c) Sufi Orders: Islam in northern Sudan relied on religious orders, which are groups united by their trust in the virtues and qualities of a specific sheikh and leader, performing certain legitimate rituals collectively.

Sufism in Sudan is considered a natural outlet and an inevitable direction for the religious disposition and spiritual inclination that has always permeated Sudanese society. Sudan knew Sufism from the beginning of its acquaintance with Islam. As Dr. Othman Sayed Ahmed sees it, he believes that the historical development of Islam leads us to say that Sufism found its way to Sudan immediately after the spread and entry of Islam. Dr. Abu Salim believes that the Sufi movement, in its developing journey in Sudan, passed through three stages.

First Stage: Information about this stage is not available due to a break in news. This certainly does not mean that Sudanese people did not witness a Sufi movement during this period. Rather, they fully practiced Sufi life, including affiliation with orders and engagement with the inner dimension of life.

Second Stage: In this stage, orders began to appear, grow, branch out, and take new directions, as seen in the Shadhiliyya order, which focused on scholarly aspects because its founder was a scholar.

Third Stage: This stage emerged as a result of strong influences from the Hijaz in the late seventeenth century. The orders that appeared during this period were of a reformist nature, such as the Sammaniyya, Khatmiyya, and Isma'iliyya. These orders paid great attention to preaching and spreading their teachings and principles. As for the very early beginnings of Sufi groups in Sudan, they appeared through the Bakriyya order, which did not survive for more than three successors due to the newness of such orders for Sudanese people based on...

(Dr. Zaki Behairy): Economic and Social Development in Sudan from the World Economic Crisis (1929-1956) and the Egyptian Renaissance (1952-1970) until Independence. (Hassan Mohamed El Fatih Qareeb Allah): Sufism in Sudan until the End of the Funj Era, First Edition, Publications of the Higher Studies College, University of Khartoum. (Dr. Othman Sayed Ahmed): Religion and Politics: The Origin and Development of the Khatmiyya and Ansar, typewritten. (Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim Abu Salim): The Role of Scholars in Spreading Islam in Sudan, in Researches in the History of Sudan, First Edition, Beirut, Dar Al-Jil. (Hassan) (Mohamed El Fatih Qareeb Allah): Previous Source.