"I will not say to you, 'You have been presented with a gift.' But what God has given me is better than what He has given you. Rather, you rejoice in your gift. Return to them, for we will come to them with soldiers whom they will not be able to resist, and we will drive them out from there, humbled and disgraced."

The Lizmun returned to the gathering of the sons of Sheikh Al-Abid and encamped in Al-Malfaaba. They dug trenches, and their shells reached the houses and streets of the city. The damage to the people was severe, and many were killed every day.

Among the Tuwayjiya with Ibn Al-Najumi was a man named Shami, who was among those who escaped the massacre of General Gordon. He said to Abd Al-Rahman Al-Najumi, "Aim the Krupp gun at the minaret of the Khartoum mosque and Gordon's palace." He was told that the distance was too far for the shells to reach. Some Dervishes said, "Aim the gun, and the blessing of the Mahdi will complete what is lacking." His answer was, "It will never be completed." They choked him and complained to Ibn Al-Najumi, who ordered his neck to be struck. The other Tuwayjiya began firing shells at the city, which was suffering more each day, feeling overwhelmed and the defeat that brought all calamities. The shells landed and the Mahdi's forces became entrenched, making it impossible to dislodge them. Hope was extinguished in the faces of Gordon and his men.

The departure of Al-Mahdi from Al-Gaddah to Khartoum.

When Al-Mahdi failed to fight Jebel Dar, which was in the early days of Ramadan 1304 AH, he announced his intention to retreat for worship on the first day of the last ten days of Ramadan. He would not leave his retreat except for the Eid prayer.