There is a disagreement between the two parties in understanding the word (Mahdi). The Khatmiyya believe that the Mahdiyya is linked to the Khatmiyya, so the Mahdi comes after the Prophet (peace be upon him), followed immediately by the Khatm. We observe the difference between the two ideas. The Mahdi, according to the Mahdiists, means something else, even though the Mahdi drew the principles of his thought from the same source that the Khatmiyya relied on in building their theory about the Mahdi, which they linked to their order. According to what is stated in the Khatmiyya's view of the Mahdi, they believe that Muhammad Ahmad al-Mahdi is not a true Mahdi, and they believe that his movement is a sedition that must be extinguished, and it is a movement that has deviated from the authority of the Muslim state and is outside the obedience of the ruler and the Commander of the Faithful. Therefore, we consider that the Khatmiyya opposed the Mahdist state for principled and doctrinal reasons, and they promoted the rejection of the Mahdist idea based on their own beliefs that Islam rejects Muhammad Ahmad's claim to the Mahdiyya. This opposing stance to the Mahdiyya current resulted in armed conflict between the Khatmiyya and the Ansar. However, before the fighting between the two parties began, the Mahdi had sent several letters to the Khatmiyya leadership. He began sending these letters when Uthman Digna carried the Mahdi's letters to the Khatmiyya in Sinkat. However, they rejected the Mahdi's invitation and refused to pledge allegiance to Uthman Digna and handed over the Mahdi's publications to the Egyptian government. Uthman Digna says in his memoirs: "Then after, meaning two of his followers, Autour and Taha, carried these letters from us. The letter carriers went to their homes, especially the Khatmiyya caliphs and their leaders, Caliph al-Safi and Caliph Abdullah. They entered upon them, meaning the mission, and gave them their books and advised them in God to the utmost. There, their Sheikh Muhammad Uthman bin Sir al-Khatm al-Mirghani came to them seeking their advice on what they should do and presented them with the answers of the leadership. At that point, he ordered them to hand over the answers to the Turk in the mission, saying to them: Nothing will save you from the government except handing over the answers to them and disavowing them, and informing them that you are not concerned with this matter. So they did that." The Mahdi wanted to win over the leaders of the Khatmiyya order and win them over to his support and victory, knowing their size and the extent of their influence among the Arabs and tribal leaders. The Mahdi sent a group of letters to Kassala.