The Sultan tried to win their support with many gifts. The Sultan realized that unless he appeased the 'Ulama, he would not be able to control the country. The reasons for this considerable influence were many. The 'Ulama were the guardians of the sacred law, and they could influence the Muslims even in regions where paganism and magic held sway. The 'Ulama could always incite a section of the population to wage jihad. As the pillars of the ruling class, the 'Ulama held positions of judge and chief administrator, and they controlled the Majlis al-Shura. Among them were the scribes who recorded the deeds of the rulers and carried their messages to other states. Indeed, it was possible for administrative affairs to continue without their approval. The 'Ulama also distinguished themselves by a pride that other classes of society lacked, as they believed that as educated men, they were far superior to the materialistic nobles. They were often the only class that, if united, could pose a challenge to the ruling authority. The Sultans sought to have them recognized as their successors, and it was their custom to seek their advice and counsel on all important matters, and often they followed their opinions.

The 'Ulama as a class were not fundamentally inclined towards politics, nor did they care whether the Sultans or the Mamluks ruled Sudan. They cared only about two things: that the character of the state should be Islamic, and that their privileges should remain intact. The Mamluk Pashas, following the example of all those who had apostatized from Islam, did not treat the 'Ulama with the respect they had been accustomed to during the reign of the Sultans, and thus they entered into disputes with them. Nevertheless, in the beginning, there were a significant number of them who were strongly loyal to the Mamluks, believing that their political control would lead to the support of...