ABSTRACT
From the defeat of the great rebellion of al-Mukhtar b. Abi 'Ubayd until the fall of the Umayyad dynasty in A.D. 750, a succession of extreme Shi'ite revolts erupted in Iraq, contributing to the general unrest and turmoil which ultimately brought disaster upon the Umayyad family. These recurring religio-political uprisings, in combination with other factors, eroded the strength of the Syrian dynasty, thereby facilitating the task of the ·Abbasid revolutionaries in 750. In addition to the political impact of their activities, the rebel leaders and their followers were significant for certain religious ideas and practices, many of which became integral parts of both moderate and extremist Shi'ite teachings.
