Why did Abd Allah try to expand the Mahdist state beyond Sudan?

After the death of the Mahdī in 1885, his successor, the Khalīfah ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad, sought to expand the Mahdist state beyond Sudan for several interconnected reasons:12

• Religious Mission: He aimed to fulfill the Mahdī’s vision of a universal jihad (holy war) to reform Islam throughout the Muslim world.12
• Political Consolidation: By maintaining the expansionist momentum that characterized the movement, he hoped to harness the loyalty of the disparate groups—such as the Baqqārah Arabs and various holy men—that had supported the Mahdī.3
• Personal Ambition: His drive was fueled by a desire for military victory and the consolidation of his own personal power.12
• Lack of Global Perspective: His efforts were also driven by an appalling ignorance of the geopolitical realities and the strength of the world beyond the Sudan.12

Ultimately, this expansionist policy led to the exhaustion of the state's resources and failed to secure permanent gains against regional and European-backed forces.12