The Institutes of Akbar 135.4.2

135.4.2

' Some shameless and ill-starred wretches also asked His Majesty, why at the approaching close of the Millennium, he did not make use of the sword, ‘the most convincing proof,’ as Sháh Ismá’íl of Persia had done. But His Majesty, at last, was convinced that confidence in him as a leader was a matter of time and good counsel, and did not require the sword. And indeed, if His Majesty, in setting up his claims, and making his innovations, had spent a little money, he would have easily got most of the courtiers, and much more the vulgar, into his devilish nets. The following Rubá’í of Násir i Khusrau was often quoted at court. — I see in 992 two conjunctions, I see the sign of Mahdi and that of Antichrist : Either politics must change or religion. I clearly see the hidden secret. At a council meeting for renovating the religion of the empire, Rájah Bhagawán said, “I would willingly believe that Hindus and Musalmáns have each a bad religion ; but only tell us where the new sect is, and what opinion they hold, so that I may believe.” His Majesty reflected a little, and ceased to urge the Rájah. But the alteration of the orders of our glorious faith was continued. The Táríkh was found in the words Ihdás i bid’at, the innovation of heresy (990).