Early years: al-Mirghani and al-Mahdi rivalry , the face of Islam in Sudan before Sudan' independence Under the
Turco-Egyptian rule, Sudan saw the rise of politically driven religious movements. This was highlighted by the
Mahdist Uprising in 1843, led by
Muhammad Ahmad against the Turco-Egyptian rule. After
liberating Khartoum and
killing General
Charles Gordon, the
Mahdist state was established in 1885. Despite its defeat by British forces in 1899, the movement's influence persisted with its followers known as "
Ansar" and later, in February 1945, forming the
"Umma" Party by
Abd al-Rahman al-Mahdi to advocate for
Sudan's independence from
Anglo-Egyptian rule. Conversely, during the Turco-Egyptian rule in Sudan, the "
Khatmiyyah," established by
Muhammad Othman al-Mirghani al-Khitmi in 1817, received support. It remained influential during the British occupation and served as a rival to the Ansar movement. In 1943, the Khatmiyyah leader backed the "brothers" movement and the Unity of the Nile Valley movement, advocating for Sudan's autonomy within a united structure with Egypt, which later became the "
National Unionist Party (NUP)." The Khatmiyyah split from the NUP in June 1956 to form "The
People's Democratic Party," which eventually merged with the
Democratic Unionist Party in December 1967. Nimeiri's attempt at implementing an "Islamic path" in Sudan from 1977 to 1985, including aligning with religious factions, ultimately failed. His transition from nationalist leftist ideologies to strict Islam was detailed in his books "Al-Nahj al-Islami limadha?" and "Al-Nahj al-Islami kayfa?" The connection between Islamic revival and reconciling with opponents of the 1969 revolution coincided with the rise of militant Islam in other parts of the world. Nimeiri's association with the
Abu Qurun Sufi order influenced his shift towards Islam, leading him to appoint followers of the order into significant roles. The process of legislating the "Islamic path" began in 1983, culminating in the enactment of various orders and acts to implement sharia law and other Islamic principles. Nimeiri's establishment of the Islamic state in Sudan was outlined in his speech at a 1984 Islamic conference. He justified the implementation of the sharia due to a rising crime rate. He claimed a reduction of crime by over 40% within a year due to the new punishments. Nimeiri attributed Sudan's economic success to the zakat and taxation act, outlining its benefits for the poor and non-Muslims. His association with the Abu Qurun Sufi order and his self-proclaimed position as imam led to his belief that he alone could interpret laws in line with the sharia. However, his economic policies, including Islamic banking, led to severe economic issues. Nimeiri's collaboration with the Muslim Brotherhood and the Ansar aimed to
end sectarian divisions and implement the sharia. The Ansar, despite initial collaboration, criticised Nimeiri's implementation as un-Islamic and corrupt. (left) switched from
communism to
Sharia laws with
Hasan Al-Turabi (right) aid, after the
1977 National Reconciliation Nimeiri's Islamic phase resulted in renewed conflict in Southern Sudan in 1983, marking the end of the
Addis Ababa Agreement of 1972, which had granted regional autonomy and recognised the diverse nature of Sudanese society. The agreement ensured equality regardless of race or religion and allowed for separate personal laws for non-Muslims. However, hostilities escalated due to oil discovery, dissolution of the Southern Regional Assembly, and decentralisation efforts. Despite this, the Islamic laws implemented by Nimeiri exacerbated the situation. The political landscape shifted with Nimeiri's removal in 1985, leading to the emergence of numerous political parties. The
National Islamic Front (NIF),
Ansar, and
Khatmiyya Sufi order (DUP) played crucial roles in Sudan's politics. Hasan al-Turabi and the NIF consistently supported the Islamic laws and resisted changes. Another Islamic movement in Sudan was the
Republican Brotherhood, founded by
Mahmoud Muhammad Taha. This movement embraced the concept of Islam having two messages and abandoned numerous Islamic practices. It advocated for peaceful coexistence with
Israel,
gender equality, criticised
Wahhabism, called for freedoms and refraining from implementing
Islamic criminal punishments, and championed a federal social democratic government. Taha strongly opposed the ban on the Sudanese Communist Party and condemned the decision as a distortion of democracy, even though he was not a communist. He was sentenced to
apostasy in 1968 and again in 1984, leading to his execution in January 1985 under the September laws, despite his strong opposition. This event significantly fuelled public and international discontent.
National Islamic Front (1985–1989) in 2015 After Nimeiri's regime fell due to the
1985 coup d'état, al-Turabi and his colleagues formed the
National Islamic Front (NIF), which emerged as a significant opposition force following their success in the Constituent Assembly elections. The NIF, led by al-Turabi, effectively blocked attempts by Sadiq al-Mahdi, the government and parliamentary majority leader, to repeal the controversial September laws and advance peace talks with the southern region. Under increasing pressure, Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi formed an alliance with the NIF in May 1988, leading to the creation of the Government of National Accord. Al-Turabi, as Minister of Justice, was tasked with reforming Sharia laws. Both the nation and the front faced a peace agreement proposed by
Muhammad Othman al-Mirghani, leader of the
Democratic Unionist Party, with the Sudan People's Liberation Army, the main opposition in the south. Sadiq al-Mahdi, who initially opposed the Islamic laws he later supported, envisioned a fully Arabised and Islamised southern Sudan. His failure to address Sudan's problems resulted in a
military coup by Brigadier Genera
Omar al-Bashir in June 1989, which further solidified Islamic principles. In response to growing challenges related to southern peace talks and the September Laws, Sadiq al-Mahdi reformed the
Government of National Accord in February 1988. Al-Turabi's role within the coalition grew, leading him to become
Foreign Minister, a move that caused concern in Egypt. In February 1989, the army issued a memorandum to the government, calling for the approval of Al-Mirghani's peace agreement and the resolution of the economic crisis. The NIF viewed this memorandum as a direct attack on them due to their staunch opposition to peace talks with the southern region.
Kizan Era (1989–1999) in 1990 On 30 June 1989, Omar al-Bashir led a coup, come to be known as "National Rescue Revolution," the against the democratic government, citing economic failures and inability to establish Central African relations as reasons. This led to the arrest of several political leaders, including Hassan al-Turabi. However, by December, the
Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation officers pledged loyalty to al-Turabi. Together, they formed the "Council of Defenders of the Revolution," assuming political leadership. The regime solidified its power using authoritarian tools, establishing a political security apparatus called "Internal Security," led by Colonel
Bakri Hassan Saleh. This body was known for its notorious detention facilities, "ghost houses," where intellectuals were detained and tortured. In December 1991, the regime introduced a stricter penal code than the September laws and established the "
People's Police," akin to Saudi Arabia's
Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice. Public freedoms were eroded, and political parties were abolished. Before these events, al-Turabi and his wife,
Wissal Al-Mahdi (the sister of his rival Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi), held open jurisprudential positions that drew criticism. Al-Turabi had advocated for constitutional rule, but this didn't align with the regime's social policies. Al-Turabi also worked internationally, trying to establish an "Islamic International" and reconcile with leftist and nationalist groups. In April 1991, he founded the "Arab and Islamic People's Conference," attended by various countries' representatives. That year,
Osama bin Laden moved to
Khartoum, welcomed by al-Turabi, who facilitated bin Laden's marriage to a relative. Training camps for armed Islamic groups were established in Sudan, and al-Turabi attempted mediation between
Hamas and the
Palestine Liberation Organization. Al-Turabi's association with the
Egyptian Islamic Jihad in a 1995 assassination plot against Egyptian President
Mohamed Hosni Mubarak drew widespread attention. UN sanctions on Sudan in 1996 led to Bin Laden's departure and a decline in al-Turabi's influence. The extradition of
Carlos the Jackal to France in 1994 also caused unrest within the National Front towards al-Turabi. After ten years of upheaval, al-Bashir removed al-Turabi from the National Council presidency in 1999 and ousted him from the
National Congress Party's General Secretariat. Al-Turabi responded by forming the "
Popular Congress Party" and pragmatically signed a memorandum of understanding with the
Sudan People's Liberation Movement, a former adversary, leading to his imprisonment. During the power struggle between al-Bashir and al-Turabi, the Sudanese Islamic Movement's core body sided with al-Bashir.
Ali Othman Taha, a prominent Islamist figure who served as
vice president from 1998 to 2013, was among them. The regime became highly militarised during this period, and Islamists were often derisively called "Kizans" (cups in Sudanese Arabic) due to al-Turabi's saying, "Religion is a sea, and we are its cup (
kizan)". == New Islamic Movements ==