Mahdi Mohammed Ahmed was born August 12, 1844 and died on June 22, 1885.
He was a religious leader in north Africa who wanted to create a global Islamic state.
He fought the British in north Africa and defeated General Charles ‘Chinese’ Gordon at Khartoum . He beheaded the general and hung his head in a tree for children throw stones at.
His title was that of Mahdi – to Muslims the Mahdi is the prophesied redeemer of Islam. He is a prophet himself. His coming is to unite the Muslims in one world Islamic state to prepare for the second coming of the prophet Isa.
The prophet Isa is Jesus.
The British were in north Africa as they were intending to increase their presence in Egypt . Their main opponents in power and prestige were the Arabs, who, at the time, were primarily slave traders. In fact in Sudan over eighty percent of the black population was enslaved by a comparatively small number of Arabs. The situation was a good example of what one day would have happened to the southern United States had not the Civil War intervened and slavery abolished in North America .
In the late 1800’s, however, slavery was still a major part of the economy and the British hoped to break the monopoly the Arabs had on the economy by destroying the slavery system. They did so with good intent but ended up breaking down the entire society of north Africa without preparing anything to replace it.
Into this vacuum stepped the Mahdi Mohammed Ahmed.
He raised an army of considerable size and was financed by Arabs who hoped to reestablish the slave trade as well as many Muslims who wished to see the creation of an Islamic nation that stretched from Morocco to the southern seas of the Pacific.
At first the Mahdi was successful and defeated the British presence in Sudan . Even Khartoum , as mentioned above, was taken from British control.
Shortly after the successful termination of the campaign against Khartoum and the death of General ‘Chinese’ Gordon the Mahdi died of a tropical disease.
His body was laid in a tomb in a place called Omdorman in Sudan .
On 2 September 1898, the battle of Omdurman occurred and the British and Egyptians slaughterd about 11,000 Mahdi fighters. The British then dominated the Sudan until 1956. The Sudan ’s flag sports a black stripe at the bottom which symbolizes the Mahdi.
On or about September 11, 1898 the Mahdi’s tomb was broken open and torn down. The bones of the Mahdi were thrown into the Nile . His skull was kept as a keepsake by General Kitchener.
As we all know September 11 marks another day in history – that of the destruction of the World Trade Center in New York .
The Mahdi’s relation to Osama Bin Laden is not spoken of. The idea of the second coming of Christ, which is hoped for by many Christians and actively worked towards by many fundamental Christians is shocking when put in the context of terrorism.
Just what was the Mahdi up to?
Just what was Osama Bin Laden up to?
Preparing for the second coming of Christ? It seems so.
Now besides his own history where do you think a man like Bin Laden would pick up the notion that attacking the World Trade Center might be a good move to start the ball rolling and get God to put Jesus back on earth for a second go around?
Consider that the Bin Laden family and many Arabs have constant and ongoing contact with fundamental Christian sects who control, operate and work for major oil companies.
The Bush family is a prime example but not the only one. Do you know someone who is convinced that these are the ‘end of days’? If so you know someone who is unwittingly feeding the war on terror and helping dishonest politicians and business owners steal what they want without working for it.
With an imperfect understanding of Christianity and even of his own religion it is possible that he believed he was pulling the strings in his own magic show that would one day, ‘Presto-Change-O’, produce Jesus Christ.
Do you think that many of the half educated and ignorant members of our society would argue against something like that – especially if the price to be paid were only an attack on New York , which many of them hate for some unnamed reason anyway?
The invasion of Iraq spurred the coming out of the Mahdi’s Army in that country. It is in fact, the strongest opponent of American and British occupation at this time in Iraq . They are dedicated to the notion of a global Islamic state.
Add to the mix the greed and murderous attitude of the Turks in their quest to secure Iraqi oil by slaughtering Kurds you have an explosive atmosphere.
Keep in mind that the Kurds worship the ‘Peacock Angel’ – known to you and I as the devil. Whoever the Mahdi is supposed to be these days a limited engagement between the forces of ‘good’ (those wanting to spur the return of Christ) and ‘evil’ (folks worshipping the devil) is political good news for religious fanatics and the people who spur them on and then steal their wealth out from under them.
Now consider also that the President, whose beliefs already echo and mirror those of men and women who think like Osama Bin Laden – that is – being predisposed to looking forward to the return of Christ.
Other examples of this particular type of interference can be seen on the world stage. None are so blatant as those of our own president however who recently urged the people of Cuba (as well as their military) to rebel against their government. It was an ugly scene to watch as the president, in his usual stammering manner, encouraged the people of Cuba to riot and run wild in their streets.
It is common law and common sense that someone who spurs on another to murder and mayhem are themselves guilty of murder and mayhem.
Finally – to complete the scene you have been watching – the British Empire announced through their military and newspapers in the 1880’s that they need to ‘smash the Mahdi’ before he could form his global Islamic Republic.
This is from April 4, 1885 in the New York Times :
“"Smashing the Mahdi," on the scale upon which that operation is now prosecuted in the Soudan, cannot exhilarate the British Jingo.”
From August 6, 2006, Time Magazine :
“For Sunnis, the failure to smash the Mahdi Army is not so much an indictment of al-Maliki as proof of a U.S. double standard.”
Now you know why it was September 11 and not some other date.
