The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1885-04-22
THE LIFE OF THE MAHDI.

10y no means rare IN Mohammedan coun-
tries. but It Is seldom that they create 50
much stirln tho world az The mysterious
tanutic who believes. aud has Inspired ms
E followers with the belief. that be possesses
mission 10 regencrate Islam Not long
ago Parsonage with similar pretentions
appeared IN Tripoii. but local circumstan-
ces did not come TO his aid. as in the case
-Fret the Mahdi Of the Souslnn. AIr Nllfrid
y Blunt was the frst 70 fofesce and foretell
the danger to be incurred in the existing
state Of affairs in equatorial Africa from
the advent OF this visionary 1t hap
pened that the native mind had become.
IN measure, prepared iQT the appearance
Sef messiah, OF prophet, who, accorJing
totradition, had been foretold BY Aloham-
med himself as likely to appear about the
year 1900 Of the Hegira The turn Of the
century, according to this calendar,
happened about three yoars ago
3 almost simultaneously with the APP
pearance OF the new saviour OF Islam As
MIR. Blunt has pointed out, the condition
Of the natives IN the Soudan and the wide
region nominally under the sway Of the
pashas had become intolerable from op-
preston, and they were ripe forlreyoia
n iAlong with TINS, extraordinary success
Y had for some years attended the Spread
Of the Mahommedan creed in Central
Africa, and high authorities estimate the
number of converts at from eight to twelve
millions One writer remarks: The idea
OF the regeneration of Islam by force Of
arms has gained 4 strong hold over the
enthusiasm Of these new converts, and on
the appearance Of the False Prophet in.
DO August 1881, thousands hocked to his
standard" The Mahdi had thus an enor-
uInous advantage over all rival preteuders.
and quickly oyershAdowcd all others, Who
have long since sunk back into their orr
ginal obscurity. Like most Of them, Mo
BANNED Ahmed Tor such Is the Mahdiis
real nRme-'vas Of origin obscure bnt ira
ckable II is to the unfortunate Colonel
Stewart, another victim Of Arab leachery
that we are indebted Tor most Of our
knowledge Of the prophets early days,
for when the gallant colonel visited FL
Obeid nearly three years ago the impostOr
was only beginning to rally round him a
ragged following, and to make some noise
in the country. From what could then be
gathered about him. Colonel Stewart in
forms Us that the Mahdi was the son Of al
carpenter and native of DongOla In
1852 the father migrated to Shendy the
town on the Nile on thu Bank opposite
Metemmeh. his family consisting Of three
sons and one daughter, and here fourth
son was bon ~ BIN. Wide boy the
future prophet was apprenheed as . boat
builder, but after receiving abeating from
his uncle one day, he fed TO khArt0urn,
where he entered free school kept by a /
dervish Of gTpat sarstity and an alleged
descendant Of the founder of Islamis1n.
Here says Colonel Stewart, ''ie re-
manned for soue lime Studying, religion,
the tenets OF his sheikh. Se., but did MT
make much progress in the Inore worldly
accomplishments of reading and writing.
His religious education was completed at
another school to which he aftsrEards
went near Berber. Thence he settled in
village south of Kama and enrolled him
self as a disciple of fakir or holy lfnan
delighting in the name OF NurelsDaiIn
Having from this worthy fhe distinction
Of sheikh. Mohammed Ahmed -iooii M his |
abode on the island VI Abba, near Kama
en- the Mhite Nile Alierc.n adds Colonel
Stewart. ahe l,egaE ~ making 4 suhtarra-
reall. eEeayntiuu lshaliva ArQfraa3 Into
which n sintden f,raetfee Of fatirfnt 10 Re-
peat for hours one Of the names of the 4
deity, this being aocouiVanioalgy faAng, !
incense -bufning, aud prlyers. HIS lame 1
and sanctits ~ degTets epread far and 4
Nids and Mohhmned Aimed ibecGnne |
g wealthy, collected discillesS md married |
several wives, all OF whom he was careful |
to select from among the daughters Of the !
d, ,laost infneRiial Baggara sheikhs 4Bag |
q sarh tribes owning catsle md horses |
pnd other notnbles- 1ife keep within the |
legalised number -four he was IN the |
habit Of divorcing the surplus and taking |
them on Again according % his faneyn In |
these marital responsibilities he Tas pnly |
surpassed by his secretary or fsctotuIn, |
who espoused no fewer than Svrnty four |
ladies Of the neighbourhood But the |
Aahdi's time was not wholly occupied |
with the attractions Of the harem. The |
ipcreEse OF rs intnen6a oiily neiied him |
to fresh efforts. Gradually he acquired |
great reputation Tor holiness, and byr and |
.a,iasefa bled i nnmlle a ctiler defStslles |