Islam and its role in Sudanese-Egyptian relations.
We mentioned this to indicate the nature of the connection that existed between the Sudanese and the scholars in Egypt. There is no doubt that the sons of Sudan looked up to the Egyptian sheikhs and scholars, and they were a Qibla for them and a place for their religious aspirations. They journeyed to them and traveled to them in search of knowledge, or perhaps for blessings, and in seeking to draw from the pure spring of Al-Azhar.
Among those who visited Egypt and were influenced by it from the pioneers of religious reform in Sudan was Sheikh Ahmad Al-Tayeb bin Al-Bashir (1742-1817 AD), the founder of the Al-Sammāniyya Tariqa in Sudan. He was the most prominent who was keen to spread it and gained followers. Through his efforts, he was able to make the Al-Sammāniyya Tariqa a widely influential order with numerous followers. Sheikh Ahmad Al-Tayeb bin Al-Bashir traveled to Egypt with the intention of reaching the Sacred House of God through it. However, in Egypt, he engaged in various Sufi activities. Upon arriving in Egypt, he visited a number of cities and villages in Upper Egypt, heading towards Sohag, Assiut, and Huwar. He visited Al-Azhar Mosque and met with a number of Islamic scholars, including Sheikh Muhammad Al-Amir, who passed away in 1787 AD. He was a figure of great religious and political standing in Egypt at that time, and Sheikh Ahmad Al-Tayeb may have acquired knowledge from Sheikh Al-Amir. The family of Sheikh Ahmad Al-Tayeb, who were scholars and religious men, inherited the leadership of the Al-Sammāniyya Tariqa in Sudan from father to son. The members of this family maintained a close connection with Egypt. Sheikh Muhammad Sharif bin Nour Al-Datim bin Ahmad Al-Tayeb bin Al-Bashir used to visit Egypt and connect with its scholars and rulers. His connection with Sheikh Al-Amir also continued and strengthened over time. There is no doubt that the Al-Sammāniyya leadership in Sudan remained connected to Islamic Sufism in Egypt and benefited greatly from it, and continues to benefit greatly to this day.
Among the Sufi scholars and men in Sudan who had a profound impact on the cultural and intellectual life of the Sudanese and had deep connections with Egypt was Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Rashid Al-Mawdud. He was born in northern Sudan and took the Sufi Tariqa from Sayyid Muhammad Uthman Al-Khatim in 1817 AD. The Tariqa he took was the Tariqa of Sayyid Ahmad bin Idris, born in 1749 AD and passed away in 1820 AD in Misur, Morocco. Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Rashid traveled to Upper Egypt in 1838 AD and arrived there in 1840 AD. He was keen to spread the teachings of his master, Sayyid Ahmad bin Idris. It seems that Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Rashid achieved great success in Upper Egypt and laid the foundations for...