He governed the districts of Upper Egypt. When al-Ẓāfir was assassinated, the members of al-Ẓāfir’s household and harem sent Ibn Ruzzayk soot-blackened letters, inside which lay the clipped tresses of their womenfolk, urging him to take revenge. So he mustered his forces, gathered reinforcements, advanced, and seized control of Egypt (1).

He was a man of letters and learning, a poet who was open-handed, generous, widely praised, courageous, and a shrewd statesman. A small dīwān of his poetry is extant (2).

After al-Fāʾiz died, he installed al-ʿĀḍid, who then married his daughter. All effective power, however, lay in al-Ṣāliḥ’s hands, while the youthful al-ʿĀḍid remained secluded from affairs of state. Grown complacent after years of untroubled rule, al-Ṣāliḥ reduced the emirs’ stipends. They therefore formed a pact to kill him, and al-ʿĀḍid agreed, resolving that he be slain together with the dāʿī’s sons (3). They were hidden inside the palace; they rushed upon him and inflicted several wounds. His mamluks quickly intervened and killed the attackers, but he was carried away and died the same day, 19 Ramaḍān 556 AH. Robes of investiture were then conferred upon his son al-ʿĀdil Ruzzayk, who assumed the vizierate (4).

Al-Sharīf al-Jawānī said: “In championing his doctrine he was like red-hot steel—no one could outmatch his prowess or equal his genius. He would assemble scholars and debate them on the Imamate.”

I say: He authored works promoting Rāfiḍī beliefs and on predestination. ʿUmārah al-Yamanī composed panegyrics and elegies for him (5).