LITHOGRAPH STONE. -------------------00000000--------------------

The Mahdi, appointed his successors during his lifetime. They were Al-Khalifa Abdullah, Al-Khalifa Ali Wad Helu and Al-Khalifa Mohamed Sherif Hamed. The Mahdi was forced to overlook his relationship to Khalifa Mohamed Sherif Hamed,owing to his young age, and entrust the succession to Al-Khalifa Abdullahe, a man of more mature age and experience. Khalifa Mohamed Sherif Hamed resented this appointment and on two occasions openly defied the Khalifa Abdullahe. On the second occasion he was tried before a Religious court and this lithograph stone records the sentence passed upon him.

"Thanks be to He who ordained that the straight path leads to safety and thanks be to He who led the possessors of souls to the base of truth whereby they have become persons of miracles and specialised the chosen people in the light of the right way and resignat- ion whereby they they accept the deeds of God without protest, and so saved into the abyss of regret,and urged obeyance of those in authority by his saying:- "You people who believe obey God and obey the Prophet and obey those in authority over you". He gave these words to secure harmony and peace on the day of resurrection.

And praise and glory to the Center of Universal Light,the Fountain of God's Gifts, the Most Honourable Kind of Man, the Metal of the Secret of God,our Master Mohamed, who cut with sword of justice the back of discord and strengthened the sword of religious law on the necks of those who err- and (praise and glory) to his family and his followers who streng- thened their belief in God. Their belief being from their heart,their doubt were cleared and increased their belief and fortified their religion.

Now whereas the Khalifa Mohamed Sherif Hamed appeared as an antagonist to Khalifa el Mahdi (peace be upon him)by being an enemy and opposing and disobeying until he started war and drew the sword on him without taking into account the fact that his actions injured the religion and divided the stick(power) of the Moslems. After all this a delegation of Moslems came and made him swear on the Book of God; and so he swore and gave his word of honour not to go back to what he had done in the past and to be under the sight of the Khalifa el Mahdi (pence be upon him) and be like the followers of the Mahdi in humble- ness and obedience and cleanlynes of heart. And he appeared before Khalifa el Mahdi (peace be upon him) repenting his acts and Khalifat el Mahdi (peace be upon him) accepted him in spite of his crimes and evil deeds; pardoned him and met him with kind- ness and grace.

After all this he broke his oath and went back to his opposition and disobedience in addition to giving up Friday and community prayer. The committee of the Mahdi's followers consisting of Judges of the Moslem Law, Sherifs, Qadas and Notables, asked him to explain his deeds; and he met them with circumstances from bad to worse saying that the saint of the day is in his prison. Had it not been that he showed repentance his punishment would have been more severe, and that was very clear evidence given by the Mahdi whose seals and names follow hereunder and who will give evidence before God. nice words to withdraw from his attitude; instructing him to follow and obey Al-Khalifa Abdullahe and the personal letter which the Mahdi in prison. Had it not been that he showed repentance his punishment would have been more severe, and that was very clear evidence given by the Mahdi whose seals and names follow hereunder and who will give evidence before God.

This judgement was made and witnessed by the following 46 men. The year of the Hegira 1309 :-

Ahmed Ali, Kadi of Islen Ahmadi Dafaaalla El-Halawi Ahmad Ramadan Ahmad El-Ikhaidir Mohamed Hamed Gifun Taha El-Osali Al-Mbarak Gubera Babikir Oasr Abdalla Barjoub Gadalla Bilelo Gufun Ahmed El Sayed El Makki Ismail Osman Ahmed El-Bethani Hussein Guuno El Zaki Mohamed

Ali El-Amin Khaled Ata El-Hannan Mohamed El-Basir Alqurashi Ahmed Abdel Rahman Abu Sele Al-Hur Alsibegy Ibrahim Ali Abdel Qadir On Marrian Mohamed El-Badawi Sharaf El-Din Dafalla Mohamed Omar El-Banna Abdel Bagi El-Hahi Taha El-Izeregabi Abdalla Ahmed Ibrahim El-Faki

Osman Abu Khuedin Al-Wain Ahmed Mohamed Osman El-Deif Abiud Musa Ismail Abdel Gadir Makki Abu Haraz Abdalla El-Hassan El-Bedawi Alireq Omar Elias Uabairir Al-Ata Al-Dud Agab Alfie Mohamed Ali Bilal Kabbashi Mohamed Al Sharif Al Nayir Ali Al Medani Said Lebtah.

Transcribed and translated by Soliman Dawood Mandil -1930-