APPENDICES TO BOOK I.
Letter to General Gordon from Abd el Kâder Ibrahim.
In the name of God, the Merciful and Compassionate, blessing be on our lord Mahomed, and peace.
From the servant of his Lord—the Fakeer (humble one) Abd el Kâder Ibrahim, Kâdi (Judge) of Kalâkla, to his Excellency Gordon Pasha, Governor General of the Soudan.
Now this is what we have to state to your Excellency: Your benevolence and compassion towards all are well known, and your special regard towards us is most particularly known to us, and confirmed by deeds since the beginning of your presence in the Soudan both the first and this second time.
That which you have declared in proclamation emanating from you on your arrival in the Soudan this time is known to us both publicly and privately.
But the first conviction in the true mission of this present Imâm, the Mahdi (the expected one, on whom be peace) from the very beginning (first day) of his appearance, forbids us to accept your letters or to reply to you. For we know about him what the Ulema (wise men), who have wandered from the right way, do not know. And as the mission of this Imâm, the Mahdi (the expected one, on whom be peace) is predicted (confirmed) for us and for you in the ancient books, we cannot incline to (receive) your many kindnesses and your regard to us (as shown) by your favours and your bounties, or forsake the command of the glorious and Most High God and of his prophet Mahomed, on whom be peace. We had previously to this frequently communicated with your Highness. And on each occasion we explained sufficiently for him who has a heart (to understand); and in all our communications we made clear unto you the way of peace and salvation. But you have not accepted it; nor have you given your mind to the important object of our call unto you—which is the means of your material and moral salvation from the dangers of this world and the next, (and that both) for yourself and for the people of the city—because many of them are our friends and our relations.
But you have rejected what we have demonstrated to you again and again. You have listened to the Ulema whom this world has deceived by its glittering mirage, making them forget both their own souls and the Moslems, for the sake of contemptible riches of this life.
Yet their enmity, and giving of the lie, to the Imâm, the Mahdi (the expected one, on whom be peace), are predicted in the ancient books, and they themselves are aware of this. But if they ignore this let them consider the preface of the book, “Keshef el Ghumma an Jamia el Umma,” by Shaàrani.[260]
But you rely upon their sayings and listen to their words, notwithstanding what has been proved and made known to you and to all intelligent people of the calamities and destruction that have befallen the country. This is the very point (acmé) of your error, and of your blindness as to what is right.
But because we have not ceased to compassionate you and the people of the city; and because the supreme Emir Abderrahman el Najoomi, and the Emir Abdallah en Noor and the other emirs with him, have come with a very great host of troops of all the various tribes which have submitted to the Imâm, on whom be peace.
(And because) You are utterly heedless as to (the safety of) yourself and the people of the city, in our exceeding compassion we have written this to you in return for your past regard and favour to us. And we beseech God that it may be accepted (by you).
Besides all this, the noble Imâm himself has arrived at Schatt, and with him innumerable hosts, and he will shortly come with his army to the city.
It is therefore our duty to inform you of this in the hope that you will listen to us, and disregard the words of the seditious; and that you will submit to this Imâm, the Mahdi, because, beyond all doubt he is the Imâm, the Mahdi (the expected one, on whom be peace). And all the Governments (Powers) will be destroyed by his hand; for he is supported and made victorious by the power of God. Be not misled by that which happened in the Desert (Deem) of Jareef and of the East.
For God made the prophet Mahomed victorious, and humiliated all his enemies after his defeat in the raid on Badr and on Ohod, both (which are) well known. And God gave him unbroken victory (success after that) as much as he wished and desired. All (the defeat) which has occurred in the two deserts (deems) before-named is worth nothing (unimportant). It does not equal (counterbalance) a tenth of the tenth of those slaughtered in the day of the battle of Shaikh el Abeed, as is known to you and the people of the city.
This is our counsel to you, and please God you and the people of the city may accept it.
And know, O Excellency Gordon, that we have communicated with his Highness the Mahdi on your behalf; and his favourable answer has come, (which is) of a nature to please you and give you confidence, provided that you submit and obey.
And this is the communication (of the Mahdi) sent to you by the two Moslem envoys, together with the dervishes, our allies, who now come to you.
(Signed) Ibrahim Abd el Kâder.
Dated 18 Zu’l Kâdi, 1301.
9th Sept., 1884.
Postscript.—We have sent this reply to your Excellency with our allies the dervishes, dispatched from the Lord of all, the Mahdi (the expected one, on whom be peace), and with the two Moslems, Mahomed Yusuf and George Calamatiano. And because they were refused at the gates, we now send it back to you with our son Suleiman, specially sent by us, who has a letter from the headquarters of the Imâm requesting your speedy reply to him.
All the emirs here present have given assurance of safe conduct, in the name of God and of his prophet, to whomsoever you may send for needful negotiations. And if it is agreeable to your Excellency, send for our son and for our friend George Calamatiano for complete understanding between us and you, as he is both intelligent and friendly in this matter.
And it appears from your letter that (you consider us) intelligent and understanding; therefore you should have believed our report about this Imâm, that there might be fruit (benefit) derived for all. But we believe that your opinion of us for sense was inconsistent.
Now God is the Director and Guide into truth.
(Signed) Ibrahim Abd el Kader.
Written the same date.