How did Egyptian attempts to arrest Muhammad Ahmad al-Mahdi strengthen his movement?

The Egyptian government’s attempts to arrest Muhammad Ahmad al-Mahdi significantly bolstered his movement by inadvertently enhancing his prestige and validating his status as a divinely guided leader in the eyes of his followers.1

Rather than suppressing the nascent rebellion, the government’s "fumbling" efforts to proscribe the movement and apprehend its leader served to highlight the perceived incompetence and moral failings of the ruling administration. By underestimating the strength of the Mahdist movement, the Egyptian authorities allowed al-Mahdi to demonstrate his influence through successful military resistance. After his followers massacred a small government force sent to arrest him, al-Mahdi’s reputation grew, and he successfully annihilated subsequent military columns sent against him.12

These early victories not only solidified his authority but also provided his forces with essential military supplies, including state-of-the-art Krupp artillery and Remington rifles, which were crucial for the movement's later expansion and the eventual capture of Khartoum.12