Ali was the son of Muhammad ibn Idris, whom he succeeded in March/April 836 at the age of nine.^[1] During his infancy, the chieftains of the Berber tribes acted as his regents.^[1] He proved an able ruler, who managed to stabilize and pacify the Idrisid realm after the troubled reign of his father.^[1] During his reign, Idrisid authority was strengthened and stretched from Basra to Tudgha.^[2] Some Idrisid troops reportedly also participated in the 846 Sack of Rome by Aghlabid raiders.^[2]

Ali died in January 849 at Fes and was succeeded by his brother Yahya I.^[3]

• Benchekroun, Chafik T. (2018). "Idrīsids". In Fleet, Kate; Krämer, Gudrun; Matringe, Denis; Nawas, John; Rowson, Everett (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Islam (3rd ed.). Brill Online. doi:10.1163/1573-3912_ei3_COM_32374. ISSN 1873-9830.
• Eustache, D. (1971). "Idrīsids". In Lewis, B.; Ménage, V. L.; Pellat, Ch. & Schacht, J. (eds.). The Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. Volume III: H–Iram. Leiden: E. J. Brill. pp. 1035–1037. doi:10.1163/1573-3912_islam_SIM_3495. OCLC 495469525.