Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik, a younger brother of al-Walid, in 715 succeeds as caliph at his brother’s death, due, in part, to the political opponents of Al-Hajjaj bin Yousef.

However, al-Hajjaj had died in 714, leaving Sulayman free to persecute his political allies.

Among these are the two famous generals Qutayba bin Muslim and his protégé Muhammad bin Qasim; all are imprisoned and then killed.

Serving as the governor of Palestine before his accession, he had allied himself to the Yamani grouping in the tribal politics of the Near East at this time.

As he remains close to the Yamanis, Sulayman does not move to Damascus on becoming Caliph, but rather remains in Ramla in Palestine, having established the city on the coastal plain southeast of Jaffa. (Ramla is fated to be the only city founded by the Arabs in Palestine.)