His predecessor, Sultan Muhammad Shah had alleged saw the Islamic prophet Muhammad in his dream and converted to Islam. Syahid Shah on taking a Hindu title represented a traditionalist reaction in Malacca against Islam, the new religion. He reigned for only seventeen months, after which he was murdered in a plot allegedly conspired by the Tamil Muslim Bendahara (Prime Minister), (Datuk Seri Nara Diraja Tun Ali), Raja Kassim, son of Muhammad Shah, Tun Perpatih Sedang and Datuk Bendahara Seri Amar Diraja.