ABSTRACT
Muhammad Ahmad, the Mahdi, followed the example of the Prophet and described his followers as ansar, or ‘helpers’. The British called them dervishes, a term normally applied to members of the Sufi orders, and frequently characterised them as fanatics inasmuch as they appeared excessively or unreasonably zealous in pursuit of the jihad, or holy war. The Mahdi, the ‘Expected Guide’, had summoned all true believers to forsake everything and join him in rebellion, promising to carry the jihad throughout the Sudan and on to Cairo and Alexandria, and thence to Arabia and the Mediterranean. He aimed to expel the Turks, crush all those who supported them, and thereafter worship in the mosques of Mecca and Constantinople.1 If these aims posed a challenge that the British, already ensconced in Egypt since the suppression of Arabi Pasha’s revolt (1882), could hardly ignore, so too did the uncompromising manner of the Mahdi’s pronouncements, the appeal of his religious teachings, and the depth of commitment he inspired, not least the willingness of the ansar to die in prosecuting the jihad. This commitment found reflection on the field of battle, whether in the storming of towns, in destroying Egyptian armies or in fearlessly challenging well-armed and disciplined British expeditionary forces. ‘Dervish fanaticism’ seemed to be one explanation for the tenacity and ferocity of the Mahdist revolt, especially when it appeared to be a declining force in the 1890s and the regime of Khalifa ‘Abdallahi, the Mahdi’s successor, seemed increasingly vulnerable. Nevertheless, the significance of fanaticism has been disputed, and its perceived impact in battle should not detract from the way in which the Mahdists were able to refine their military tactics and adapt their military organisation.
