Urwa ibn al-Zubayr (c. 643–712 CE) was an early Islamic scholar, historian, and one of the most influential figures in the transmission of Hadith. Born in Medina, he was the son of Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, a prominent companion of the Prophet Muhammad, and Asma bint Abi Bakr, the daughter of the first caliph, Abu Bakr, and sister of Aisha. Urwa was part of the Tabi’un (the generation following the Prophet’s companions) and is often cited as a key figure in the transmission of Hadith.
Abd Allah Ibn Zubayr
Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr (624–692 CE) was the elder brother of Urwa. Following the death of Mu’awiya I (r. 661–680 CE / 41–60 AH), the founder of the Umayyad Caliphate, and the succession of his son Yazid I (r. 680–683 CE / 60–64 AH), Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr emerged as one of Yazid’s fiercest opponents. Rejecting Yazid’s caliphate as illegitimate, Ibn al-Zubayr took refuge in Mecca and proclaimed himself caliph.
He quickly garnered significant support, particularly in the Hejaz (Mecca and Medina), and extended his influence to parts of Iraq, Egypt, and Yemen, leaving the Umayyads largely confined to their capital in Damascus, a city that remained predominantly Christian at the time. This power struggle set the stage for several bloody conflicts between the Umayyads and the Zubayrid forces, leading to some of the most tumultuous events in early Islamic history.
Battle of Harra
One of the most infamous events of this period was the Battle of Harra (683 CE / 64 AH). When the people of Medina renounced their allegiance to Yazid I, he sent a large army to subdue the city. The ensuing battle resulted in the brutal sacking of Medina, the death of many Companions of the Prophet, and widespread atrocities.
After Medina’s desecration, the Umayyad army marched toward Mecca to confront Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr. During the siege, war engines launched projectiles that set parts of the Kaaba ablaze. However, Yazid’s sudden death in late 683 CE (64 AH) interrupted the campaign, leaving the Umayyad forces leaderless and in disarray. The chaos within the Umayyad ranks allowed Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr to consolidate his position, though his reprieve was short-lived.