 To cement his power, he imprisoned al-Mu'addal, who had managed to avoid being captured by Sebük-eri and had returned to Sistan.Shortly after his ascension, Muhammad was forced to deal with the Samanids under Ahmad, who had recently been given a caliphal diploma for Sistan and its subordinate territories in an effort to break the power of the Saffarids once and for all.In response to Ahmad building up his forces in Herat, Muhammad raised an army himself.