Muntakhab al-tawarikh 183: LXV. Mir Fathu-’llah of Shiraz.

183

He was one of the Sayyids of Shiraz and the most learned of the learned men of his time. He was for a long time the spiritual guide of the rulers and nobles of Fars. He was thoroughly versed in all those sciences which demand the exercise of the reasoning faculty, such as philosophy, astronomy, geometry, astrology, geomancy, arithmetic, the preparation of talismans, incantations, and mechanics, and in this department of learning he was such an adept that he was able to draw up an astronomical table as soon as the emperor demanded one from him. He was equally learned in Arabic, traditions, interpretation of the Qur'an and rhetoric, and was the author of some excellent works, which were not, however, equal to those of Maulana Mirza Jan of Shiraz, who was a teacher in Transoxiana, an abstemious recluse, and was unique among the learned men of the age. Mir Fathu-’llah, although he was polite, courteous, and well-conducted in society, seemed to be unable, as soon as he began to teach, to address his pupils otherwise than with abuse, insinuation, and sarcasm (God save us from the like !). For this reason very few ever became his pupils, and he has not left behind him one worthy disciple. He was for some years in the Dakan, and ‘Adil Khan, the ruler of that country, had a great regard for him. When he entered the imperial service he received the title of ‘Azdu-l-Mulk. He died in Kashmir in the year h. 997 (a.d. 1588-89) and is buried in the place known as Takht-i-Sulaiman. The words, “He was an angel,” were found to give the date of his death.