Ibrahim was the eldest adopted or birth son (sources disagree) of Muhammad 'Ali Pasha, viceroy of Egypt, from a dynasty of Albanian and Turkish origins.
In 1805 he was made governor of Cairo, in 1810 controller of land revenue and in 1833 governor-general of Syria and Adana. From 1816 to 1839 he was a renowned military leader. When his father became senile Ibrahim was appointed viceroy of Egypt, but he himself died only 40 days later, before his father.