Al-Nقد Allah immediately began consulting the senior Ansar on the matter, then drafted a constitution for the League. The League chose a flag and a slogan for itself: "Allahu Akbar, wa lillah al-Hamd" (God is Greatest, and to God be all praise). The purpose of the Ansar Youth League is to instill in the youth the great traditions of Islam that their righteous predecessors were imbued with. The name Ansar is derived from the Almighty's saying: "O you who have believed, be helpers of Allah." Imam Al-Mahdi gave the name Ansar to his beloved ones and followers, following the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him: "The Ansar are the emblem, and the people are the garment."

Objectives of the Ansar Youth League The Ansar Youth League aims to strengthen the Islamic spirit among the youth so that they live in a pure environment, free from the stains of vice, an environment imbued with the fear of God, purity of soul, strength of character, and uprightness of conduct. This is the environment that every Muslim desires and every Muslim nation aspires to. The Ansar Youth organization did not stop at providing its members with the teachings of Islam and equipping them with the wisdom of their great leader, Imam Al-Mahdi. The Ansar youth also played a crucial role in the political arena. The independence movement would not have stood on its own feet without their support, fervent enthusiasm, and superior manliness. And now, after independence, the Ansar youth have an even greater and more critical role. There is no anticipated danger to Muslims or to Sudan on the battlefield; rather, the danger stems from the political, moral, and economic arenas. The role that I hope the Ansar youth will play is to protect the country from the infiltration of political, moral, and economic trends that are contrary to the teachings of Islam and its constitution. Defending Islam and Sudan is concentrated in providing Muslims with the teachings of their religion and promoting the spirit of Islam. This is sufficient to protect the country from the infiltration of atheistic principles, the spread of decadence and corruption, and the dissemination of foreign economic ideas.

My Connection with the Ansar Youth My connection with the Ansar youth was not merely one of religious or political leadership, but also a paternal one. When I am among them, I feel an atmosphere of complete purity, sincerity, and mutual affection, the kind of atmosphere in which a father lives with his devoted and sincere sons. 98