What did Muhammad Ahmad al-Mahdi observe during his 1880 tour of Kordofan?

During his 1880 tour of Kordofan, Muhammad Ahmad al-Mahdi learned of the widespread discontent among the Sudanese people. He also observed government agents acting in ways that he could not reconcile with his own religious beliefs.12

These experiences were pivotal in his development as a leader; upon returning to Abā Island, he concluded that the ruling class had abandoned the Islamic faith and that he had a divine mission to purify Islam and destroy the governments that defiled it.132