It was heightened when, in November 1896, while on a pleasure trip, Consul Antonio Cecchi [it], the Societá del Benadir administrator and also the de facto governor of Southern Somaliland, and his lieutenants, were ambushed at Lafoole, a small village a few kilometres from Afgooye, south of Muqdisho, by Wa'daan and Biyamaal fighters, who killed 14 of them, including Cecchi.

The resistance, albeit initially clan-based, transformed into one with a religious fervour, mainly Bimal (but also later on some of the Wa’dan, Hintire and other clans of the Geledi confederation joined).

The Qur’anic school teachers, or as they are called in Somali ma'alims, and religious leaders or imams of Marka and the Bimal led the war of resistance against the colonial occupation of Banadir, but they and their followers paid dearly.

Although the Italians had high casualties, they considered Turunley a major military victory, one which Lieutenant Pesenti, the commander of the regiment, celebrated in an eyewitness account, Danane (Dhanane).

This noble resistance caught the attention of Mohamed Abdulle Hassan, the charismatic Darawiish leader — who sent a lengthy message to the Bimal (Risaalat lil-Bimaal) in which he commended their efforts and proclaimed the necessity of waging Jihad against the colonial invaders.

He attached a supplemental text entitled “Qam’ al-Mu’anidin” (Suppression of the Rebellious) that clarified the tenets of Saalihiya order, for which the leader ascribed to.

It is said that the Bimal, thanks to their numerically powerful size, traditionally and religiously devoted fierce warriors and possession of much resources, intrigued Mahamed Abdulle Hassan.

So, to win their support over, the Sayyid wrote a detailed theological statement to present to the Bimal tribe, who dominated the strategic Banaadir port of Merca and its surroundings.