He was the physician of Salaḥ al-Din (Saladin) and, after the death of the latter, of his brother Al-Malik al-'Adil. Ibn Abi Uṣaibi'ah, in his biographies of the Arabic physicians, speaks highly of Abu al-Ma'ali's learning, generosity, and great influence at court. He relates further that almost all his children embraced Islam. Al-Ma'ali wrote many works and essays on medicine, which are no longer in existence. Steinschneider is inclined to identify Ma'ali with the brother-in-law of Maimonides and the secretary of the mother of the vizier Al-Faḍal. Ma'ali wrote a work on medicine entitled "Ta'aliḳ wa-Maghrabat."

Bibliography: Steinschneider, Die Arabische Literatur der Juden, § 155.