He took control of Damascus, whereupon his brother al-ʿAzīz marched against him and defeated him. When al-ʿAzīz died, al-Afdal hastened to Egypt, assumed the reins of authority, and set out with the Egyptian army toward Damascus. His uncle al-ʿĀdil, however, had already rushed there from Mardin two days earlier. Al-Afdal besieged the city, burned its suburbs and orchards, committed every disgraceful act, and eventually entered the town. The populace greeted him with loud acclamation, for he was well-liked, and al-ʿĀdil nearly surrendered. He regained his composure, though, rallied his men against al-Afdal’s troops, and drove them out. Not long after, al-Ẓāhir arrived with the lord of Ḥimṣ, intent on advancing, but nothing came of it. Al-Afdal’s fortunes then declined; he returned to Sarkhad, moved on to Sumaissat, and reconciled himself to remaining there. He inclined toward Shīʿism, though without embracing open rejection (rafḍ).

He was a man of learning and composed poetry. On his deathbed, his father had designated him for the sultanate, for he was the eldest of his brothers. Of his uncle al-ʿĀdil he said:

A precedent ancient among humankind endures:
Forever does Abu Bakr wrong ʿAlī.

He also sent some of his verses to the caliph al-Nāṣir—who himself favored Shīʿism—writing:

My lord, Abu Bakr and his companion
ʿUthmān have seized (1) by the sword the right of ʿAlī.
He it was whom his father had appointed over them,
And order prevailed the moment he assumed command.
Yet they opposed him and dissolved the pact of allegiance,
Though the text in his favor is perfectly clear.
Behold how ill-fated this name has been,
In these later days as it was in the first.

The chancery replied:

Your letter has reached us, O son of Yūsuf, proclaiming affection,
And informing us that your lineage is pure.