Iraq was a source of turmoil and anxiety during the era of the Umayyads, so the caliphs always intended to send the most powerful rulers to the people of Iraq, and one of the most prominent of these tyrants who took over the matter of Iraq was Al-Hajjaj bin Yusuf Al-Thaqafi, who was known for his cruelty and political savvy, as he was very cunning. Which made him preoccupy the Muslims with jihad for the sake of God in the country beyond the river, and that was one of his most prominent advantages because it caused many Islamic conquests at the time.

Al-Hajjaj prepared a strong army under the leadership of Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Ash’ath in order to invade the land of Sindh and stand in the face of their king Ratbil, who was afraid of the strength of al-Hajjaj’s army, which made him send them to seek reconciliation, but Ibn al-Ash’ath refused that, and advanced in the country until he achieved massive victories, Until he found that it was necessary to stop penetrating into the country of Ratbeel more than that, until the countries conquered by his army could be reformed.

When Ibn al-Ash’ath sent his opinion to Al-Hajjaj about the necessity of stopping their penetration into the land of Sindh until the conquered countries could be reformed; Al-Hajjaj rejected this opinion, and even insulted him, describing him as cowardice, and ordered him to continue his march so that he would not be removed from the leadership, so Ibn al-Ash’ath gathered the army chiefs and the heads of the people of Iraq from those with him, then told them what al-Hajjaj issued and that he would not obey him and that the opinion was theirs.

The people revolted strongly against Al-Hajjaj, in fact, they wanted to depose him and pledge allegiance to Abdul Rahman bin Al-Ash’ath to be the Emir of Iraq, and while they were on their way to fight Al-Hajjaj, another opinion came to them to depose Al-Hajjaj as well as depose the Caliph Ibn Marwan and pledge allegiance to Ibn Al-Ash’ath to be a caliph, and this opinion was completely wrong because it is not permissible for The caliph will be from someone other than the Quraysh, and Ibn al-Ash’ath’s origin goes back to Yemen, which is what made some scholars refuse to pledge allegiance to him for the caliphate and were satisfied only with his pledge of allegiance to the emirate.

The revolutionaries from the people of Iraq went under the shadow of a huge army prepared by Ibn Al-Ash’ath to confront Al-Hajjaj, until an armed clash occurred between the two parties on the 10th of Dhu Al-Hijjah of the year 81 AH. Ibn al-Ash’ath, which made al-Hajjaj flee Basra, so Ibn al-Ash’ath was able to enter it and address the people to fight injustice, as he called them to fight Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan himself.

Al-Hajjaj rearranged his armies and returned to fight Ibn Al-Ash’ath in Basra in the month of Muharram in the year 82 AH, and the two sides clashed until many of them were killed. Al-Hajjaj were prevented from entering Kufa, so he encamped with his army in the area of ​​Deir Qara, then Ibn Al-Ash’ath headed with his army to the area of ​​Deir Al-Jamajim, where the two sides were waiting for each other for a long time.

The affairs of the Umayyad state were in turmoil and the enemies of the Muslims were waiting in the country beyond the river, as a result of these disturbances in Iraq, which made Abdul Malik bin Marwan send to the revolutionaries of Iraq telling them that he would depose al-Hajjaj if they were satisfied with that, and that he would appoint Muhammad bin Marwan in his place, provided that Ibn Al-Ash’ath is the emirate of any other country, and Ibn Al-Ash’ath was urging the revolutionaries to accept the offer in order to save blood, but the revolutionaries were insisting on their position.

Abd al-Malik bin Marwan ordered al-Hajjaj to continue his fight after the revolutionaries refused his offer, so al-Hajjaj took a long-term policy, until the year 83 AH entered, and the two sides still clashed every day, and despite the victory of Ibn al-Ash’ath’s army in many skirmishes, al-Hajjaj remained steadfast , until he decided to implement his plan to finish off the position of the strength of Ibn al-Ash'ath's army, known as the Readers Brigade.

Al-Hajjaj won thanks to his plan, and Ibn Al-Ash’ath fled abroad, as he sought refuge in the country of King Ratbil, who honored him and did good to him at that time. Until he sent Al-Hajjaj to him to threaten him with the ruin of his country if he did not send Ibn Al-Ash’ath to him. Then the treachery came from the side of Ratbil, where he killed Ibn Al-Ash’ath, then sent his head to Al-Hajjaj.