Who was Muhammad Ahmad bin Abd Allah?
Q: Who was Muhammad Ahmad bin Abd Allah?
A: Muhammad Ahmad bin Abd Allah was a religious leader of the Sufi Samaniyya order in Sudan who proclaimed himself as the Mahdi or messianic redeemer of the Islamic faith on 29 June 1881.
Q: What were the causes of resentment among Arabic Sudanese population?
A: The Arabic Sudanese population resented the oppressive policies of their Turco-Egyptian rulers, as well as European powers' growing military and economic dominance throughout the 19th century.
Q: What happened after Muhammad Ahmad's proclamation?
A: After Muhammad Ahmad's proclamation, he led a successful military campaign against the Turco-Egyptian government of Sudan until Khartoum fell in January 1885.
Q: Who was appointed Governor General by Britain?
A: General Charles George Gordon ("Gordon pasha") was appointed Governor General by Britain to rule over Sudan.
Q: How did Gordon die?
A: Gordon died in Khartoum at the hands of Muhammad Ahmad's forces.
Q: What happened after Muhammad Ahmad's death?
A: After Muhammad Ahmad's unexpected death on 22 June 1885, his chief deputy took over administration of the Sudan. Churchill said they had killed all people capable of running it by then.
Q: What other movements preceded Mahdiyya? A: There were earlier Mahdist movements in West Africa, and Wahhabism and other puritanical forms of Islamic revivalism that preceded Mahdiyya.
