Muntakhab al-tawarikh 22: The Pilgrimage.

22

[Text, vol. ii. p. 203.] One night (during the year 983), Khán Jahán mentioned that Makhdúmu-l Mulk had given an opinion that in those days it was not a religious duty to go on a pilgrimage, and that it was even sinful to do so. When he was asked his reasons, he replied, that there were only two ways to Mecca, one by 'Irák, the other by Gujarát. By the former, a man must hear abusive language from the Kazilbáshes (Persian Shí'as); by the latter, he must, before he embarks at sea, suffer the indignity of entering into an engagement with the Firingis, which engagement was headed and stamped with portraits of the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ (upon whom be peace!), and so is tinctured with idol worship. Therefore both ways should be prohibited.
Another device of Makhdumu-l Mulk's was the trick by which he avoided payment of the legal alms due upon his wealth. At the end of each year he used to make over all his property to his wife, but before the year had run out he took it all back again. It was said that he practised some other tricks, of which even the Israelites would have been ashamed. Stories were told, one after another, about his meanness and shabbiness, and baseness and worldliness, and oppression, all which vices were exhibited towards holy and deserving men, especially those of the Panjab, and which one by one came to light, verifying the saying, "There is a day when secrets shall be disclosed." They told also other stories founded upon his villany, sordid disposition, and contemptible conduct, and they ended by deciding that he ought to be shipped off by force to Mecca. When he was asked if he thought the pilgrimage a duty for himself, he replied in the negative. About this time, Makhdumu-l Mulk began to fall into discredit, and Shaikh 'Abdu-n Nabi succeeded him in the good graces of the King.