Weakness of the Muhammad ‘Ali Dynasty:

Some changes affected the affairs of Egypt during the reigns of ‘Abbaas and Sa‘eed, rulers from the Muhammad Ali Dynasty. Their rules were marked by the weakness of Egypt. For example, the conditions of the schools worsened and most of them were closed. However, thanks to ‘Abbaas, security and safety were maintained in Egypt as criminals and bandits were deterred. The construction of the railway line between Alexandria and Suez through Cairo was approved and initiated in his reign.

Sa‘eed Pasha reorganized governmental administration in 1857AD. He established four administrations: the Interior Administration, the Finance Administration, the War Administration, and the Foreign Affairs Administration. The government consisted of fewer administrations during his reign. He also granted the Suez Canal concession to the French Ferdinand de Lesseps for 99 years. As a result, France controlled the Suez Canal and Egypt free of charge! He even offered them a large number of Egyptian workers who were forced to dig the canal for free in what is called a Corvée labor system. Thousands of Egyptians died due to the lethal circumstances under which they were forced to work.

On the other hand, Sa‘eed carried out a set of important legislative reforms. He issued the Sa‘eedia regulations [Land Law] in 1858 AD. The law aimed at reforming the farmers’ conditions and entitling them to own the agricultural land after they were deprived of the right to own any property during the era of Muhammad ‘Ali. This law was the foundation of the Egyptian legislation of the ownership of agricultural land in Egypt.

https://en.islamstory.com/en/artical/20623