أروى بنت أحمد
By and large, throughout his reign al-Musta'li was subordinate to al-Afdal. Al-Afdal was a capable administrator, and his good governance ensured the continued prosperity of Egypt throughout the reign. Al-Musta'li himself is praised for his upright character by the Sunni contemporary historian Ibn al-Qalanisi, while other medieval historians stress his fanatical devotion to Shi'ism; it appears that the Isma'ili propaganda network (the "daʿwa") was very active during his reign. The 15th-century Yemeni Musta'li leader and historian Idris Imad al-Din preserves much information about his dealings with the Isma'ili "daʿwa" in Yemen, particularly with the Sulayhid queen Arwa al-Sulayhi and the local "dāʿı̄", Yahya ibn Lamak ibn Malik al-Hammadi.