[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) › 314 # Muntakhab al-tawarikh 314: CV. Firūza of Kābul. Muntakhabu-t-tawārīkh (Ranking, Lowe, Haig) 314 - **Language:** English ### [314](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh~en-ranking-lowe-haig.314) He was brought up in the household of Mīrzā Muḥammad Ḥakīm, and had the title of Afẓal Khān. medicine, and prose composition Shaikh Faizi had no equal in his time. At first he used to write under his well-known poetical favourably received by Akbar, and in a short time became his constant companion and friend. He was instrumental, in a.h. 986 (a.d. 1578-79) in bringing about the downfall of Shaikh 'Abdu-n-Nabi the Sadr, who had been one of his persecutors. It is said that Faizi wrote a hundred and one books. In 1586 he planned a Khamsah, or collection of five epics, in imitation of the Khamsah of Nizami. The first, Markazu-l-Adwar, was to consist of 3000 verses, and was to be an imitation of Nizami’s Makhzanu-l-Asrar. The Sulaiman-u-Bilqis and the Nal-u-Daman were to consist of 4000 verses each and were to be imitations of the Khusrav-u-Shirin and the Laila-u-Majnun; and the Haft Kishwar and the Akbarnama, each of 5000 verses, were to correspond with the Haft Paikar and the Sikandarnama. This great undertaking was never completed. Portions were written, and in 1594-95 Faizi, encouraged by Akbar, completed the Nal-u-Daman and presented a copy to the Emperor. The Markazu-l-Adwar appears also to have been completed. Faizi translated from the Sanskrt the Lilavati, a work on arithmetic, and the Bhagavad Gita. Faizi was sometimes employed as tutor to the Princes, and sometimes acted as an ambassador. He suffered from asthma and died on Safar 10, a.h. 1004 (Oct. 15, 1595). He was a member of Akbar’s 'divine faith.' Vide Ain-i-Akbari, i, 490 et passim and Badaoni, vol. ii, text, pp. 260, 309, 365, et passim. A long description of Faizi as a poet is given in the Ain (i, 549) from which I give the following extracts ‘He was a man of cheerful disposition, liberal, active, an early riser. He was a disciple of the Emperor, and was thus at peace with the whole world \* \* He wrote for nearly forty years under the name of Faizi, which he afterwards, under divine inspiration, changed to Fayyazi. \* \* His excellent manners and habits cast a lustre on his genius. \* \* He composed many works in Persian and Arabic. Among others he wrote the Sawati'u-l-Ilham (vide p. 194 n. 1) \* \* Genius as he was, he did not care for poetry, and did not frequent the society of wits. He was profound in philosophy \* \* The gems of thought in his poems will never be forgotten. In the Tabaqat he is thus described, “He is one of the greatest of learned men and Shaikhs and is much respected for his resignation to the Divine will and for his habits of solitary meditation. He has grown to maturity in the Emperor’s service and has been honoured with the title of Maliku-sh-Shu'ara. In the art of poetry he is a prodigy, and he has written a work on ethics, entitled Mawaridu-l-Kilam, which contains no dotted letters, and he has also written a commentary on the word of God, which contains no dotted letters. It is known as the Sawati'u-l-Ilham. His divan contains over 15,000 verses and he has written some poets. As to what he has discovered from these sources it may perhaps become more generally known than it is at present. - [Previous: 313](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh~en-ranking-lowe-haig.313) - [Next: 315](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh~en-ranking-lowe-haig.315) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh~en-ranking-lowe-haig.314](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh~en-ranking-lowe-haig.314) · Pramāṇa