This was because the ruler appointed deputies to adjudicate important cases and appointed secretaries to present to him matters that were brought before him. This has been mentioned previously in the book.

We have also mentioned that each of the judges, deputies, and secretaries had a specific jurisdiction in their duties. If they had left the judge to decide within their jurisdictions, the deputies would have been hesitant to make decisions, and the secretaries would have been hesitant to present matters to the judge. This would have led to a lack of clarity and confusion. Therefore, the judge, the deputies, and the secretaries were all unified in their decision-making.

Ahmad ibn Ali was in charge of reviewing all the lawsuits and disputes that were brought before him. We have previously alluded to the purpose behind this arrangement: that Ahmad ibn Ali would gain immense prestige and influence, and that his word would be respected by the judges. He was able to amass a considerable fortune and exert great influence.

He also amassed a large number of sailing ships and acquired a great deal of fertile land. As for bribes, his daily income from them amounted to thousands of riyals. He built himself a large house in the city, furnished it with the finest furniture, and acquired many slaves, including Abyssinians, Egyptians, and Coptic women from the inhabitants of Khartoum who had been captured by the Muslims.

His pastures were filled with large herds of livestock, including camels, cattle, and sheep. In short, he had amassed a considerable fortune.