by Jamal Mahjoub
A book I wanted to read for quite some time. Critics praised it as essential to understand islamic fundamentalism today. That is for sure exaggerated, the novel depicts the 20 years of the reign of the Mahdi movement in an area what is today Sudan in the last two decades of the 19th century. It is in so far enlightening that the Mahdi preached the virtues of a simple life according to the purist values of islam. The Mahdi in islam is the the expected one, very similar to the Messiah in Judaism. He managed to motivate people to die for this vision of a pure and simple life, what at that time was threatened by the British as world-dominating force and the fat and unfaithful Turkish brothers. The Islamic world till Mekka had to be reconquered to impose the real values. The similarities of the devotees and enemies to our modern world are astonishing.
The history is told in chronological order from the perspective of different emblematic people, that technique ensures to see the unbiased point of views of all parties involved in this conflict. The Mahdi as person does appear very often as himself, what I found interesting since I wanted to know the man. I guess on purpose he remained mysterious and we see him through his effect on others. The Mahdi uprising and realm is considered the first African revolt against the Europeans colonists.
The history is told in chronological order from the perspective of different emblematic people, that technique ensures to see the unbiased point of views of all parties involved in this conflict. The Mahdi as person does appear very often as himself, what I found interesting since I wanted to know the man. I guess on purpose he remained mysterious and we see him through his effect on others. The Mahdi uprising and realm is considered the first African revolt against the Europeans colonists.
Facts:
English title: The hour of signs
Original title: The hour of signs
Published: 1996
