He was determined to conquer Sudan so that the sources of the Nile would not be controlled by foreign hands, which would hold the life of Egypt in their grip. He knew that Egypt and Sudan were inseparable parts of each other. The late Fawzi Pasha said in his book (Sudan in the Hands of Gordon) the following: I learned from a sheikh of high standing who was contemporary with Muhammad Ali Pasha that a European power was seeking to harm him by occupying the sources of the Nile. He paid great attention to this news and consulted many European engineers whom he brought from their countries to this region. They unanimously agreed that the occupation of the Nile sources by this power would have dire consequences, as Egypt's life would be in its hands. Therefore, he was determined to launch a campaign to Sudan, and so on. If we abandon Sudan or neglect its affairs, and fall into the danger from which Muhammad Ali escaped, and cast ourselves into destruction.