 Prior to its debut in Yemen, the manuscript was in Egypt, where it was purchased by Aharon haCohen Iraqi ("al-'Usṭā"), the visiting minister from Yemen and minter of the king's coins.Based on its colophon, one whose name was Sar-Shalom the "nasi", the presumed head of the Sephardic Jewish community in Egypt and who lived in Cairo, had commissioned the manuscript's writing, and who had apparently been ordained and confirmed in his office by his brother, Shelomo "Nasi", the exilarch ("resh galutha").The Al-Ousta codex, named for its original Yemenite Jewish owner whose descendants were coined the name "al-Ousta" (lit.