[2] Though of foreign origins, Ibn al-Mustafad was assimilated into the Aleppine populace and resided in the al-Zajjajin (glassmakers) quarter where he likely cultivated close relationships with craftsmen, minor traders and laborers.
[2] In turn, Salih guaranteed the residents' safety and appointed Ibn al-Mustafad as ra'is al-balad (municipal chief) and muqaddam al-ahdath (commander of the local militia).
[4] After Salih died, his sons Nasr and Thimal succeeded him, until the former seized complete control of Aleppo in 1030 following the Mirdasid victory over the Byzantines at the Battle of Azaz.
Ibn al-Mustafad remained in charge of the ahdath, but he opposed Nasr's move to make the Emirate of Aleppo a formal vassal of the Byzantine Empire in 1031.
[3] He stirred up the city's poor and middle class Muslims to protest the alliance with Byzantium,[5] prompting the Byzantine governor of Antioch to demand Nasr execute Ibn al-Mustafad.