Ansar is a word (meaning patrons), which was used to describe those who patronized Imam Mohamed Al Mahdi (1843- 1885) in his call to Islamic revival and National liberation in the famous revolution of Mahdiya in the Nineteenth Century Sudan, aiming at liberating the whole Islamic World from colonialism and implementing Islamic Shariaa.
The Mahdiya managed to conquer the Tuko-Egyptian rule in Sudan in 1885 and established its own State; it even spread outside Sudan boundaries. In 1898 the Anglo-Egyptian forces invaded Sudan again, and treated the Ansar brutally, all their leaders were either killed or sent to exile in very tough conditions where most of them died.
Despite the political and religious persecution, the Ansar continued holding their religious creed; they were later organized by the efforts of Imam Abdelrahman Al Mahdi and his colleagues, they constituted the backbone of the Independence Movement in Sudan carrying the slogan (Sudan is for Sudanese) in contrast to the Unionist’s Movement which called for a unity between Sudan and Egypt under the Egyptian crown.
Ansar Affairs for Missionary Activity and Guidance:
Currently, and since 1979, Ansar Affairs For Missionary Activity & Guidance (AAMAG) was established as a body corporate for Ansar, democratically and constitutionally constructed.
AAMAG is a religious organization based on a membership of approximately 8 million Sudanese Citizens, and other few millions in Central and Western Africa, in Chad, Mali, Senegal, Central African Republic and especially in Nigeria, where millions of the followers of Sheikh Osman Dan Fudio, patroned AlMahdyia following Kheikh Fudio’s religious precept.
AAMAG members are from both modern and traditional sectors, the latter being overwhelming, and hence having high poverty and illiteracy rates among their membership.
AAMAG is aiming at organizing Ansar inside and outside Sudan, run social services and work in the fields of poverty alleviation, besides religious preaching and guidance.
In December 2002, AAMAG convened its first congress in which it completed its structures and elected Sayed Al Sadig Al Mahdi as their Imam (the leader of the Ansar), Sheikh Abdelmahmoud Abbo as the secretary general chairing the executive body and the consultative council which elected the legislative council of AAMAG.
The General Secretariat of AMMAG consists of ten executive secretariats implementing various projects and activities in the social, intellectual and missionary (Dawaa) fields.
