While Qaysi chieftains began leaning towards supporting Ibn Zubayr, the leaders of the Yaman sought to ensure continued Umayyad rule and nominated Marwan I to assume the caliphate.[3] The Qays under al-Dahhak ibn Qays al-Fihri challenged the Umayyad–Yaman alliance at the Battle of Marj Rahit in 684.[3] Some traditions hold that Zufar himself participated in this battle, but this is dismissed by the historians Ya'qubi and Awana ibn al-Hakam;[6] al-Tabari holds that Zufar dispatched troops from the Qinnasrin garrison to join Dahhak's forces near Damascus.[7] Moreover, al-Tabari writes that when news that al-Dahhak and numerous Qaysi chieftains had been killed and the Qays routed, Zufar fled Qinnasrin to al-Qarqisiyah.[2][8] The town's Umayyad governor Iyad al-Jurashi initially refused entry to Zufar, who responded "I promise you on pain of having to divorce my wives and set free my slaves that once I have entered its bath I will leave the town."[8] He subsequently gained entry with his men and ousted Iyad.[8]