A N H I S T O R I C A L STUDY OF
I S M A ' i L b. *ABD A L - Q A D I R , K I T A B SA *ADAT A L - M U S T A H D l B I — S l RAT A L - I M A M A L —M A H D I
H a i m SHARED
A thesis submitted for the degree of D o c t o r of Philosophy, in the F a o u l t y of Arts, U n i v e r s i t y of L o n d o n
London, June 1969
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2 ABSTRACT
X s m a *11 h. *Abd a l - Q a d i r (d. 189?), a m e m b e r oX a 1 holy Xamily* of1 KordoXan, bad studied at a 1 -A a bar and later
served as m u l t i in B1 Obeid* X n late 1882 be joined tbe Mah.di. H is subsequent career cannot be X u l l y reconstructed.
On 2 R a b I * X 3.306/6 N o v e m b e r 1888, be c o m p l e t e d bis Sira of the Mabdi, On 6 Sbawwal 1306/5 June 1 8 8 9 , be c o mpleted a n o t h e r work, d e a l i n g w i t h the wars b e t w e e n tbe K h a l i X a a n d the A b y s s i n i a n s • X n 1893? at tbe K h a l i X a 1s order,
X s m a *11*s ,w r i t i n g s were d e s t r o y e d and be was b a n i s h e d to al-RajjaX, w h ere be died in tbe b e g i n n i n g oX 1897*
Tbe u n i q u e extant m a n u script oopy ol I s m a li l fs S i r a , w h i c h forms tbe b a s i s oX the thesis, is a b i o g r a p h y of
tbe M a b d i b y one oX bis adherents, which, also contains
elements ol a chronicle. Its history, sources a nd contents are d i s c u s s e d in tbe i n t r o d u c t i o n to the thesis. Tbe
m a i n h i s t o r i c a l v a l u e ,of the Sira lies in its p r e s e n t a t i o n oX tbe T u r c o —E g y p t i a n # ,the M a bdi and tbe K h a l i X a , . I n
addition, it contains m a n y details on ideological,
m i l i t a r y a n d other a X X a i r s of tbe Mahdia, a n d p r ovides an i n s i g h t into the outl o o k and frame oX m i n d oX an e du c a ire d M a bdi s t •
Tbe second, a n d longer part oX tbe thesis i£ a v e r y Xull summary, at times a p p r o a c h i n g a translation, oX the text oX the Sira, A l l h i s t o r i c a l l y rel e v a n t details,» v n T - i r ^ i t *
i n c l u d i n g all n a mes oX persons, tribes a n d places, have b e e n r e t a i n e d and, in many cases, annotated. Also, the p a g i n a t i o n oX tbe original A r a b i c m a n u s c r i p t has b e e n indicated.
The a p p e n d i x e s include source m a t e r i a l s Xor X s m a *11fs liXe (one oX them still in manuscript) a n d a list oX
p r o c l a m a t i o n s and letters t r a n s c r i b e d in the S i r a ,
PREFACE
Re c e n t surveys of histor i c a l w r i t i n g on the m o d e r n
h i s t o r y of the Nilotic Sudan show the r a t h e r late app e a r a n c e of c r i tical his t o r i c a l studies w h i c h d r a w on Contemp o r a r y A r a b i c source materials* Only in the last decade or so has the abundant con t e m p o r a r y M a h d i s t d o c u m e n t a t i o n b e e n described, p a r t l y classified, and u t i l i s e d b y scholars*
So far, f e w of these documents have b e e n r e p r o d u c e d and, a l t h o u g h some attempts to prepare critical editions of texts have b e e n made, they re m a i n u n published.
The n u m b e r of k n o w n Mahd i s t source m a t e r i a l s which, can be d e s c r i b e d as cont e m p o r a r y h i s t o r i c a l writings, in the sense of a c onscious e n d e a v o u r b y a M a h d i s t to collect h i s t o r i c a l details, and arrange and p r e s e r v e them in
writing, is v e r y small indeed* Xn this t h e s i s . a n attempt has b e e n made to discuss one of these sources, a n d to i n d icate its importance.
The thesis is d i v i d e d intp two parts. I n the
i n t r o d u c t i o n to the manuscript, the k n o w n b i o g r a p h i c a l d eta i l s of its au t h o r have b e e n c o l l a t e d and combined, to f o r m a coherent b i o g r a p h i c a l note. It is pos s i b l e that the a r c h i v e s in the Sudan, or rela t i v e s of I s m a lil b.
*Abd al~Qadir, m i ght shed furt h e r light on several points.
A n a n a l y s i s of the history, sources a n d s u b j ect-matter of the Sira, and of its i m p o rtance w i t h i n the framexvork of the M a h d i s t d o c u m e n t a t i o n follows. The second part
of the thesis is a v e r y det a i l e d summary of the manuscript.
It includes, w i t h i n the limit a t i o n s i m p o s e d on the le n g t h of the thesis - all the h i s t o r i c a l l y r e levant details, w i t h b r i e f a n n o t a t i o n s on names, terms etc. It is hoped that , b o t h the summary a nd its an n o t a t i o n s will be incorporated,
eventually, w i t h i n a full critical e d i t i o n of the S i r a ,
h F o r the t r a n s l i t e r a t i o n of A r a b i c p e r s o n a l and tribal names, see the table on,p. 5* As r e g a r d s the Mahdi, the K h a l i f a a n d place names, I have a d o p t e d the system u s e d b y P.M. Ho l t in M a h d i s t state * The A r a b i c w o r d s ffalad
(shortened, colloquially, to w a d ) a n d i b n have b e e n
a b b r e v i a t e d to w. and b., respectively. V e r t i c a l lines (1) are u s e d i n s t e a d . o f square brackets. A list of a b b r e v i a t i o n s is g i v e n on p. 5 j a n d short inf e r e n c e s w i l l be f o und
in the b i b l i o g r a p h y ,
The p r e p a r a t i o n of this thesis has b e e n f a c i l i t a t e d b y several i n s t i t u t i o n s a n d persons, to w h o m m y thanks
are due. M y teachers at the H e b r e w U n i v e r s i t y of Jerusalem, p a r t i c u l a r l y P r o f e s s o r s D. Ayalon, G. Baer, a nd the late Prof, U. Heyd, i n t r o d u c e d me to the study of Middle
E a s t e r n history. T e l A v i v U n i v e r s i t y p r o v i d e d the f i n a n c i a l m e a n s w h i c h enab l e d me to study in London, To the T e l A v i v U n i v e r s i t y and, i n particular, to Dr. S. S h amir and
Dr. U, Dan, of its D e p a r t m e n t of M i d d l e E a s t e r n and A f r i c a n History, X owe much. X have also b e e n aided, for a stay
at the U n i v e r s i t y of Durham: Sudan Archive, b y a grant
f r o m the Central R e s e a r c h F u n d of the U n i v e r s i t y of London, Mr* X.J.C. Foster, K e e p e r of O r i ental B o oks at the
U n i v e r s i t y of Durham, and his staff, k i n d l y supplied p h o t o c o p i e s of m a t e r i a l and other a s s i s t a n c e .
Mr. M, Rabinowich. a nd Mr, E. R o t h m a n read, a n d commented on d rafts of the thesis. Finally, X w i s h to express my sincere g r a t i t u d e to Prof. P fM. Holt, of the School of O r i e n t a l and A f r i c a n Studies, who superv i s e d m y w o r k w i t h great p a t i e n c e and encouragement, and w h ose advice a n d comments taught me a great deal,
H . S ,
London, 19^9
A B B R E V I A T I O N S
BDs
E l 1 ; Ells GALs
IRE;
J A H s SAB;
SET;
SIR;
SNR;
;xonary .
B u l l e t i n of the Sohool ol O r i e n t a l and A f r i c a n S t u d i e s « L o n d o n , 191?-, * . . .
B n c y c l o p a e d i a ol I s l a m , 1st e d n , , Leiden, 1913-34#
E n c y c l o p a e d i a . o l I s l a m . 2nd e d n,, Leiden, 1954- , C, Brockelman, Ge sc hi elite der a.rabischen Litejratur, 2 v o l s , , Leiden, 1943-9 ? 3 supplements, Leiden, 1937-42.
Intelligence_Rejport. E g y p t , Nos. 1-59#
Jour n a l o±' A f r i c a n History, Cambridge, I960-* , U n i v e r s i t y ol Durham, School ol Oriental Studies;
Sudan A r c h i v e *
H.A.E, Gibb a n d J,H, K r a m e r s (e d s ,), Shorter e n c y c l o p a d i a ol I s l a m , Leiden, 1953*
S u d a n I n t e l l i g e n c e R e p o r t , No, 6 0 ,
Sudan N o t e s a nd R e c o r ds, Khartoum, 1 9 1 8 — ,
T R A N S L I T E R A T I O N
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» - * t? - b d - I
iyya - »»Oj
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iya - =e: V 1 t _
t p? & i
-
I'yun - u^r gh -
i dh - j
l y i n - G - v3 Sh -
9 -
CONTENTS
A B S T R A C T P R E F A C E
A B B R E V I A T I O N S I N T R O D U C T I O N
1 , I s m a U l b. cA b d al~Qadir, a b i o g r a p h i c a l note
2, The S i r a , its compo s i t i o n and a c q u i s i t i o n
3, The sources, literary f e a tures and s ubject-matter of the
Sira
4, The p r e s e n t a t i o n of the T u r k 5* The p r e s e n t a t i o n of the H a h d i 6 . The p r e s e n t a t i o n of the K h a l i f a 7. The Sira as a source for the
hist o r y of the M a h d i a S U M M A R Y OF T H E SIRA
E x p l a n a t o r y notes List of contents P reface
I ntroductions Tra d i t i o n s a n n o u n c i n g the m a n i f e s t a t i o n of
’fck-e roahdi in the end of the age
Chapter Is The f u l f ilment of the Tr a d i t i o n s in respect
of the M a h d i !s c h a r a c teristics and p e r f e c t i o n Chapter IIs The M a h d i fs c h a r a c t e r i s
tics, a t t r ibutes and miracle s
The M a h d i 1s .r e ligious observances, u n t i l his m a n i f e s t a t i o n
The M a h d i !s p r o p a g a n d a and c o r r espondence The m u s t e r i n g of the tribes a n d the arrival of successive deputations to the M a hdi
The M a hdi r s first battle with, the Turks a n d his v i c t o r y over th e m
The M a h d i 1 s h i j r a to Qadxr and his j i h a d , to the fall of El Obeid Chapter VIII; The M a h d i fs campaigns,
expeditions a n d missions, and the conquest of
some towns Epi l o g u e
A P P E N D I X E S
Al, S l a t i n , , fM e ine E r l e b n i s s e im.
S o u d a n }, p , 52
A2, S l a t i n , ,Eire and s w o r d , p p , 515-6 A3. Shuqayr, M e m o r a n d u m
Alf, Shuqayr, T a 1 r l k h , iii, pp, 559-60 Bl, Sample of h a n d w r i t i n g A
B 2 . Sample of h a n d w r i t i n g B
C, List of p r o c l a m a t i o n s and letters t r a n s c r i b e d in the Sira
B I B L I O G R A P H Y M A P
Chapter Ills
C h a pter I V ;
C hapter V;
C hapter V I ;
Chap t e r VII;
98
102
105
109
121
162 21*6
251 252 25k 260 262 263
2 6k
266
8
I N T R O D U C T I O N
1, Isinalil b, lA b d al~Qadir, a b i o g r a p h i c a l note
a. Sources
_ — 1
The name a n d wri t i n g s of I s m a cxl b. VAbd al~ Q a d i r have b e e n m e n t i o n e d b r i e f l y in several p r i n t e d w o r k s , all of w h i c h ~ except one 2 - seem to be based, in v a r y i n g d e g r e e s of accuracy, on a short p a s s a g e in R,C, (von) Slatin, Fire and sword in the S u d a n , 3 a n d on r eferences in N a lu m S h u q a y r , T a 7rikh a l - Sudan a l - q a d x m w a ?1—had i t h
i^i •
w a — .jughrafiyyatuhu, 1 A third source of i n f o r m a t i o n which, apparently, h a s .not hitherto b e e n f u l l y u t i l i z e d in
s c holarly works, is a m a n u script m e m o r a n d u m dated 2 5 th June 1895, p r e p a r e d and signed b y N a lu m Shuqayr (thon) of the Sudan Section, I n t e l l i g e n c e Department, E g y p t i a n
1. R e f e r r e d to s u b sequently as I s m a lxl. His wr i t i n g s are r e f e r r e d to as the Sira (or MS,) and T i r a z , 2 . See R o n a l d Wingate, ’Two A f r i c a n b a t t l e s •"•TOT
3. London, 1 8 9 6 , pp. 515-6, The same v e r s i o n is g i v e n in the ’p o p u l a r ’ e d n , , a b r i d g e d b y Slatin, London, 1897, PP. 309-10, The v e r s i o n in the F,A. Broek h a u s G e r m a n edn,, Leipzig, 1 8 9 8 , p, 47^-, is a summary of the E n g l i s h passage, (Cf, Hill, S l a t i n , p, 40s
’F.A, B r o e k h a u s p u b l i s h e d a G e r m a n v e r s i o n w h i c h was a straight tr a n s l a t i o n f r o m the first E n g l i s h
ed i t i o n ’), See a p p endix A2,
4* Cairo, n„d, | l 9 0 3 l ? in p a r t i c u l a r vol, iii,
PP * 559-60 (Dietrich, p. 200, n,4) * See a p p endix A 4 .
1 2
Army, Th i s M e m o r a n d u m a c c o m p a n i e d two A r a b i c
m a n u s c r i p t s b y I s m a^Il and their E n g l i s h translations, a n d was s u bmitted to M a j o r (later G e n e r a l Sir) F.R.
Wingate, at that time D i r e c t o r of M i l i t a r y Intelligence, E g y p t i a n Army, A l t h o u g h brief1 in scope, the M e m o r a n d u m is the most d e t a i l e d account, k n o w n at present, of I s m a ^ x l ’s career and works.
M y att e m p t s to estab l i s h the r e l a t i o n s a m o n g these three p r i n c i p a l sources have not bor n e fruit, as n e i t h e r Shuq a y r n o r S latin give their sources of i n f o r m a t i o n c o n c e r n i n g Xs m a *11. The M e m o r a n d u m m e n t i o n s the name of a n agent who had brou g h t the m a n u s c r i p t fr o m the Sudan in A p r i l 1895* He m a y have f u r n i s h e d Shuqayr w i t h some b i o g r a p h i c a l details of I s m a cxl* On the other hand,
1* See Hill, BD, p « 2 9 3 f s,v, N a lu m B e y Shuqayr, 2, SAD, Box 260/12, L i s t e d in the author catalogue
(card-index) a st Shuqayr, N a lu m Bey, M e m o r a n d u m to D i r e c t o r of M i l i t a r y I n t e l l i g e n c e on X s m a *11 lA b d a l - Q a d i r a n d his B i o g r a p h y of the M a h d i , In the i n v e n t o r y c a t a l o g u e ( c a r d - i n d e x ) the M e m o r a n d u m is d e s c r i b e d ass ’MS., ff,6, d r a f t e d a n d signed b y
N a T m B e y Shuqayr 2 9 * 6 , l 8 9 5 !* Parts of this M e m o r a n d u m (with some m i n o r inaccuracies) are t r a n s c r i b e d i n ^ R o n a l d Wingate, 'Two A f r i c a n b a t t l e s 1 ( l ) , p, 57*
3- M e m o r n a d u m , f,l. His name is g i v e n as 1ES Sheikh A h m e d K a w a i 1, a relative of *Abdallah S a ld Fara^,
IRE, 27 (June 189*4-)/ p p , 1-2 , gives the f o l l o w i n g i n f o r m a t i o n on this agents ’The mo s t impo r t a n t
arri v a l d u r i n g the m o n t h of June fr o m the Sudan was a c e r t a i n Sheikh A h m e d M o h a m e d Kawai, a n e p h e w of A b d u l l a W a d S a d , , , | Aljmad | left B e r b e r on the 2 7 th May, 1 8 9 4f and t r a v e l l i n g v i a Suakin, r e a c h e d Cairo on the 12 t h June, 189*4-♦ He is a p a r t i c u l a r l y
i n t e l l i g e n t y o u n g man, a p p a r e n t l y of considerable i n f l u e n c e w i t h the Jaalin, a n d is w e l l v e r s e d in the affairs of the S u d a n 1, See' also Shuqayr to Wingate, 29 July 1895, p p , 7-8, SAD, Box 261,
lAbdallah Sa*d F a r a ^ was a Ja^alx n o t a b l e a nd amir of al-Matamma, In 1897/ w h e n the A n g l o - E g y p t i a n a r m y was approaching, he r e b e l l e d against the K h a l i f a ’■Abdallahi a n d was k i l l e d in battle, See Hill, BD, p , 7 y s*v, *Abd A l l a h S a ’-d; Holt, M a h d i s t
s t a t e , p pf 2±3~ k *
* See a p p e n d i x A 3 .
10 in the M e m o r a n d u m fShuqayr states that he had p u r s u e d this m a t t e r for a considerable len g t h of time, in the
course of w h i c h he p r o b a b l y made _enquiries about Isma'il,^*
A n o t h e r problem, w h i c h has. a rather more direct b e a r i n g on the e v a l u a t i o n of S h u q a y r ’s information, is w h e t h e r or not Slatin, who h a d e s c a p e d from Khartoum, and a r r i v e d in A s w a n on the l6 th, and in Cairo on the 1 9 th M a r c h 1895/ 2 was one of S h u q a y r ’s sources of information* The p assage c o n c e r n i n g Isma ^ i l in S l a t i n 1s F ire and s w o r d , t h o u g h m u c h shorter than S h u q a y r [s M e m o r a n d u m and
d i f f e r i n g w i t h re g a r d to some details, suggests a connexion b e t w e e n the two accounts. It is, however, difficult to
e s t a b l i s h the d i r e c t i o n of this connexion. Does the r e s e m b l a n c e in general tone and in some details me a n that Sl a t i n was a source of i n f o r m a t i o n for Shuqayr ? Or was the r e l evant p a s s a g e in S l a t i n ’s b o o k fully or p a r t l y an a d d i t i o n of his t r a n s l a t o r (in fact ,editor) — W i n g a t e - to w h o m Shuqayr had s u bmitted the M e m o r a n d u m b e t w e e n S l a t i n ’s arri v a l in Cairo a nd the p u b l i c a t i o n
of the l a t t e r ’s b o o k ? The w i s h e x p r e s s e d at the end of S l a t i n ’s account that ’,,,if t h e s e ,,,chronicles could
only be p r o c u r e d a n d t r a n s l a t e d into E u r o p e a n L a n g u a g e s , * ♦ ’, seems to stem either fr o m S l a t i n ’s I g n o r a n c e of the
e x istence of the M e m o r a n d u m and its enclosures or,
1 , See reference to enquiries on I s m a c x l w h i c h S huqayr had made in Cairo (M e m o r a n d u m , f,2), 2„ See Hill, S l a t i n , p p , 3 *4-~,6 *
more probably, from Wingate * s p o l i c y of publications* 1
S huqayr 1 s T a 1 rxkh. was p u b l i s h e d several years
a f t e r b o t h his M e m o r a n d u m and S3iatin*s b o o k were written.
I n the m e a n t i m e Shuqayr had obviously learnt more about I s m a ^ i l ' s career a n d fate. Still, Shuqayrls p r i n t e d account appears to be b a s e d m a i n l y on his M e m o r a n d u m a n d it is not k n o w n w h e t h e r he took p r e c a u t i o n s to v e r i f y all the
details c o n c e r n i n g Xsma*xl, w h i c h he i n c o r p o r a t e d in T a 1r x k h .
The ine v i t a b l e c o n c l u s i o n is that at pres e n t it is i mp o s s i b l e to e s t a b l i s h w h e t h e r or not these throe
p r i n c i p a l sources are i n t e r d e p e n d e n t * One cannot, therefore, corro b o r a t e the details in one souroe fr o m the two others.
The r a t h e r surprising scarcity of clear a u t o b i ographical r e f e r e n c e s by Isma d x l in his k n o w n works, a nd of r e f e rences to Xs m a lil in the k n o w n works of his c o n t e m p o r a r i e s ,
1 , The general criticisms of S l a t i n !s Fire and sword as a source for the h i s tory of the M a h d i a (see
Holt, 1S o u r c e - m a t e r i a l s !, pp, 110-13? Hill, S l a t i n * p p , 38-k5 f Daniel, pp* ^.26-33) ^ p p l y to the general tone a n d the setting of S l a t i n !s p a s s a g e about
I s m a lil, These criticisms cannot, however, be appl i e d a u t o m a t i c a l l y to the whole f a c t u a l s u b j ect-matter
of Slatin*s passage. However, it should be n o t e d
(a) that n e i t h e r Isma * i l n o r his w r i t i n g s are mentioned in the G e n e r a l reoort on the E g y p t i a n Sudan .March--- - • ■ r T ‘T — i~t»i ~iT~ 'i~ • ~ **11 •- - — -|- TS— --- 1— , in i,, | in-T^^r ■' ’ "n ■ ■■ i —mmtm
189,5* com p i l e d | b y Wingate) fr o m statements made b y S l a t i n P a s h a . fSee also below, p* 20, n « 3) ?
X~b) that in all p r o b a b i l i t y W i n g a t e did have the M e m o r a n d u m , the A r a b i c MSS. of I s m a ^ i l 1 s w o rks and
their E n g l i s h translations, w h i l e he was engaged, i n England, in p r e p a r i n g Fire a nd sword w i t h Slatin
( cf» Shuq a y r to Wingate, 8 Ju l y 1895? P P * 1? 5? SAD, B o x 261: *By this time y o u have r e a c h e d E n g l a n d . ..
I send y o u h e r e w i t h a literal t r a n s l a t i o n of the l a m e n t a t i o n for the M a h d i *s D e a t h 1 sic 1 , Pl e a s e p u t it in its place in the t r a n s l a t i o n • T See the
S i r a . 398/7 ~ 398/l2j ipOk/l - 16 (i.e., pages/lines),
complicate a n y attempt to assess the c r e d ibility of the a vail a b l e b i o g r a p h i c a l information* Consequently, the f o l l o w i n g b i o g r a p h i c a l note pre s e n t s a p i c t u r e w h i c h is p a r t l y c o m p i l e d fr o m the accounts of Shuqayr and S l a t i n and, otherwise, is b a s e d on m y own deductions and assumptions.
b. T he life of I s m a lil b* *Abd a l - Q a d i r
X s m a *11 b, *Abd al-Qadir'*' was p r o b a b l y b o r n in Kordofan. The a c c urate date of his b i r t h is not k n o w n but it can be r o u g h l y estimated. S h u q a y r says that I s m a 1 went w i t h his (maternal) uncle to a l - A z h a r w h e n he was
' y o u n g 1, 2 T h i s m a t e r n a l uncle, Aljmad al-Azhari, went to a l - A z h a r about 1830-lj.O* P r o v i d e d that b o t h statements are correct, it may p e r h a p s .be a s s u m e d that I s m a (il was b o r n in the late 1820 *s or the 1 8 3 0 1s . Impor t a n t for a p r o p e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g of X s m a (lX's c a reer a nd works, is his r e l a t i o n to the f amily of Israa(il, k n o w n as al-Walx
(the 1 saint 1) a l - K u r d u f a n i .^
1* Th i s f o r m has b e e n chosen in c o n f o r m i t y w i t h the S i r a , l/3? 2/ 9 . Shuqayr, T a 1r x k h « i i i , p; 529, adds the n i s b a a l - K u r d u f a n x to X s m a tx l ,s name, Other v a r i a n t s are: I smail A b d El K a d e r (M e m o r a n d u m ,f ;l ) ; I s m a i l ¥ a d A b d e l Kader. and A b d e l K a d e r (Slatin, Ei r e and s w o r d , p. 515;? cA b d a l - Q a d i r Isma ' i l (See below, p. * 22, n, 3),
2. M e m o r a n d u m . f,2.
3. See Hill, BD, p. I 8 3 , s.v. I s m a * x l VAbd A l l a h x al-¥alx. F or a d i s c u s s i o n of the diff e r e n t types of h o l y f a m ilies in the N i l o t i c S u dan see Holt,
H o l y f a m i l i e s * Shuqayr (M e m o r a n d u m a n d T a 1r x k h ) is the only source of i n f o r m a t i o n c o n c e r n i n g Isma *xl b* *Abd a l - Q a d i r 1s descent. I n his k n o w n works, I s m a * x l refers n e i t h e r to his descent n o r to his kin.
Table 1
The a n c e s t r y a nd f amily of I s m a lil b, *-Abd a l - Q a d i r B i s h a r a a l - G h a r b a w x
x
^ (3 generations) x
iAbdallah
I s m a lil al-¥alx
M u h a m m a d a l - M a k k x (daughter)
I s m a *xl b *
*Abd a l - Qadir x
M u h a m m a d M x r g h a n x I s m a 1 x 1 al —M a kkx
A h m a d al-Azharx
X s m a c xl al-A z h a r i
X s m a lxl a l -Azharx
1,. Based on i n f o r m a t i o n - in Holt, H o l y families H i l l t B D ; Shuqayr, T a 7r x k h , i i i ; Trimingham, I s l a m ,
pp * 2 3 5 ~ 6 ; MacMichael, A r a b s , iv, ABs A g e n e a l o g i c a l work, K h u l a s a t al-iqt i b a s f i - i t t i s a l n a s a b i n a
bi 71 - S a y y i d * a l - *A b b a s , c o m piled b y A ^ m a d a l - A z h a r x „ The original draft of this g e n e a l o g y was completed in 1263/lSZj.7 ? a n d in 1270/1854 it was p r o d u c e d in its r e v i s e d a n d final form, I s m a H l b, cA b d a l — Qadir is n o t m e n t i o n e d in this work, b ut n e i t h e r are the n a m e s of other r e latives of its author, who were alive w h e n the g e n e a l o g y was composed. F o r this w o r k see Y , F , H a s a n , The A r a b s a n d the S u d a n ,
Edinburgh, 1 9 6 7 , pp» 20£>-7 ; Ho~ltV H i s t o r i c a l w r i t i n g p p * 13 — 1 8 , X have chec k e d only one of the extant MSS., co p i e d 26 R a b X c I 1331/4 M a r c h 1913•
I s m a *11 al-I'/alx (1793-1863) was b o r n in El Obeid to a m e r c h a n t ca l l e d iAbdallah, a des c e n d a n t of a f akx
- - _ 1
f r o m Dongola, B i s h a r a al-Gh.arbawi ? who f l o u r i s h e d xn the s e v e n t e e n t h century, u n d e r the F u n j * The family c laimed a n 1 A b b a s ! (that is, J a (ali) descent* At first Xsma *11 h ad close connexions w i t h Shaykh Ajjmad al- T a y y i b b, a l —Bashir, who i n t r o d u c e d the S a m m a n i y y a tarxqa into
the N i l o t i c Sudan. Later, he b ecame one of the early.
a dhe r e n t s of M u h a m m a d ^Uthman a l - M x r g h a n ! and, in 1842, he f o r m e d an a utonomous sub-tarxqa of the K h a t m i y y a ,
*
the I s m a ti l i y y a of Kordofan, w i t h a h i g h l y l ocalized following. H i s elder son, M u h a m m a d al- M a k k ! (d, 1906), succ e e d e d h i m as hu a d of the tariqa, a s uccession w h i c h
* «
c o n t i n u e d w i t h i n this b r a n c h of the family. The other branch, that of Isma *11 a l - ¥ a l i 1 s y o u n g e r son, Aljmad a l - A z h a r l (c, 1 810-82)*^ has p l a y e d a leading role in Sudanese (orthodox) r e ligious life a n d politics,
Isma T l b ^ . cA b d al-Qadir, a m a t e r n a l gra n d s o n of
— 7
I s m a *11 al-¥alx, was therefore a m e m b e r of a
w e l l - e s t a b l i s h e d f a m i l y of repute in Kordofan, The attit u d e s of his two m a t e r n a l u n c l e s to the M a h d i a merit a close investigation, M u h a m m a d al- M a k k x was one
1, This n i s b a m a y account for S h u q a y r 1s statement,
M e m o r a n d u m . f,l, that I s m a lil b, *Abd al - Q a d i r was 1 a m u w e l l e d in K o r d o f a n from a M o g h r a b y origin*, Cf, MacMichael, A r a b s , iv, l x x x v i i i —x c i i i ,
2, Holt, H o l y f a m i l i e s , p, 9*
3 , See Hill, B D , p . '228, s.v, a l - M a k k x I s m a lil al-Wall, 4# ^ r i m i n g h a m ,I s l a m , p; 2 3 5 #
5# See Hill, BD, p. 3^-, s.v, Atpnad I s m a *11 al-Azharx, 6. A h m a d ’s son, I s m a i l l al-A z h a r x ( 1 868-1947),was a
p r o m i n e n t Isla m i c jurist in the p e r i o d of the
c o n d o m i n u i m and he finally b e c a m e muftx of the Sudan, 1924-32 (see Hill, BD, p. 1 8 4 )# His son, also n a m e d I s m a cxl al-Azharx, became the Sudan*s first prime m i n i s t e r «
7. I have not f o u n d any i n f o r m a t i o n c o n c erning Is m a lil b. *Abd a l - Q a d i r * s father, Trimingham, I s l a m , p, 157,
says, w i t h o u t m e n t i o n of his source, that I s m a *11 b, cA b d a l - Q a d i r was the son of I s m a 1!! a l —¥ a l ! f
of1 the M a h d i 1 s v e t e r a n and ardent supporters, and the M a h d i stayed w i t h him on his v i sit to Kordofan, before
his p u b l i c mani f e s t a t i o n , On the eve of the M a h d i 1s first a t t a c k on El Obeid, M u h a m m a d a l - M a k k T deserted to his camp in K a b a (late 1892), X n the course of the Mahdi-a he b ecame one of the most i n f l u e n t i a l members of the so-ca l l e d abkar a 1 - M a h d i , and supp o r t e d the K h a l i f a '■Abdallah.i, ^ I s m a e l ' s other m a t e r n a l uncle, Aljmad al-Azhari, h a d an altoge t h e r different career.
A b o u t 1830-40 he went to Cairo w h e r e he first studied, then taught, at al-Azbar* He then r e t u r n e d to El Obeid, W h e n M u h a m m a d Aljmad made his p u b l i c manifestation, A ^ m a d a l-A z h a r i suppo r t e d the government a n d w r ote a treatise
(r i s a l a ) in r e f u t a t i o n of the Mahdi, I n 1882, going to take up an a p p ointment as qadx and m u f t i of the
*
W e s t e r n E g y p t i a n Sudan, he was k i l l e d in a battle n e a r B a r a »3
Isma'■Tits early life appears to have b e e n conducted u n d e r the aegis of Aljmad a l — Azharx, T o g e t h e r they went to Cairo, where Xs m a H i was e ^ d u c a t e d , in his i m c l e 1 s care, at a l —Azhar, A c c o u n t s of the l e ngth of their stay in Cairo r a n g e b e t w e e n l 6 , 12 and 8 y e a r s , ^ Years later Shuq a y r remarked that I s m a (Tl w a s * n o t e d for his genious
1 sic 1 and a c q u i r e d a h i g h e d u c a t i o n in the A r a b i c
literature. He is we l l k n o w n here in Cairo and the Olama
1 , Holt, M a h d i s t s t a t e , p p , 54, 117; 120-1,
2 , For the text of this treatise (completed on 6' July 1882) see Shuqayr, T a 1r i k h , i i i , p p ♦ 383-91*
3# Holt, H o l y f a m i l i e s , p, 9? Shuqayr, T a 7r i k h , iii, p, 162, Hill, BD, p, 34; and E g y p t , p, 1 6 5 , states,
erroneously, that A^rnad died in the battle of A b a (August *l 8 8 l) .
4, Shuqayr, M e m o r a n d u m , f,2j M a c M i c h a e l , A r a b s , iv, p, 6 l a n d others; Shuqayr T a ?r i k h , iii, p, 559 , respectively.
16 of SI A z h a r M o s q u e h o l d a high o pinion of him^ f^
H a v i n g c o m p l e t e d h is,course of studies I s m a 1!! returned^
a c c o r d i n g to Shuqaya?, to SI Obeid a nd served there as m u f t i u n t i l the rise of the Mahdi and his arrival in K o r d o f a n t ^
I n the next phase of I s m a e l 1 s career he is f o u n d in the M a h d i 's camp, T o g e t h e r w i t h a lmost all the
i n h a b i t a n t s of El Obeid he deserted, a c c o r d i n g to Shuqayr, to the M a hdi in Kaba, a f e w days before the
o first (and abortive) M a h d i s t at t a c k on the town,
I have not f o u n d any i n f o r m a t i o n o n the causes which, led I s m a *11 to his d e c i s i o n to join the M a h d i . ^ His
1, Shuqayr, M e m o r a n d u m , f,2, S h u q a y r 1s high opinion of I s m a cIl should be taken w i t h a g r ain of salt.
He m a y have b e e n k e e n on p r a i s i n g b o t h the author a n^^his w o r k (which he places 'in the same rank as I b n Athir, I b n Khaldun, A b u El F i d a and E l M a k r i z i r) ,
since he had a c q u i r e d the MSS. w i t h m u c h effort and p a i d for them 'a good reward' (M e m o r a n d u m , ff, 1, 5), it is n o t e w o r t h y that S h u q a y r 1s praise for' Isma'il, u n r e s e r v e d l y e x p r e s s e d in the M e m o r a n d u m , w as c o n d e n s e d " i n T a 7r i k h . iii, p, 559 r into three words, Slatin, Fire and s w o r d , p, 5 1 5y describes I s m a *11 r ather l a c o n i c a l l y as one ivho 'had b e e n well e d u cated in C a i r o ', The style of the Sira attests to I s m a * 1 1 !s good education,
2, I n the M e m o r a n d u m , f»2, Shuqayr states that, in El Obeid, Isma * I l 'aQquired a h i g h fame for his k n o w l e d g e and genious 1 sic I This statement was
omitted i n •T a 1r x k h .
3 * M e m o r a n d u m . f,2; T a 1r i k h , iii, p , 559# This is c o r r o b o r a t e d i n d i rectly b y I s m a cIl's statements in the Sira, 2/20; 65/11-12; 177/1-2. The so-called
'Friday B a t t l e 1 took place on 8 Septe m b e r 1882, 4* The d e s e r t i o n of the inhabitants of El Obeid is
d e s c r i b e d in the Sira (l67/l9-170/l7) in n completely^
d e t a c h e d manner. As has a l r e a d y b e e n noted, I s ma'il's uncle, Mutyammad a l -Makkl,was one of the deserters
from El Obeid, but there is no evidence that this h ad any b e a r i n g on Isma*Il's own decision. Like all his other relatives, M u h a m m a d a l —M a k k I is not
m e n t i o n e d in Isma * I l ' s k n o w n works.
s ubsequent c areer during the M a h d i 1s lifetime is even less clear. In the M e m o r a n d u m Shuq a y r says that I s m a lIl was p r e s e n t at the b attle of Shaykan, w h e r e the Hicks
e x p e d i t i o n was a n n i h i l a t e d on 5 N o v e m b e r 1883.~^ He then a c c o m p a n i e d the Mahdi to K h a r t o u m and, a f ter its siege and fall, sett l e d in Omdurman, 1In the M a h d i *s time Sh e i k h I s m a i l is not k n o w n to have done a n y t h i n g to
l I 2 -
d i s t i n g u i s h h im j sic I S l a t i n 1 s a c c o u n t of I s m a ^ I l ’s career in the M a h d i 1s days conveys a different picture.
A c c o r d i n g to him, I s m a H l ’had g a i n e d great favour with the M a h d i b y h a v i n g w r i t t e n a l a u d a t o r y account of his early victories. Th i s h a d so fully g r a t i f i e d the great r e ligious r e f o r m e r that he i n s t r u c t e d A b d e l K a d e r to continue to chronicle the v a r i o u s i m p o r t a n t events as they h a p p e n e d , T . ' , 3 I have not u n c o v e r e d any a d d i t i o n a l i n d e p e n d e n t i n f o r m a t i o n w h i c h w o u l d d e f i n i t e l y esta b l i s h w h i c h of these two v e r s i o n s is the mo r e accurate,
A statement b y I s m a lil h i m s e l f that the K h a l i f a cA b d a l l a h i h a d 1 o r d e r e d me to c o m p i l e 1 (a s h a r a ila y y a an a,jmaca )
the M a h d i 1s sira^ does not exclude the p o s s i b i l i t y that he h a d b e e n e n g a g e d in w r i t i n g the Sira w h i l e the M a h d i was still alive,
1, Th i s is c o r r o b o r a t e d i n d i r e c t l y b y the S i r a , 2 2 / 1 2 — 13*
2, M e m o r a n d u m , f,2. I n T a 1 rikh., iii, p. 5 5 9, Shuqayr says only that I s m a lxl ’a c c o m p a n i e d (s a h i b a ) the M a h d i u n t i l he d i e d 1, This account is f o l l o w e d by
cAbdIn, T a *r i k h al-1bag a f a , p, 137*
3, Fire and s w o r d , p, 515. Th i s is f o l l o w e d b y
Dietrich, ’M u h a m m a d Aljmad1 (without an ex p l a n a t i o n of this d i s c r e p a n c y w i t h S h u q a y r 1s version, w h i c h D i e t r i c h had g i v e n in his arti c l e P e r M a h d i -) , a n d b y T r i m i n g h a m , I s l a m , p , 157♦
S i r a , 2/21-3/ST"
18 Thus it is difficult to r e c o n s t r u c t w i t h accuracy the career of I s m a e l in the later days of the Mah d i and in the first y e a r s of the Khalifa, In k e e p i n g w i t h their d i fferent p o i n t s of departure ? Shuqayr and Slatin
describe I s m a ^ l 1 s career, subsequent to the a c c e s s i o n of the Khalifa, in m u t u a l l y incompa t i b l e t e r m s , .Slatin says that 'after the M a h d i 1s death, the Khalifa, who had i n s t a l l e d A b d e l K a d e r as state chronicler, ordered the continuance of the work'. 1 A c c o r d i n g to S h u q a y r 1s M e m o r a n d u m , Isma'il, after the d e ath of the Mahdi, 1 in
order to d i s t i n g u i s h h i m s e l f and rise up from the n e e d y and obscure state w h i c h he was r e d u c e d to b y the past events^ b e g a n w r i t i n g a b o o k on the life of the Mahdi,,, w h e n this b o o k was c o m p l e t e d to a c e r t a i n extent, Sheikh I s m a i l r e a d it to the K h a l i f a who was v e r y p l e a s e d w i t h it,,,* 2 a n d then I s m a (il c o m p l e t e d his work.
One p o int clea r l y emerges b o t h f r o m S h u q a y r 1s and Slatin*s accounts! the wri t i n g s of I s m a ' i l must have p l a y e d a decisive role in d e t e r m i n i n g his p o s i t i o n in the M a h d i s t state. On 2 R a b I 1 I 1306/6 N o v e m b e r 1888,^
the K i t a b sa ladat a d - m u s t a h d l b i - s l r a t a 1 -Imam a l —Mahdi (The b o o k of the b l i s s of him who seeks guidance b y the life of the I m a m the Mahdi), was completed, to be f o l l o w e d
1. Fire a n d s w o r d , p, 515*
2, M e m o r a n d u m , ff, 2-3* S h u q a y r *s view, w h i c h m a y have b e e n b a s e d on his i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of a r ather vague
statement b y I s m a *11, Sira, 3/11-18, is r e p e a t e d in T a 1r i k h , iii, p, 559-
3♦ See below, p , 2 5 and n,6. A n a p p r o b a t i o n b y Isma^Il is a p p e n d e d (pp, 2 6 3 -^) to al-TJasan b, Sa *d al-*AbbadI, K i t a b a l - r i s a l a a l - m u s a m m a h a l - a n w a r a l - s a n i y y a
a l —m a h i y a li-szalam a l - m u n k i r x n taln^^^haLdra
al-Wafi-diyya, } O m d u r m a n 1 . 5 D h u al^Q.a 1 da 130 5 | July 18887• See H a n d - l i s t , item 1 1 6; Hill, BD, p, 159*
soon by its sequels al-Tiraz a l - m a n q u s h b i - b u s h r a qatl Y u h a n n a m a l i k a l - H u b u s h (The e m b r o i d e r y v a r i e g a t e d w i t h
""'* " " '■ ■ ~'-T'
the go o d news of the slaying of John, the k i n g of the A b y s s i n i a n s ) T h i s work, completed on 6 Shawwal 1306/5
June 1 8 8 9j deals m a i n k y w i t h the wars b e t w e e n the K h a l i f a a n d the Abyssinians, w h i c h c u l m inated in the battle of a l - Q allabat (9 M a r c h I 8 8 9 ) • The results of these efforts b y I s m a cil are n a r r a t e d b y Shuqayr (in some length in
the M e m o r a n d u m and in a somewhat shorter v e r s i o n in Ta* r i k h ) as f o l l o w s : ’The K h a l i f a was so p l e a s e d w i t h
the ,,„two b o o k s , that h e , ,,gave She i k h I smail a good office a m ong the Kad i s of 4kis Court, 2 T h u s Sheikh
1. Hand-1 ist item 175. The c o l ophon of the unique
exe m p l a r of T i ras t w h i c h is at p r e sent at SAD, reads (p, 183)1 ’C 6 m p l e t e d b y its copier a nd owner^M u ^ a m m a d Atymad H a s h i m in the f o r e n o o n of the day of cA s h u r a 7
1 10 Mulj.arram| 1 3 0 8 ’/26 Au g u s t I S 9 0 , See also Holt,
^Mahdist a r c h i v e s ’, p, 1 9 6 *, f o r the E n g l i s h translation.
T i r a z , by Shuqayr, see Hand~3_ist. item 17&. G A L , supplement 2, p, 519; men t i o n s a work, by A b u
a l -Ma lali , . , a l-Bukhari al-Makki (d, 99l/l583) , entitled!
al- T i r a z al-manqush. fi m a h a s i n a l - H u b u s h ,
2, Cf, I R E , 14 (May I 8 9 3 ) ? p. 2, w h ere X s m a 1II is said to have b e e n 'late a c t i n g Kadi of O m d u r m a n , ,, (formerly M u fti of Kordofan) 1 * I n T a 7 r i k h . iii, p, 5 6 0 , Shuqayr does not repent the in f o r m a t i o n about the a p p o i n t m e n t of Xsma *11 as q a d i , Slatin, Fire a nd s w o r d , p, 5 1 5 ? d e scribes Isma ' i l as ’a
cert i a n K a d i ' , A n edict of a council of notables
d a t e d 23 S h a lb a n 1309/23 F e b r u a r y I892 (see Cambridge U n i v e r s i t y Library, MS, Or, 2 3 k f r e p r o d u c e d in Holt,
’M a h d i s t a r c hives’, fa c i n g page 195) ? bears the seal of an I s m a ’iX *Abd al-Qadir, The same name is also
l i s t e d on the sentence of i m p r i s o n m e n t p a s s e d on the k h a l i f a M u h a m m a d Sharif b y a special court, on
2 M a r c h I 892 (see Shuqayr, Ta * r i k h , iii, p p , 552-3?
Ho l t j M a h d i s t s t a t e , p, I 83T. T h e name of Al^mad
’■All, the Qadl a l —I s l a m , is l i s t e d first on b o t h documents, *
20 I s m a i l got into high, f a vour with, the K h a l i f a and for
some time he had an influence over h i m . , . ' ,1
The next k n o w n event in the life of Isma'il is
his loss of the K h a l i f a ’s favour. T h e r e are three v e r s i o n s of the causes f o r this change of fortune, I n the
M e m o r a n d u m , Shuqayr says t h a t , in 1 8 9 3t I s m a (il could not h e a r any l o nger the v a n i t y a nd ignor a n c e of the K h a l i f a and c o n s e q u e n t l y he once said, !i n a f i t of
a n g e r , , , " i t is a great shame to the Sudan to he gov e r n e d b y such an ignorant a n d base B a g g a r i ” „,,' as the Khalifa.
W h e n Isma lil's w o rds reac h e d the K h a l i f a ' s ears he 'was so enraged,,, that he at once b a n i s h e d h i m ’ (in 1893)•
S latin p r o d u c e s anot h e r version. With o u t d ating the
decisive event, he puts it in the setting of 'a pleasure party' w h ere Isma'il was 'overheard to say' that his p o s i t i o n in the Sudan v i s - a - v i s the K h a l i f a was similar
i i — 1to11 !■ i i i h i w b a p w
to that of I s m a lil a l - M u f a t t i s h in E g ypt in r e l a t i o n to
— 3
the K h e d i v e I s m a ’il, Unlike Shuqayr, a n d not in accordance
1, M e m o r a n d u m , ff, Isma'il was also n o t e d then b y S huqayr as one of the K h a l i f a ' s 'greatest O l a m a s 1 and 'the most l e a r n e d m a n in the Sudan' (f,l),
2. M e m o r a n d u m , f , Aj., I R E , liLj. (May 1893), p , 2, reports that I s m a ' x l 'has,..been imprisoned'.
3* Eire and s w o r d , pp. 515-6. The same account (but,
significantly, w i t h o u t the other details about Isma'Il w h i c h are g i ven in Fire and s w o r d ) appears also in
Slatin, 'Meine Erl e b n i s s e im Soudan', M i t t h e i l u n g e n der k«,k. G-eographischen G e s e l l s c h a f t in W i e n , x x x i x , 1 8 9 6 , p T 52 (paper deliv e r e d on 22 October 1 8 9 3>
bef o r e Slatin's b o o k was p u b l i s h e d ) * I s m a *11 P a sha
§adxq, k n o w as a l - m u f a t t i s h (the inspector) served as the K h e d i v e Isma ' i l ' s M i n i s t e r of Finance.
The c o m p a r i s o n which, allegedly . , was made b y I s m a lx l , is also n a r r a t e d in the M e m o r a n d u m , f ,k» but in a different context. There, Shuqayr m e n tions it as p r o o f of I s ma'iljs hi g h p o s i t i o n w i t h the
K h a l i f a and he does not attribute Isma^xl's dow n f a l l to this statement.
See a p p e n d i x Al.
w i t h the general tone ol S l a t i n 1s (= ¥ i n g a t e 1s ) book, w h i c h e n d e avours to delame the Khalifa, S latin here
credits h i m w i t h h a v i n g 1 at once ordered the judges to assemble a nd make a full inquiry into the m a t t e r 1, This enquiry p r o v e d that I s m a lil wqrs gu i l t y and he was banished, A third version, p r o d u c e d b y Shuqayr in T a Trikh.} attributes I s m a *11*s downfall to the envy of Abroad lA l i , the Q a d l
nw-j -T
a l - I s l a m , He sent three confidants to the Khalifa, to m a l i g n I s m a *11, a n d each of them gave w i t n e s s to a
diff e r e n t slander. The first slander is identical w i t h S h u q a y r 1s v e r s i o n in the M e m o r a n d u m , that is, Isma^Ilfs disgust of the K h a l i f a as a ruler. The second slander is i d e n t i c a l w i t h Slatin*s e x p l a n a t i o n of I s m a til*s downfall, that is, the equation of a l - M u f a t t i e h a nd the K h e d i v e w i t h I s m a ' T l a n d the Khalifa, The third slander is an a l l e g a t i o n that the Sira was full of h idden
b l e m i s h e s w h i c h p r o v e d Isma ci l 1s disres p e c t towards , and d enial of the Mahdia, E v e n if all these v e r sions cont a i n some truth they seem to have b e e n b a s e d on
r umours w h i c h reflect I s m a lil* s fate r a t h e r than e x p l a i n the real causes of his downfall. In particular, it is u n l i k e l y that I s m a til a t t a i n e d a p o s i t i o n h i g h and i n f l u e n t i a l enough to arouse the J e a lousy and fear cf
— 2 „
Atpnad tAli. A clue to the change of I s m a ti l ,s fortune
1, Vol, iii, p, 560,
2, A^unad '■All is the only informant whose name
I s m a lil took care to m e n t i o n in the Sira (207/ H ; 39l/l6) and in T i r a z . He is also mentioned, not unfavourably, on two other occasions (S i r a , 134/8?
392/2, See A l s o T i r a z , pp, 1 0 4 , 120), This suggests a r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n I s m a 1!! a n d Alpiad 1 A l l , See also above, p, 1 9 * n , 2,
22 m a y p e r h a p s be f o u n d in the K h a l i f a ’s order, made
si m u l t a n e o u s l y w i t h the b a n i s h m e n t of I s m a li l f to
g a ther a n d destroy all the copies of his works, despite their h i g h praise for the Khalifa, Changes from the zen i t h to the n a d i r did occur in the course of the
K h a l i f a ’s rule, a nd one of the victims of such a change was A ^ m a d *A1T h i m s e l f (May 1894)• Several other
p r o m i n e n t p e r s o n s fell foul of the K h a l i f a and it m ay be assumed, t hough w i t h reservations, that the K h a l i f a w a n t e d to eradicate the only c o n t e m p o r a r y chronicle w h i c h str e s s e d the role of other eminent m e n in the
d e v e l o p m e n t of the Mahdia, 2 Xf this a s s u m p t i o n is correct, b o t h the d e p o r t a t i o n of I s m a e l to the outer fringes of
the M a h d i s t state and the d e s t r u c t i o n of his wri t i n g s b e c o m e und e r s t a n d a b l e ,
A n account of the final fate of I s m a 1!! fs f u r n i s h e d b y Shuqayr* I s m a e l was b a n i s h e d to al-Rajjaf, on the
u p p e r reaches of the Baljr al-Jabal, on b o a r d a steamer
— 3
w i t h M u h a m m a d K h a l i d Zuqal. W h e n S h u q a y r wrote his 1* See Holt, M a h d i s t s t a t e , pp. 1 9 0 - 1 ,
2, A c c o r d i n g to Holt, M a h d i s t s t a t e , p a s s i m ; the following p e r s o n s fell out of the K h a l i f a ’s favour, close to
the b a n i s h m e n t of I s m a H l a n d the d e s t r u c t i o n of his w o r k s (those whose names are p r e c e d e d b y an a s t e r i s k are mentioned, almost always favourably, in the S a r a ) :
*Maljmud ’■Abd a l — Q a d i r ,^ M u h a m m a d al-Khayr, *Muljammad K h a l i d Zuqal, Ilyas U m m B i r a y r , Atjmad Sulayman,
Y u s u f Ibrahim, * cA b d a l - E a h m a n w* al~Nujumi, I b r a h i m A ^ m a d '•Adlan, M u h a m m a d Sharif, * a l-Zaki Tam a l
(in T i r a z ) , *Atjxnad lAli, *al~]Jusayn I b r a h i m w, al~ZAhra\
3* T a * r i k h , iii, p, 5 6 0 , M u h a m m a d K h a l i d Zuqal (see Hill, BD, p p ; 2 6 l ~ 2 ? Reid, M a h d i 1 s e m i r s ’, p p , 311-12?
Slatin, Fire a n d s w o r d , by index; Zqg-al Bey? S i r a , 281/1-2 88/ I 9 )”*"was ex i l e d w i t h the e x p e d i t i o n of
’A r a b l Dafa'allah, who left O m d u r m a n on 12 A u g u s t I 883 w i t h two steamers a n d 300 men, the m a j o r i t y of w h o m were p o l i t i c a l prisoners. See Kolt, Mahdist
s t a t e , p. 200? Collins, S o u t h e r n S u d a n , p. Ill, I n a r eport f r o m lA r a b i E a f a ' a l l a h to the K h a l i f a
(Central R e c o r d s Office, Khartoum, M A H D I A l/32: 17/l 53/ll)* d a ted 12 Jumada II 1 311/21 D e c e m b e r 1893*
an 'Abd a l — Qadir Isma lil is said to be ’held p r i s o n e r p e n d i n g receipt of i n s t r u c t i o n s 1,
_ 1 M e m o r a n d u m , I s m a lil was still b e l i e v e d to be alive.
I n T a * r i k h , Shuqayr describes his end. In the b e g i n n i n g 1 of 1897, a s f o l l o w s ; * It is said tbat a hyena snatched him w h i l e he was lying on his bed, u n a b l e to move owing to his b e i n g f a m i s h e d * .2
2, The S i r a , its compo s i t i o n and a c q u i s i t i o n The u n i q u e exemplar of the Sira is n o w at the
School of O r i ental Studies, Durham: S u dan Archive. 3 The t itle-page contains the full name of the w o r k and its
1. M e m o r a n d u m , f,6,
2* Vol. iii, p. 560, I n N o v e m b e r 1 9 6 7 , I h e a r d p r i v a t e l y that rela t i v e s of Isma cil in the Sudan deny this
story. S I R , 60 (25 M a y - 3 1 D e c e m b e r 1898), p 0 12, reports: * On 29 th N o v e m b e r 1 8 9 8 , seven letters
a d d r e s s e d to the K h a l i f a from A r a b i D a f a l i a , ,,d a ted 31st J u l y I 8 9 8 , were b r o u g h t into Sobat,,,The
f o l l o w i n g are extracted fr o m the above letters* , E x t r a c t No, 8 reads: 'Ismail A b d El K a d e r died b e f o r e the d e s e r t i o n of the above |prisoners| to
the Bel g i a n s 1 , (See t r a n s l a t i o n of letter dated 12 R a b I ' I 1 316/31 July 1898, STR, 60, p. 106), E x t r a c t No, 9 reads: '■After coming to Bor, Katib
Y u s e f and Ras M i y a Bekhit h a v i n g a t t e m p t e d to m u r d e r I s m a i l A b d E l Kader, he s entenced them to death'.
P r o m the t r a n s l a t i o n of the re l e v a n t letter, S I R , 6 0 , p. 1 6 8 , it is obvious that I c m a ' l l 1s name in the last extract is a m istake for '•Arabl Dafa'allah, A l —R a j j a f was taken b y a B e l g i a n e x p e d i t i o n on 17 P e b r u a r y 1897? The B e l gians r e l e a s e d a n u m b e r of p o l i t i c a l p r i s o n e r s who were there, a m ong them
M u h a m m a d K h a l i d Zuqal, See Collins, Southern S u d a n >
pp, 156-72; Holt, M a h d i s t s t a t e , p, 220,
3- B o x 99/6. See H a n d — l i s t , item 173» P o r the E n g l i s h t r a n s l a t i o n and the detailed list ^f contents and dates, made b y Shuqayr (SAD, B o x 2 ^ 7 / 4 ) r see
H a n d - l i s t . item 17^» The E n g l i s h t r a n s l a t i o n has all the d e f iciencies m e n t i o n e d in H o l t 1s i n t r o d u c t i o n to Wingate, M a h d f s m , p. ix.
24
1 2
author. T h ere is no colophon. The MS, comprises 405 loose pages'^ (size of papers 2 5 . I x l 6 ,5 oms.) , in a r e d l e a t h e r case. The text seems to have b e e n copied b y two handsj A: pages 1-280; 305-8; 369-405, an d B; pages
281-304; 3 0 9 — 368,^ B o t h a r e .in n a s k h i script, but the h a n d w r i t i n g of B is smaller, finer a n d more compact than that of A, T h e . n u m b e r of lines ranges b e t w e e n 15 (pp,277-9) a nd 24 (P ;38 4 ), the average n u m b e r of lines in A b e i n g
17-18 and,, in B, 19-20, E v e n pages b e a r (mostly one, sometimes two or three) catch-words at the outside of the tar1-margin, 5 The text is m a r k e d b y p e n c i l in ma n y p laces (by Shuqayr ?), There are r u b r i c a t i o n s (in two
colours), some deletions and, m a i n l y in B, some m a r g i n a l additions. Several words, m o s t l y p e r s o n a l a n d place
names, are vocalised. The forms and spelling of names and w o r d s are not always consistent a nd there are some o r t h o g r a p h i c p e c u l i a r i t i e s and i n c o n s i s t e n c i e s ,
oj>U— -
O a cJ) t
2, The c o l o p h o n of T i raz (see above, p, 19, n ,1 ) m a y also b e l o n g to tile S i r a ,
3* A l l pages, i n c l u d i n g the title-page, are consec u t i v e l y numbered, at the outside of the h e a d — margin,
a p p a r a n t l y in a h a n d w r i t i n g d i f f e r e n t from that of the text of the M S , ( a n d f r o m p, 40 onwards - in b l u e p e n c i l ) , E a c h of most p a ges fr o m 3 to 32 and f r o m 65 to 71 b e ars two or three i d e n t i c a l numbers.
At their centre of the head-margin; pages 33-62
b e a r the n u m e r a l s 35-64 and pp, 6 3 , 6 4 , the num e r a l s 33, 34* These n u m e r a l s are cros s e d out (mostly b y blue p e n c i l ) ,
4, See a p p e n d i x e s Bl and B2.
5 * The c a t ch-words at the end of pp, 148, 208 are not r e p e a t e d at the b e g i n n i n g of the p a ges f o l l o w i n g them, a n d from an i n t egral part of the sentences.
As has a l r e a d y b e e n noted, the p r e c i s e date, or p e r i o d of the c o mmencement of the c o m p o s i t i o n of the
Sira is not clear, It is o b v i o u s , however, that an enterprise of this k i n d and siz e m u s t . h a v e req u i r e d ra t h e r a lo n g time. In the M e m o r a n d u m , Shuqayr refers to the a u t h o r ’s ’three y e a r s work' while in T a 1r l k h he m e n t i o n s ’about ten m o n t h s ’. The term n o w (a l - a n )
occurs several times in the text, 2 but only m one case is it significant w i t h r e g a r d to the date of composition, a nd it des i g n a t e s the p e r i o d b e t w e e n 7 O c t ober 1887 and 29 J a n u a r y 1889* The date of c o m p l e t i o n is m e n t i o n e d in
Sira twice: (l) at the v e r y end of a qa s i d a on the
*
dome of the M a h d i ’s tomb, where the n u m e r i c a l value of the letters in the last h e m i s t i t c h is |ttPyear| 1306/
X8BQ f\i)A more accurate date is g i v e n b y I s m aRIl in the textj 5 where he refers to the date of c o m p l e t i o n as
Wednesday, 2 R a b l * I 1306, the day on w h i c h the b u i l d i n g of the dome of the M a h d i ’s tomb commenced. 6 A c c o r d i n g to S h u q a y r ’s information, w h i c h . i s p a r t l y c o r r o b o r a t e d by some i n d i c a t i o n s in the S i r a , the p r e s e n t r e c e n s i o n of
^he Sira w as p r e c e e d e d b y a draft which, Shuqayr says,
1# M e m o r a n d u m , f,5? Ta Jjrlkh, iii, p. 5 6 0,
2, MS., 134/9; 207/6; 244/7-8; 347/20. 340/13: 11a y a w m i n a h a d h a ,
3* MS, , 3 2 7 / T T 3 6 2 /h., The context is H a m d a n A b u ’A n j a 1 s e x p e d i t i o n agai n s t the Abyssin i a n s , A b u lA n j a was d i s p a t c h e d b y the K h a l i f a on 7 O c t o b e r 1887 a nd d i e d on 29 J a n u a r y I 8 8 9 .
4, MS., 405/16.
5, MS., 398/13-399/14? 403/5-11.
6, 2 Rabl' X 1306 c o r responds to 6 N o v e m b e r 1 8 8 8 j but this date fell on T u e s d a y , Shuqayr, T a Tr x k h . iii, p , 559 and M e m o r a n d u m , f ,3, dates the com p l e t i o n of the Sira as 3 R a b l 1 I 1306 a n d 7 N o v e m b e r 1886,
respectively, F o r the d i s c r e p a n c y of one day b e t w e e n the h i j r i y y a dates in the Sudan a n d in F g y p t ,'see ' Holt, M a h d i s t s t a t e , p, v i} Shuqayr, T a 7r l k h , iii, p, 35S.
26
had b e e n r e a d to, and approved by the Khalifa,'*' Shuqayr adds that the K h a l i f a o r d e r e d ’m a n y copies to be m a d e ,«.on the t o p o g r a p h y \ sic for l i t h o g r a p h y | a nd to be distributed',' When, in 1893? I s m a ^ i l was b a n i s h e d and the K h a l i f a
o r d e r e d alltiiue copies of his works to be destroyed, one copy of the Sira a nd T i raz was secretly retained, for11 i iwiu»i;i I ii^b i^mi M ran u (
* _ 3
reference, b y the K h a l i f a ' s scribe, M u h a m m a d A h m a d Hashim, Shuq a y r had h e a r d of the existence of these m a n u s c r i p t s and, after m a n y endeavours, they were brou g h t to him, in A p r i l 1895? from the Sudan b y an agent called Shaykh
‘A h m e d K a w a i ',^ F r o m S h u q a y r 's r e f e r e n c e s in the M e m o r a n d u m ^ it is not clear w h e t h e r the m a n u s c r i p t w h i c h is n o w at D u r h a m is the original or a copy made at Shuqayr * s o r d e r ,
The sources, l i t erary features a nd s u b j ect-matter of the Sira
a. Sources
I s m a ‘i l m e n t i o n s different sources for the i n f o r m a t i o n c o n t a i n e d in the S i r a . Technically, these can be c l a s sified u n d e r several headings: (l) Exp l i c i t r e f e rences to the
1, Memorandum, f*3* Two -passages in the Sira (79/lf 1 8 8 7k P lfy-b egin w i t h the p hrase s lip ^ '. ■ 2. M e m o r a n d u m , f,3? T a 1r l k h , iii, p„ 560. Slatin,
Eire a n d s w o r d , p, 5 1 6 , m e n t i o n s 'several copies', I s m a ' i l 1s w o rks are not l isted in'List of books p r i n t e d in t h e ■lithographic t a ken p r ess 1 sic 1 from Khartoum', S X R , 60, p, 6 3 *
3* Shuqayr, M e m o r a n d u m , f,£j.j T a 7 r i k h , iii, p, 560, See also Slatin, Fire and S w o r d , p, 5^0, and colophon
of J3Lcag • See' Hill, HD, p. 23? s,v, A b u 71-Qasim Afymad Ha^shJUpa:' o f , Holt, ' source-m a t e r i a l s * , p, 115? a nd k, See above, p. 9.
5# M e m o r a n d u m y ff, 4~5*
au t h o r as a witness, once to the fall of shells on
al-Janzara, during the Mahdi 1 s siege of El Obeid;'*' once to a m i r a c l e b y the Mahdi in the b a t t l e against Hicks; 2
o
a n d once (only!) to a saying of the Mahdi* (2 ) Informants*
B o t h Slatin and Shuqayr m e n t i o n orders b y the Mahdi and the Khalifa, respectively, to f u r n i s h 1 sraa1II w i t h
i n f o r m a t i o n , ^ I s m a M l h i m s e l f c e r t a i n l y m a d e efforts
to o btain i n f o r m a t i o n about several points. 5 Except for the Qadi a l ~ X s l a m « A ^ m a d tAfx, who is e x p l i c i t l y n a m e d In the Sira as a n i n f o r m a n t , ^ all other informants reinain a n o | n y m o u s , a n d are r e f e r r e d to as r e liable (a l - t h i q a *
>y
a l - t h x q a t etc.) persons, 16 such, r e f e r e n c e s are made at
1 . MS., 1 7 7 / 1 - 3 . 2 . MS., 2 2/ 1 2- I 8. 3 . MS., 9 3 / 4 - 5 .
k * Slatin, Eire a nd s w o r d , p* 515? Shuqayr, M e m o r a n d u m * ff,,2~3? of, T a * ri k h * xii^,,p„ 559 •
5 . E.g., MS., 164/ 1 9- 165/ 1; 1 9 1/ 7- 1 1; 3 7 4 / 3 - 4 .
6. See above, p* 21 #
7* Of 67 references, 51 are made to i n f o rmants who are said to have f u r n i s h e d Isma^xl w i t h v a r i o u s details about the Mahdi* It is n o t e w o r t h y that I s m a ci l 1s r e f e r e n c e s to inform a n t s about the M a h d i are more
frequent be f o r e p, 171 of the Sira *(where the account of the F r i d a y B a t t l e begins) than i n the subsequent p a rts of the narrative* T a k e n w i t h I s m a lil's own
t e s t i m o n y as a w i t n e s s (see above, not e s 1—3) these m a y i n d i r e c t l y corroborate S h u q a y r 1s dating of
I s m a i l 1 s d e s e r t i o n to the M a h d i 1 s camp at Kaba, I n the f o l l o w i n g instances, however, the a u t h o r ’s n e e d to re l y o n informants, a l t h o u g h explicable, w o u l d seem to be incompa t i b l e w i t h his k n o w n b i o g r a p h i c a l detailss (a) The e x ecution of the M a h d i 1s m e s s e n g e r s to M u h a m m a d S a i d Wahbi in El O b e i d (MS*, 166/1-2) ;
(b) Some details of the F r i d a y B attle (MS*, 173/7?
1 7 4 / l 3 — l ^ )? (°) T r i c e s in El O b e i d d u r i n g the close siege a f t e r the F r i d a y Battle (MS*, 181/2-3); (d) The M a h d i 1s actions on entering El O b e i d (MS., 187/12, 16)
(e) The K h a l i f a ' s p a r t i c i p a t i o n in the b u i l d i n g of the M a h d i 1 s tomb (MS., Z^OO/9 ) *
28
the b e g i n i n g ; , in the course, or at the end of accounts of b a t t l e s or expeditions, the u s u a l f o r m u l a b e i n g either!
... ^ •••
or
4 J'yU
(3) W r i t t e n source materials. The f o l l o w i n g source
m a t e r i a l s are m e r e l y m e n t i o n e d in the course of the STra s _ 3
The M a h d i 1s R a t i b a nd collections of poe m s 1 like the C o m m e n d a t i o n s (a m d a h ) of the M a h d i 1 O t h e r sources,
m e n t i o n e d a nd u t i l i z e d b y Isma ti l , are N a s r b a t al- (A w a m
* *
l i ’l-kh a s s w a ’l -'amm (The .advice of al- (A w a m to the
1 * ♦ ' " 1 n" " ~ ... p-
special a n d the g e n e r a l ) , and the J a m i 1 a l -manshurat (The c o l l e c t i o n of the proclamations),^* A case in point is I s m a li l fs acco u n t of cU t h m a n D i q n a * s c a m paign in the ea s t e r n Sudan, 7 As in his other a c c ounts of campaigns
1. E.g., MS,, 85/9-12.
2. Eh g. , MS. , 362/5,
3. MS,, 32/6-33/7, See Trimingham, I s l a m , pp. 156,
2 1 3 . Several copies of the M a h d i 1s R a tib are extant.
See H a n d - l i s t r note on p. 44 a n d i t e m s ' 2 7 4 a— 2815
Daghir, items 103, 274-5, G A L , supplement 2 , p. 8 9 6 ,
4* MS,, 398/13# Cf, Trimingham, I s l a m , p, 1 5 7 > a n d note 3#
5 . MS., 79/ 1 - 1 2 . See Hill, BD, p. 30 ; Shuqayr,
T a Tr l k h , ~ i i i , p. 265? M.O. Beshir, 1Nasihat A l A w a m 1 , S N R , x i i , i 9 6 0 , pp. 59-65? H a n d - l i s t . items 5 3 - 4•
6. MS., 43/Bj 374/8-10. See M a n s h u r a t . a n d below, notes to p r o c l a m a t i o n s in the summary. I n the course of the S i r a . several p r o c l a m a t i o n s a n d letters are m e n t i o n e d and some are fully transcribed. See a p p e n d i x C,
7. m s ., 222/ 1 9 - 2 80/ 1 3 .
a nd expeditions, I s m a *11 refers here only to anonymous informatrtsn. as his source of1 information, 1 Nevertheless, it is c l e a r that i n fact he u t i l i z e d a w r i t t e n source, namely, a report b y *Uthman Diqna, A c o m p a r i s o n w i t h
the r e p r o d u c t i o n of* the m a n u s c r i p t report of lU t h m a n D i q n a u n r a v e l s some of the m ethods e m p l o y e d b y I s m a 1xl in his u s e of w r i t t e n sources for the S i r a , I n general, the a c c o u n t in the Sira is a paraphrase, a n d sometimes a condensation, of the report which, a l t h o u g h less fluent in style a n d less r i g orous in g r a m m e r a n d syntax, contains more details of h i s t o r i c a l v a lue th a n does the account in the S i r a » A p a r t f r o m editing the text, I s m a t41 took
3
the l i b e r t y of o m i t t i n g important names, explanations, dates etc. On.the other hand, he adds some remarks of an
"ideological", almost apo l o g e t i c n a t u r e 5 e x p lanations of b a t t l e t a c t i c s 5 a n d some other d e t a i l s . ^ T a k e n as
X, MS., 270/10-12:
yS-KjfA * 1/
2, See ¥aqa* i 1t a r e p r o d u c t i o n of a m a n u s c r i p t report, b y tU t h m a n Diqnaj of v a r i o u s b a t t l e s a r o u n d Suakin, See also Wingate, M a h d i i s m , pp. 5 0 9 - 2 1 s a (faulty) t r a n s l a t i o n of this m a n u s c r i p t report, w h i c h was c a p t u r e d b y the B r i t i s h at *AfafIt, F e b r u a r y 1891.
B o t h i n Wingate, M a h d i i s m , pp. 509* 521, and in the r e p r o d u c t i o n of the Waq a H 1. the re a d e r ' s a t t e n t i o n is d r a w n to m i s s i n g pages at the e nd of the
m a n u s c r i p t copy of the report. It seems that I s m a lIl h a d access to that c o p y of the r eport w h i c h had b e e n
sent to the Mahdi, a nd that a n (inaccurate) r e c e n s i o n of the p a ges m i s s i n g in the W a q a 1i * is r e t a i n e d in the S i r a . p. 252 ff.
3. F o r example, the Khatmiyya, which, is m e n t i o n e d several times in the W a q a U %is a l t o g e t h e r omitted in the Sira, p e r h a p s because of I s m a ^ I l ' s fa m i l y ties w i t h the I s m a lIliyya b r a n c h of this t a r l q a . See not e s to summary, below, pp. 172 ff. *
