[1] The motives for his rebellion are not clear, but may be connected to the renewed persecution of the Alids under the Abbasid caliphs from al-Mutawakkil's reign onward.
[2] After fifty days he left for Medina, but although the governor of the latter made no attempt to resist and went into hiding, Isma'il returned to Mecca and laid siege to it.
[4] In January 866, on the Day of Arafah, he attacked the Hajj pilgrims and their accompanying Abbasid military escort, sent by Caliph al-Mu'tazz.
After killing some 1100 pilgrims, the rest fled into Mecca, and did not dare exit the city, while Isma'il returned to Jeddah unmolested.
[5][6] Isma'il's brother Muhammad succeeded him, but in the event he was pushed by Abbasid forces into the Yamama region in central Arabia, where he founded the Ukhaydhir dynasty.