New-York tribune., 1896-03-29
THE JEHAD.
crn1 ,fAHOMET Ell sENOUsSIS HOLY WAR


reached this country in the last week has been
the dispatch sent by the unusually wel-informed
oorresnondent of The London Times" at Con-
stantinople to the effect that there is some kind
NJ an understanding between the Yildiz Kiosk or
Imperial Palace, at Stamboul. and the Dervish
leaders In the Soudan. The Times correspond
ent. who in this as in most other matters may
be regarded as the mouthpece Of the British En-
bassy on the Bosphorus. adds that negotiations
have been In progress for nearly a year between
the Sultan and Osman Digna, a one-armed
French renegade, who is the principal lieutenant
Of the Soudanese Mahdi and. as his most able and
successful general. selected to command the
Dervish army organized for the invasion Of
Egypt. The Importance Of this news lies in
the fact that 1t goes TO confirm the impression
which has existed for some time among those
most intimately acquainted with Oriental affairs
that the so-called Mahdst movement has ceased
to be purely local affair. but extends far be-
yond the boundaries Of the Soudan. This is the
meaning Of the 'Jehad" or Holy War which the
Mahdi has proclaimed at Omdurmann That he
would not and could not have taken this step Of
his own accord. and upon his own responsibility.
Is rendered manifest by the fact that neither
the former Mahdi. who destroyed Khartoum ten
years ago. yet his successor. the present
Mahdi, has until ventured to issue any
waited all these years. refraining from any ap-
peal 20 their co-religionists. even at the moment
when their very existence was threatened by
Lord Woseley's abortive Nile campaign in 1854
1885. shows more clearly than anything else that
they have been waiting for the word from the
great chief. the Shek Ell Senoussi. whose humble
servants they have been. and still This
6heik el Senoussi Is the most important parsonage
IN the Mahometan world He Is regarded with
such veneration by the followers Of the Prophet
that. like Moses Of old when he descended from
the Mount. he never appears otherwise than
veiled. lest those who approach him should be
daZzled by the divine radiancy Of his features
The chief Of all the Dervishes Of the Mahometan
faith and occupying a position similar 10 but
infinitely more influential than the General Of
the Order OF the Jesuits his power extends from
the most western point of Morocco to the Ma
hometan provinces OF China and Of Java the
principal chaplain and spiritual adviser of the
Sultan at Constantinople being Of his most
trusted dervishes or monks If may be per-
mitted the expression ir connection with a Ma
hometan.
THE MAHOMETAN MESSIAH
According to Koranc prophecy and Mussul-
man tradition, the great revival Of the Mahom-
etan faith is to be brought about by Mahdi
or Messiah. who was to make his appearance In
1900.
His fathers to be Mahomet. his
mothers Fatima. Sidi Mahomet ell Senoussi
fulfls all these conditions. He attained his
majority in 1SS3 and before the death in that
year of his father the founder OF the great
6enoussi Order. was solemnly proclaimed by
the latter as the true Messiah or el Mahdi by
which appellation he Is now known throughout
the Mahometan world. 1t may be urged that
since the Senoussi claims to be the true Mahdi.
there can be cooperation on his part with
the Soudanese Mahdi. This is a mistake. The
Koran distinctly states that several Mahdis VIII
arise simultaneously with the chief one. but
that they will all In the end submit TO the lat
ter 1t has been with the object Of verifying
this prophecy that Senoussi has called forth
during the past decade Mshds in the Yemen.
Hedtaz in Syria In the Mahometan provinces
Of China, well as at Omdurmann That the
Mahdi on the Nile is in everything subserv1ent
to the Senoussi Is shown by number OF things
In the first place Gordon's slayer, Mahomet Ach-
met el Mahd, and his successor have both be-
longed to the Stdi-Abd-el Kadr el Djilani fra
ternity which Is one of the most direct af-
Aliations of the senoues Order and entirely
subject and obedient to the Senoussi ell Mahdi
Then too Mahomet Achmet did not claim to be
the true Mahdi but merely the forerrnner. the
St John the Baptist Of the Mussulman Messiah.
and finally four of the chief leaders or the
Mahdst Army at Omdurmann are ex-coloneIs
who compromised in the Arebi insurrecuon at
Cairo in 1882 fed after their defeat at the pat'e
Of Tel-el-K Kebr across the Lybian desert TO Jer-
boub whence after remaining with el Senoussi
for a couple Of years they proceeded to join
the Soudanese Mahdi at Omdurmann on the
Nile. One Of them, Mahomet Pacha-el-Beit, the
<orr,er Governor Of Suez. now commands the
artillery, which comprises large number OF
Krupp guns
LIKE FORTIFIED CONVENT
1.r,o,,h the HEADQUARTERS and stronghold Of
senoussi ell Mahd situated latitude 3o' longi-
tude 2a2O on the shores OF Lake Fareg1a In
the southeastern portion Of Tripoli. and founa-
ed In 1861 by the father and founder OF the Sc
noussi Order, is said to resemble an Immense
fortified convent. Even ten years ago IL nao
sixteen big guns. purchased at Alexandria, anu
several large factories. where gunpowder was
produced and small arms. obtained In Esyp'' |
renounted and repaired. In FeDruary last Tic
number Of big guns had Increased 10 over one
hundred. and there were. besides, twenty MI
trailleuses of German manufacture. According
10 trustworthy information. two Italian ana
,hree Austrian vessels anchored in the months
of June and July last in the Mediterranean port
OF Tabrouk which belongs to the order' Iaoeh
with arms, shot and shell. which were lrhH'e-
d,atelv forwarded over the 200 kilometres or
desert separating the port from Jerboub. There
ora also at the latter place splendid library
TRANSPORTED thther from Mecca, the former
headouarters Of the fraternity; stables contain
Ing over 1000 horses. magnificent reservoirs
md plantations, etc. According to the distin-
,,,,shed French author Duveyrier the body
or.rd Of the master who lives there. consists
., over 5000 AIgerians. Fortified converts ana
s,at,ons but on q less extensive scale. exist
mar swah. In the oasis Of Jupiter Ammon. at
the important oasis Of Farafra' and at ABOUT
.., other places mostly in the various