During his one-time alliance with the Aksumite viceroy Abraha, Zuhayr quelled a revolt by the Taghlib and Bakr tribes, capturing their chieftains, including Kulayb ibn Rabi'a.
[2] According to some ancient or medieval Arab sources, Zuhayr was also the leader of the entire Quda'a confederation, which included the Bedouin tribes of Kalb, Juhayna, Bali, al-Qayn, Bahra' and Tanukh.
[2] He led an attack by the Kalb and their Yemeni allies against the two tribes when they revolted, and took captive the Taghlibi chieftain Kulayb ibn Rabi'a and his brother Muhalhil.
[2] In his poetry, Zuhayr refers to this battle, which is recorded by many traditional Arab sources, saying "We captured Muhalhil and his brother ... May Taghlib perish because their women are herded to the market like slaves with no ornaments".
[2] When the Ghatafan tribe constructed a haram (religious sanctuary) for their idols at a place called "Buss" to rival the Ka'aba in Mecca, Zuhayr resolved to destroy it.
[8] The former account is supported by 10th-century historian Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani, who wrote that when Zuhayr became aware of the Ghatafan's action, he exclaimed "By God, that will never happen while I am alive!
[2] These included the offspring of Bahdal ibn Unayf (d. 650s), such as his daughter Maysun, who married Caliph Mu'awiyah I (r. 661–680) and gave birth to the latter's son and successor Yazid I (r.