The death of 'Abd al-Malik’s father and predecessor, Nuh, in 954, had potentially spelled disaster for the Samanid state, since the rebel Abu 'Ali Chaghani had been in a good position to make good on his claims to Khurasan; he had the support of both the Buyids and the Caliph.

He died before he could press his claims, however, sparing 'Abd al-Malik from having to deal with him.

Unfortunately, the Samanid state has become increasingly internally unstable during Abd al-Malik's reign.

The governor of Khurasan, Bakr ibn Malik al-Farghani, had been murdered by the amir's Turkish guard.

He was replaced for some time by Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Simjuri, and Abu Ja'far 'Utbi was made vizier.

However, the Turkish contingent of the military has been rapidly gaining more and more power.

The Turkish leader Alptigin manages to gain the governorship of Khurasan for himself, and has Muhammad ibn Abu 'Ali Muhammad Bal'ami, son of Emir Nasr's vizier, promoted to that post.

The new vizier, however, falls under the influence of the Turks, further cementing their grip on power within the state.

'Abd al-Malik has been unable to stop the expansion of the Turks' powers, resulting in the Turks being effectively in control by the time he dies in 961.

The Turkic military establishment splits over who should succeed 'Abd al-Malik.

Alp Tigin, the leader of the Samanid Turks and the governor of Khurasan, attempts to appoint his son as amir, while Fa'iq, who has known 'Abd al-Malik's brother, Mansur, since his childhood, presses for the latter's coronation.

Mansur and Fa'iq are eventually victorious; Alp Tigin flees to Ghazna, which becomes a separate domain where the Ghaznavid Empire will eventually form.

Two military families—the Simjurids and Ghaznavids—have arisen from the Turkic slave-guards of the Samanids; they will ultimately prove disastrous to the Samanids.

The Simjurids had received an appanage in the Kohistan region of eastern Khorasan (northern Afghanistan).

Samanid generals Alp Tigin and Abu al-Hasan Simjuri had competed for the governorship of Khorasan and control of the Samanid empire by placing on the throne emirs they could dominate after the death of 'Abd al-Malik I in 961 CE, creating a succession crisis between 'Abd al-Malik I's brothers.

Abu had al-Hasan died in 961, but a new rival, Fa'iq, arose, and eventually Mansur I had been elected by the court ministers.

Alp Tigin, having backed the wrong candidate, had prudently retired from Khorasan to Ghazni, where he has dispossessed a local ruling family, thus starting the Ghaznavid dynasty in 962 CE.

Coins of the era, however show that he still nominally acknowledges the Samanid authority.