Little is known about Abu Risha's life prior to the Iraq War, albeit he reportedly ran a construction and import-export business with offices in Amman in Jordan and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

During the early part of the insurgency following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, as al-Qaeda's fighters tightened their grip on Ramadi, it is reported that they became increasingly repressive and challenged the tribal leaders' power.

During the late summer of 2006, he began enlisting his fellow sheikhs in Sahawat al-Anbar and encouraging members of his tribe to join the local police force.

Abu Risha was assassinated on 13 September 2007, along with three of his guards by an improvised explosive device planted on the road near the gate of his house in Ramadi.

[1] The Islamic State of Iraq took responsibility for the attack and several dozen people were arrested in connection with the killing, including the head of his own security detail.