i hr ids , ▁the ▁pre - em inent ▁local ▁Arab ▁family , ▁seized ▁power ▁in ▁the ▁west . ▁Abd ▁al - R ah man ▁ibn ▁Hab ib ▁al - F ih ri ▁in ▁Africa ▁( 7 4 5 - 7 5 5 ) ▁and ▁Y us uf ▁ibn ▁' Ab d ▁al - R ah man ▁al - F ih ri ▁in ▁Al - And alus ▁( 7 4 7 - 7 5 5 ) ▁ruled ▁their ▁domin ions ▁virt ually ▁independently ▁of ▁the ▁C ali ph ate . ▁▁▁ ▁For ▁a ▁moment , ▁it ▁seemed ▁as ▁if ▁the ▁F i hr ids ▁might ▁succeed ▁in ▁turning ▁the ▁western ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁Islam ic ▁world ▁into ▁a ▁private ▁family ▁emp ire . ▁The ▁F i hr ids ▁gre et ed ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁the ▁Um ay y ads ▁in ▁ 7 4 9 - 5 0 ▁with ▁delight , ▁and ▁sought ▁to ▁reach ▁an ▁accommod ation ▁with ▁the ▁new ▁Abb as id ▁C ali ph s ▁of ▁the ▁east ▁to ▁allow ▁them ▁to ▁continue . ▁ ▁But ▁when ▁the ▁Abb as ids ▁rejected ▁their ▁offer ▁of ▁nom inal ▁v ass al ship ▁and ▁demanded ▁full ▁submission , ▁the ▁F i hr ids ▁broke ▁with ▁the ▁Abb as ids ▁and ▁declared ▁independence . ▁ ▁In ▁a ▁decision ▁that ▁would ▁prove ▁fatal , ▁Abd ▁al - R ah man ▁ibn ▁Hab ib ▁invited ▁the ▁rem n ants ▁of ▁the ▁fug itive ▁Um ay y ad ▁cl an ▁to ▁take ▁refuge ▁in ▁his ▁domin ions