Life of the Sudanese Mahdi

The Mahdia was an important Islamic millenarian movement of the Nilotic Sudan in the last two decades of the nineteenth century. It contributed substantially to the emergence of the Sudan as a nation-state in the twentieth century. The Mahdi's family and heritage played a major political and cultural role in the Sudan, both before and after independence.This volume begins with introductory material on the Mahdia and a biographical sketch of the author of the Sra, followed by discussion of composition, acquisition, sources, and literary features of the account. The text itself presents a condensed paraphrase of the account while retaining the spirit of the original document. It pays special attention to preserving historical events. Appendixes include full transcriptions of the main source materials for the biography, two photographic reproductions of the handwriting of the original Arabic manuscripts, and an annotated list of the Mahdist proclamations and letters transcribed in the original Arabic text of the Sra.

"The sira of the Mahdi, the hagiographic work that Dr. Shaked presents here, is important; first, in that it reflects the self-image of the Mahdi and his followers and throws light on the popular Sudanese Islam of the time and the eschatological expectations that represented a reaction to Turco-Egyptian rule. Second, although the intention of the sira is religious and didactic, it is a unique source for the biography of the Mahdi and the history of the movement that he started. This version, which Dr. Shaked has prepared with meticulous care, and to which he has provided a full and scholarly introduction, is therefore a significant contribution to the understanding of the Sudanese Mahdia in its dual aspect as a political revolt and as a millenarian movement in Islam. Readers concerned with the history of the Sudan and with the study of Islam will find profit and interest in this book." - P. M. Holt, School of Oriental and African Studies, London"

Haim Shaked is professor in the department of international studies and the director of the Sue and Leonard Center for Contemporary Judaic Studies at the University of Miami. Some of his books include The Middle East and The United States, From June to October, and Arab Relations in the Middle East.