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The Institutes of Akbar 343: 112. Hakim Abulfath, son of Mulla ’Abdurrazzaq of Gilan.

The Áín i Akbari (Blochmann, Jarrett) 343

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343

His name is Masihuddin Abulfath. Maulana ’Abdurrazzaq, his father, was a learned and talented man, and held for a long time the post of Cadr of Gilan. When Gilan, in 974, came into the possession of Tahmasp, Ahmad Khan, ruler of the country was imprisoned, and ’Abdurrazzaq was tortured to death. Hakim Abulfath, with his distinguished brothers Hakim Humam (No. 205) and Hakim Nuruddin, left the country, and arrived, in the 20th year, in India (p. 175). They went to Court and were well received. Abulfath, in the 24th year, was made Cadr and Amin of Bengal. At the outbreak of the military revolt, he was captured with several other officers (vide Nos. 98 and 159); but he escaped from prison, and went again to Court. He rose higher and higher in Akbar’s favour, and possessed an immense influence in state matters and on the emperor himself. Though only a commander of One Thousand, he is said to have had the power of a Vakíl.
As related above (p. 344), he accompanied Bír Bar on the expedition against the Yúsufzais in Sawád and Bijor. On his return, he was reprimanded; for the emperor, correctly enough, ascribed the disastrous issue of the campaign to Abulfath’s insubordinate conduct towards Zain Kokah (No. 34).
In the 34th year, (997), he went with the emperor to Kashmír, and from there to Zábulistán. On the march he fell sick, and died. According to Akbar’s order, Khwájah Shamsuddín (No. 159) took his body to Hasan Abdál, and buried him in a vault which the Khwájah had made for himself (Tuzuk, p. 48). On his return, the emperor said a prayer at Abulfath’s tomb.
The great poet ’Urfí of Shíráz (vide below, among the poets) is Abul Fath’s encomiast. Faizí also has composed a fine marsiah, or elegy, on his death.
Abulfazl and Badáoní speak of the vast attainments of Abulfath. A rare copy of his Munshiát is preserved in the Library of the As. Soc. Bengal (No. 780). He had a profound contempt for old Persian poets: thus he called Anwarí diminutively Anwaríak; and of Kháqání he said, he would give him a box on the ears if he were to come to him, to rouse him from his sleepiness, and would send him to Abulfazl, who would give him another box, and both would then show him how to correct his verses (Badáoní III, 167).
Badáoní mentions Abulfath’s influence as one of the chief reasons why Akbar abjured Islám (p. 175).
Abulfath had a son, Fathullah. He was killed by Jahángír, as he was an accomplice of Khusrau (Tuzuk, p. 58).
A grandson of Abulfath is mentioned in the Pádisháhnámah (II, p. 739). His name is Fath Yád; he was a Commander of Nine Hundred, 150 horse.