[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [General histories](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general) › [Muntakhab al-tawārīkh](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh) › [Muntakhabu-t-tawarikh (Ranking, Lowe, Haig)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh~en-ranking-lowe-haig) › 110 # Muntakhab al-tawarikh 110: XXVIII. SHAIKH SA‘DU-’LLAH BANI ISRA’IL. Muntakhabu-t-tawārīkh (Ranking, Lowe, Haig) 110 - **Language:** English ### [110](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh~en-ranking-lowe-haig.110) One of the orthodox, noble, and bountiful pupils of Ishaq Kaku. He has followed various rules of life. At first he was a strict observer of the holy law, but suddenly, throwing off all restraint, he committed all manner of unlawful acts, and forming an attachment to a singing girl used to roam about the market place, for all his gray beard. Though people heretofore did learn of me Now love has come, my teaching days are gone. Men used, from their firm faith in him, to apply the dust of his feet as tutty, and held him to be a saint, and in that capacity he used to give instruction, in the open cattle market. He disposed of all the moveable property of his followers, which he had with him (to satisfy the demands) of his mistress, through love of her. One night when he was drinking wine with ter, a party of muhtasibs, together with the students who were his disciples, banded together and entered his house by climbing over the wall, with a view of bringing him to a proper frame of mind, and, breaking all the appurtenances of unlawful and forbidden amusements (which they found), wished to subject him to punishment. He repeated what was said (on one occasion) to the second true Khalifah, the Prince of the true believers, ‘Umar (may God be gratified with him!). “If I have committed one unlawful act you have been guilty of three unlawful acts, and are the more deserving of punishment, for that, in order to spy upon me, and without my permission, you entered my house by climbing over the wall.” The party, ashamed and abashed, left him. Afterwards, being enabled by God’s grace to repent sincerely, he modelled his life on the book Ihya, and passed his time in worship and austerities, and composed many profitable and sublime books, among them being a commentary on the Jawahiru-l-Qur’an by Imam Ghazzali (may God have mercy upon him!). When the Khalifah of the age summoned him to a private interview he asked him, “of what race are you?” and he replied, “of the tribe of the scribes, who are called in the Hindi tongue, Kayats.” The Emperor was much pleased with this unassuming answer and held a long conversation with him. I waited on him for the first time in Lahor and in some connection or another he made mention of the question of the decay of Multan and the prosperity of Labor, and the matter of the Sultans of the Langah family, especially Sultan Husain, speaking on these subjects in such a manner that I was astonished at the manner in which he acquitted himself, and at the elegance and polish of his style. Rarely have I heard such sweetness of diction. He never left a beggar disappointed, and although he had no concern with commerce or husbandry, and was not in enjoyment of a subsistence allowance from the Emperor, his resources and expenditure on alms and charity were such that nobody knew whence he derived his means, and the people were perplexed on this subject. On reaching the age of about eighty years he passed away from this illusory world, and great and small, in their thousands, nay more, accompanied his funeral, taking up his pure bier on their heads and shoulders, with a view to obtaining blessings by so doing, (and the crowd was so great that) there was not room to plant one’s foot. - [Previous: 109](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh~en-ranking-lowe-haig.109) - [Next: 111.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh~en-ranking-lowe-haig.111.1) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh~en-ranking-lowe-haig.110](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh~en-ranking-lowe-haig.110) · Pramāṇa