Khartoum, The Mahdi's Tomb
Sudan is the third largest country in Africa. It is a federal presidential representative democratic republic with a legal system based on Islamic law, since Islam is the predominant religion. The River Nile divides the country into eastern and western halves. Sudan was home to numerous ancient civilizations, such as the Kingdom of Kush, Kerma, Nobatia, Alodia, Makuria, Meroe and others, most of which flourished along the Nile. During the pre-dynastic period Nubia and Nagadan Upper Egypt were identical, simultaneously evolved systems of pharaonic kingship by 3300 BC. Because of its proximity to Egypt, the Sudan participated in the wider history of the Near East inasmuch as it was Christianized by the 6th century, and Islamized in the 15th. Sudan is rarely visited by foreigners; yet it offers a wealth of historical treasures and extraordinary landscapes. Not to forget its amazingly welcoming people. Mohammed Ahmed was born in 1844 and after his father died, he was sent to Khartoum to receive a religious education. Many Sudanese see the Mahdi as the first African anti-colonialist, a father of the Nation who united their country under Islam and kicked out the Egyptians and the British. Less than 5 months after the fall of Khartoum in 1885, the Mahdi died after a short illness. A tomb with a glittering silver dome was raised in his honour, and pilgrimage to the site was made incumbent to all Sudanese, replacing the Haj to Mecca as one of the pillars of Islam. Soon after their reconquest of the Sudan, the British blew out the tomb to prevent it from becoming a rallying point for disaffected Sudanese. The present tomb, a straight copy of the original, was rebuilt in 1947.
Size: 2848px × 4288px
Location: Khartoum, The Mahdi's Tomb, Sudan
Photo credit: © François-Olivier Dommergues / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: africa, arab, british, brown, challenge, challenging, desertic, embargo, empire, islam, islamic, isolated, madressa, mausolé, muslim, oil, pious, reigious, religion, republic, sandstorm, school, shrine, soudan, storm, sudan
