or ʽAbdullahi
born 1846, Sudan
died Nov. 24, 1899, Kordofan
Political and religious leader who succeeded Muḥammad Aḥmad (al-Mahdī) as head of the Mahdist movement in the Sudan in 1885.
He launched attacks against the Ethiopians and invaded Egypt, securing his position by 1891. In 1896 Anglo-Egyptian forces began to reconquer the Sudan. ʽAbd Allāh resisted until 1898, when he was forced to flee Omdurman . He died in battle one year later.