The Mahdiyya Movement in Sudan was primarily a response to

The Mahdiyya Movement fought against Egyptian-Ottoman rule in Sudan. Muhammad Ahmad declared himself the Mahdi, a prophesied Islamic leader. He led a rebellion starting in 1881 to create an Islamic state.

Britain came later and eventually controlled Sudan after defeating the Mahdi’s forces. France operated mainly in West Africa, not Sudan. Christianity wasn’t a major factor in this Islamic movement.

The movement successfully established an independent Islamic state for several years. It showed how religious reform could challenge foreign control.