According to the historian Mariam Yared-Riachi, contrary to his title, Sabiq was considered by the 13th-century Aleppine chronicler Ibn al-Adim as one of the most backward Mirdasid emirs.
[citation needed] At the start of his rule Sabiq released the chief of Aleppo's Turkmen mercenaries, Ahmad Shah, who had been imprisoned by Nasr for unknown reasons.
[1] The Kilab mobilized its horsemen and foot soldiers, numbering 70,000-strong according to Ibn al-Adim, in the plain of Qinnasrin, in preparation for an assault on Aleppo.
[7] In the assessment of the historian Suheil Zakkar, Sabiq could have used the opportunity to incite Ahmad Shah's troops against Ibn Dimlaj to sap the Turkmens' strength.
[1] Sabiq recalled Ahmad Shah from his siege against Byzantine-held Antioch, where he had driven the population to near starvation, to confront Tutush's incoming army.
[1] Ahmad Shah was killed during the siege, which nonetheless remained largely ineffective due to the secret collusion between Muslim ibn Quraysh and Sabiq.
[11] Muslim was personally fond of Sabiq,[1] opposed a Seljuk takeover of Aleppo, and admonished the Kilabi chiefs for inviting Turkish foreigners against their kinsman.
Muslim informed Tutush that he was withdrawing from the siege, but before departing he entered Aleppo through Bab al-Iraq where he allowed his troops to sell the Aleppines food and supplies.
[1] Afterward, Abu Za'ida, with Muslim's assistance, raised an army of 1,000 horsemen and 500 foot soldiers from the Arab tribes of Kilab, Numayr, Qushayr and Uqayl.