Abdallah Ben Zobair, ruler of Mecca, born about 022, died in 692. He was the first born of the disciples of Mohammed after the hegira, and his advent was a matter of great rejoicing. He was the son of Zobair, a friend and companion of Mohammed, and of Asma, the sister of Ayesha, the prophet's favorite wife. He was thus Mohammed's nephew by marriage, and was brought up under his immediate tutelage. After Mohammed's death, the question of succession was one of great moment. On the death of the prophet's immediate successors, and the election of Ali, Mohammed's nephew and son-in-law, to whom Ayesha was decidedly opposed, Abdallah sided with his aunt and resisted Ali's claims. He was, however, severely wounded in a contest with the rival faction; but on the assassination of Ali he boldly renewed his opposition to Moawiyah, and on his death raised the standard of revolt against Yezid, his successor. He seized upon the holy city, and maintained himself against both the remonstrances and the arms of the caliph. At this early period there were three distinct governments in the territories conquered by the Arabs, in Persia, Syria, and Arabia. Ab-dallah's chief opponent was Yezid, caliph of Damascus. In the siege which he sustained at Mecca, the temple of the holy Caaba was destroyed by the assailants, and the death of Yezid alone saved the city from capture.

Ab-dallah was now acknowledged sultan and caliph of Mecca by the Arabs, and rebuilt the city and temple, not without opposition from his superstitious subjects, who considered it sacrilege to touch the stones of the sacred edifice. He completed the restoration in 685. Yezid's son, Moawiyah II., abdicated in favor of Merwan, on whose death his son Abd-el-Malek ben Merwan succeeded him, and pushed the war vigorously against Abdallah, by whose anathemas Abd-el-Malek's subjects, when they made the pilgrimage to Mecca, were greatly influenced or scandalized. Abd-el-Malek vanquished Abdallah's brother and lieutenant Mo-zab ben Zobair in the plains of Persia, added Irak to the caliphate of Damascus, and despatched an army against Abdallah at Mecca. The holy city was a second time besieged, and resisted for several months. Abdallah, at the age of TO, defended himself to the last, and when the city was taken by storm retired to the Caaba, where he was killed by a blow on the head from a tile. He is described as brave to rashness and crafty to perfidy.