Mahfuz began to dominate politics in the 1480s, being awarded multiple titles. He preferred to continue the conflicts with the Ethiopian Empire, as he desired to sway influence over the Muslim border provinces of
Ifat,
Fatagar,
Dawaro, and
Bale, which was in stark contrast to the policy of coexistence favored by Sultan
Muhammad ibn Azhar ad-Din and his moderate faction. Mahfuz had successfully led expeditions into Abyssinia's heartland, including
Shewa, something the Adal sultans had failed to accomplish in the previous years. Medieval
Portuguese missionary
Francisco Álvares described the aftermath following the invasion of
Fatagar by Mahfuz: {{Blockquote By the 1490s, political leadership shifted from
Muhammad ibn Azhar ad-Din to Mahfuz. Although the
Walasma dynasty retained nominal control of the sultanate, Adal's power dynamics shifted significantly, impacting Ethiopia. Mahfuz, unhappy with Muhammad's policy of compromise with the Christian neighbor, called for jihad. This gained support in
Adal, Ethiopia's Muslim borderlands, and across the
Red Sea, where traders welcomed the rise in war captives for the
Arab slave markets. He made strong connections with the
Arabia and sent slaves to the
Sherif of Mecca. The Sherif rewarded him with a
green silk standard and a tent of black velvet embroidered with gold. He was also made the Sheikh of
Zeila by the Sherif, which made Mahfuz responsible for bringing the Key of Abyssinia to him. Francisco Álvares states that his invasions began during the reign of
Eskender, and lasted 25 years. Mahfuz is reported to have caused the deaths of Ethiopian Emperors
Na'od and
Eskender. The
British explorer,
Richard Burton asserted that Mahfuz had offered a bribe to one of Emperor Eskender's escorts in order to orchestrate the emperor's murder. According to the emperor
Sarsa Dengel chronicles, Mahfuz was linked to the
Malassay army unit. In his later life Mahfuz would also periodically continue to lead raids into the frontier provinces of
Abyssinia for a number of years. He selected the season of
Lent for his attacks, when the defenders were weakened by their
fasts. He raided the
Amhara,
Shewa, and
Fatagar provinces south of the
Awash River. During his raids Mahfuz exclusively targeted Abyssinian soldiers capturing them however left civilians unharmed. He and
Muhammad ibn Azhar ad-Din would descend upon the regions of Ifat, Dawaro and Fatagar which resulted in the slaying of 19,000 Christians within a year. According to Alvarez, upon reaching the age of majority, Emperor Lebna Dengel decided to forgo his observance of Lent and oppose the Imam in battle, despite the advice and wishes of his councilors and people. He sent spies out to determine Imam Mahfuz's plans for that year, and learning the Imam was in Fatagar led his army there. He found Imam Mahfuz with the sultan of
Adal encamped on a plain that was surrounded by mountains. After first sending soldiers out to secure the passes, the Abyssinian Emperor closed upon Imam Mahfuz. Although Imam Mahfuz managed to enable Sultan Muhammed to escape with but four horsemen, Imam Mahfuz knew he was trapped and sought to die with honor. He called to the Abyssinians a challenge to fight in single combat, and Gabra Endreyas, who had been a follower of Emperor Lebna Dengel's father, accepted and split the Imam's body into two from the lower-part of his neck to his shoulder with a two-handed sword. Mahfuz's head was cut from his body and displayed publicly in the Emperor's court where Gabra exclaimed "There is the
Goliath of the Infidels". After defeating Mahfuz,
Dawit II used appellation
Wanag Segad, which is a combination of
Ge'ez and
Harari terms. ==Legacy==