Regarding the lineage of the Mirghanis to the ancestor Al-Hasan Al-Askari, Sayyid Ahmed bin Sayyid Muhammad Othman Al-Mirghani (4) believes that they are not the only family in the Islamic world or in Sudan that traces its lineage to Al-Hasan Al-Askari. For example, in Egypt, there is the family of Sayyid Ahmed Al-Badawi, which has a kinship with the Sayyids of Al-Khaffab in Burayr in northern Sudan, making this family also trace its lineage to Sayyid Al-Hasan Al-Askari. Sayyid Ahmed believes that political motives alone drove some parties to mention the noble lineage of the Mirghani family.
It has been mentioned in more than one source that the Mirghanis trace their lineage to the Prophet's household. In addition to what Al-Murtada Al-Zabidi and Al-Jabarti mentioned, and it seems one of them transmitted from the other, there is Al-Shaykh Abdullah Murdad Abu Al-Khair, one of the scholars of Mecca, who passed away in 1010 AH. He confirmed this matter in his book (Shar Al-Dhurr wa Al-Zahr fi Tarajim Afadil Mecca min Al-Qarn Al-Ashir ila Al-Qarn Al-Rabi' Ashar). Sayyid Muhammad Al-Khalifa Taha Al-Rifi (5) also alluded to this journey and highlighted it.
Abdullah Al-Mirghani (Al-Mahjoub), who is the direct ancestor of Muhammad Othman Al-Mirghani, is considered a prominent figure in the history of this family. He possessed the prestige of lineage and ancestry, vast wealth, knowledge, and the Tariqa. Sayyid Abdullah was born in Mecca and was nicknamed Al-Mahjoub because he secluded himself from people for a long time. He associated with the great scholars of Mecca and received knowledge from them, such as Sheikh Al-Nakhli and Sheikh Yusuf Al-Mahdali. He then moved to Taif after establishing his Mirghani Tariqa, which is one of the Tariqas from which his grandson derived his Tariqa. He left Mecca for Taif in 670 AH as a result of the political conflict that occurred between some families in Mecca between 673-675 AH. However, his connection to Mecca was not severed, as his son Muhammad Yasin remained there, continuing to look after his family's interests. It is thought that Abdullah himself used to visit Mecca from time to time. When he passed away, he was moved to Mecca and buried there.
Sayyid Abdullah was a scholar well-versed in Islamic sciences. He undertook the responsibility of teaching these sciences and has numerous works in this field, including (Fara'id Al-Din wa Wajibat Al-Islam li-Hamat Al-Mu'minin), (Al-Fard' Al-Jawhariyya fi Al-A'imma Al-Ithna 'Ashar), (Al-Mu'jam Al-Wajiz fi Ahadeeth Al-Nabi Al-Aziz), and (Kunuz Al-Haqaiq), among others. His poetry was collected in two diwans, one titled (Al-Iqd Al-Munazzam 'ala Huruf Al-Mu'jam) and the second (Iqd).
(4) A meeting with Sayyid Ahmed bin Muhammad Othman Al-Mirghani (Yashambat) at his home. (5) Muhammad Al-Khalifa Taha Al-Rifi: Al-Sayyid Al-Maraghna (Haya'at Al-Khatmiyya lil-Da'wa wal-Irshad, Al-Maktaba Al-Islamiyya, 2000), p. 289. (6) Muhammad Ibrahim Abu Sulaym: Muqaddimat Al-Ibana, p. 1. (7) Muhammad Ibrahim Abu Sulaym: Muqaddimat Al-Ibana, p. 10.