875757|date=2011-09-05}}</ref> An expedition to Khorasan was sent under him that included reputed leaders like [[Umar ibn Ubayd Allah ibn Ma'mar|Umar b. 'Ubaydillah b. Ma'mar]], 'Abdullah b. Khazim, [[Qatari ibn al-Fuja'a|Qatariyy b. al-Fuja'a]] and [[Al-Muhallab ibn Abi Sufra]].<ref name=Shaban28/> Samura reconquered Zarang, while also conquering the region between Zarang and Kisht, [[Arachosia]], [[Zamindawar]], Bust and Zabul.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xeK9w9P0sBQC&pg=PA139|title=World Religions and Islam: A Critical Study, Part 1|author=Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi|page=139|publisher=Sarup & Sons|isbn=9788176254144|year=2003}}</ref>

[[Ziyad ibn Abihi]] was appointed governor of Basra in 664 and was also made governor of Kufa and its dependencies in 670, making him the viceroy of the entire eastern half of the Islamic empire. He sent his kinsman Ubaydallah b. Abi Bakra to destroy the Zoroastrian [[fire temples]] in [[Fars province|Fars]] and Sistan, confiscate their property and kill their priests. While the fire temple of [[Karyan, Fars|Kariyan]] was destroyed, the one at Karkuya survived along with its [[herbad]].<ref name=Daryee217>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K-poAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA217|title=The Oxford Handbook of Iranian History|author=Touraj Daryaee|pages=217|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|author-link=Touraj Daryaee|isbn=9780199875757|date=2011-09-05}}</ref> Ziyad's son [[Abbad ibn Ziyad|Abbad]] was appointed governor of Sijistan by [[Mu'awiya I]] in 673 and served until 681.<ref name="Zetterstéen5">{{EI2|article=ʿAbbād b. Ziyād|last=Zetterstéen|first=K. V.|volume=1|page=5}}</ref> During the course of his governorship, the province apparently remained stable and Abbad led an eastward expedition which brought [[Kandahar]] to the caliphate.<ref name="Zetterstéen5"/> Caliph [[Yazid I]] replaced Abbad with his brother [[Salm ibn Ziyad|Salm]], who was already governor of Khurasan.<ref name="Zetterstéen5"/>