Junayd ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Murri

Junayd ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Murri was the Arab governor of Sindh from 723-726 A.D.. He started invading Indian kingdoms. After subduing Sindh, Junayd sent campaigns to various parts of India. The justification was that these parts had previously paid tribute to Bin Qasim but then stopped. The first target was al-Kiraj (possibly Kangra valley), whose conquest effectively put an end to the kingdom. A large campaign was carried out in Rajasthan which included Mermad (Maru-Mala, in Jaisalmer and north Jodhpur), al-Baylaman (Bhillamala or Bhinmal) and Jurz (Gurjara country—southern Rajasthan and north Gujarat). Another force was sent against Uzayn (Ujjain), which made incursions into its country (Avanti) and some parts of it were destroyed (the city of Baharimad, unidentified). Ujjain itself may not have been conquered. A separate force was also sent against al-Malibah (Malwa, to the east of Ujjain), but the outcome is not recorded; probably unsuccessful.

Towards the North, the Arabs attempted to expand into Punjab, but they could not advance beyond Multan. While the fall of the Umayyad Caliphate was a factor in this, art historian Hermann Goetz theorizes that the resistance from Lalitaditya Muktapida, the emperor of Kashmir, may also have played a part in this. Historian Mohibbul Hasan theorizes that Junayd marched towards Kashmir, but was defeated by Lalitaditya. Another force was dispatched south. It subdued Qassa (Kutch), al-Mandal (perhaps Okha), Dahnaj (unidentified), Surast (Saurashtra) and Barus or Barwas (Broach).

The kingdoms weakened or destroyed included the Bhattis of Jaisalmer, the Gurjaras of Bhinmal, the Mauryas of Chittor, the Guhilots of Mewar, the Kacchelas of Kutch, the Maitrakas of Saurashtra and the Gurjaras of Nandipuri. Al-Junayd might be dismissed by the Umayyad Caliphate.