Muntakhab al-tawarikh 78.37
Muntakhabu-t-tawārīkh (Ranking, Lowe, Haig) 78.37
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78.37.1
“Wealth never remains in the hand of the free, Nor patience in the heart of a lover, nor water in a sieve.” Although the author was never with him on any serious battle-fields, still I was his companion in many jungle-warfares, and comfortless journeys. And I observed in him a resolution and a courage, such as perhaps those renowned heroes, who have left their names emblazoned on the pages of history, may have possessed; and not to mention his immense physical strength and prowess—they might have boasted of the same courage as that lion-like warrior. And in the day of battle the which he read was to this effect: “Either martyrdom or victory.” And whenever people told him that he ought to put victory before martyrdom, he used to say: “My desire is rather to see the glorious departed, than the lords who remain alive.” And such was his liberality, that if by any possible supposition the treasures of the world and the Sultanate of the whole face of the earth could have become accessible to him, and have been delivered over to him, the very first day he would have become a bankrupt. And this qit'ah became true in his day:— “He did right in not making both worlds manifest, The peerless Lord, dispenser of justice, without equal or compare : Else in a moment of liberality he would have given away both, And the Creature would have nothing left to hope for from the High God.”
78.37.2
And sometimes it would so happen that he would purchase forty or fifty horses, Arabs, and of mixed breed, and Turkish, at the price at which the dealer first offered them, and would say “You and God know that : — ‘A true merchant never demands too much.’ ” And afterwards at some social gathering would give them all away to his friends, and then apologise for so doing The very first time that the writer became acquainted with him, at the time when the army of Garha-Katangah was being got ready at Agrah, he presented me with an Arab horse, which he had bought for 500 rupees, and in accordance with : — “The king of Hormuz never saw me, and without a word from me He conferred on me a hundred favours ; The king of Yazd saw me, and I lauded him, But he did not give me anything,” What can one do ? “Speak of a person, as you find him.”
78.37.3
(P. 220). When he removed his baggage from this transitory world, he was in debt to the amount of a lac and a half of rupees, and more ; but, on account of the numerous good offices which he had during his lifetime performed for his creditors, they of their own free will and pleasure tore up his bonds, and went away perfectly satisfied, with prayers for the pardon, acceptance, peace, and eternal happiness of his soul upon their lips. And they did not on account of his liabilities bring any lawsuit or litigation against his children (such as is the usual bequest of deceased debtors) — “There are Muhammads and Muhammads: The live one killed me, and the dead one revived me.”
78.37.4
In a word how can I, when there is such unanimity of opinion on the subject, find the ability to eulogize such numerous virtues as his. But since I spent in his service the best of this life, which is the flower of youth, and not the mere dregs of life, which is the time of the worthlessness of old age and bewilderment, and since through his kind patronage I have got on so exceedingly well, and am become one of the renowned of the age, and a man of mark in the world, and have obtained the blessing (in so far as it is possible) of contributing to the comfort of the servants of the Lord of earth and heaven, therefore, in gratitude to God for his many favours and goodnesses towards me, have I composed this memorial section, in commemoration of some of his good qualities, though it be but one of a thousand, but a few out of many— “It is not that I confer any honour on Muhammad by mentioning him, But rather my words that are honoured by mentioning Muhammad.” And trusting in the truth of the saying ‘To commemorate the righteous brings down mercy from God,’ I hope on account of this commemoration of his virtues to become a recipient of the all-embracing mercy of God— Repeat to us the mention of Nu'man, verily the mention of him Is like musk, which diffuses its odour as often as thou agitatest it.
78.37.5
so that it may come to pass in accordance with that old time which I spent with him, that my resurrection may also be with him; as has been intended, and involved in futurity “And this is not difficult with God.” And in this year the Emperor, on account of the beauty of my voice, which was comparable with the sweet voice, and ravishing tones of a parrot, made me the Reader of the Prayers on Wednesday evenings, and entered me among the seven Imams. And the duty of summoning the congregation on that day and night he committed to Khwajah Doulat Nazir Ghair Shadid (a eunuch, neither man, nor woman,) and appointed him a stipend on the condition that he should be present at the five hours of prayer. At this time Khwajah Amin-ud-din Muhammad (known as Khwajah Amina) passed from the world, and the abundant wealth which he left behind came into the royal treasury. On the 17th of the month Zi-Qadah of this year, the Emperor's journey to Ajmir took place, and at one of the stages he, according to his usual custom on such occasions, went on foot on a pilgrimage to the Sacred Sepulchre. On the 6th of this month the Sun entered Aries:— "The Workman, the Sun, when he begins anew his work, His entrance into Aries makes glorious the rising Morn."
78.37.6
This was the commencement of the twenty-second year from the accession. At this time news arrived, that after the death of Mun'im Khan, Khan Khanan, the Amirs being unable any longer to withstand the attacks of Daud, had retired on Bhagalpur and Patnah from Gaur and Tandah, and that Khan Jahan, because his army was still at Lahor, was advancing but slowly. Accordingly the Emperor wrote a farman, and entrusted it to Turk Subhan Quli to bear to Khan Jahan, ordering him to hasten up as quickly as possible. And Subhan Quli performed his mission, covering a distance of nearly a thousand cosses in twenty-two days. At the same time news came to Agrah, that Khan Jahan, on arriving at Garhi, had fought an obstinate battle with the Afghans of Daud, and had defeated them, and was still advancing. During the first part of the blessed month Muharram of the year nine hundred and eighty-four (984) the Emperor Khan represented that I had a very strong desire to take part in a holy war. So the Emperor sent for me, and asked me: “Are you in earnest?” I answered: “Yes.” Then he said, “For what reason?” I humbly replied: “I have the presumption to desire to dye these black mustachios and beard in blood through loyalty to your Majesty’s person:— Thine is a perilous service, but I wish to undertake it, That I may gain renown, or death, for thy sake.” He replied, “If God (He is exalted) will, thou Shalt return the bearer of news of victory.”
78.37.7
And when I put out my hand towards the couch in order to kiss his foot, he withdrew it; but, just as I was going out of the audience chamber, he called me back, and filling both his hands he presented me with a sum of 56 ashrafis, and bid me farewell. And when I went to take leave of Shaikh ‘Abd-un-Nabi, who reached the very acme of kindness in removing all my former obstacles, he said “Be sure that at the moment of the meeting of the two armies in battle, which according to a sure tradition of the Prophet, (on whom the best of blessings and peace be upon him!) is the most favourable time and place for the acceptance of prayer, be sure, said he, that you remember me for good in your prayer, do not forget.” I consented; and, having prayed the Fatihah, joined that army with horse and arms in company with a number of friends of one mind with myself in the matter:— ‘Every day on the march, and each night a new halting-place.’ And this journey from beginning to end turned out most successful and prosperous, till eventually I came back to Fathpur with news of victory, and brought with me the well-known elephant (the subject of dispute) from Rānī Kīkā.
78.37.8
On the twentieth of Muharram in this year having arranged the affairs of the army of Kokandah, the Emperor started on his way back to the Seat of Felicity Fathpūr, and on the first of the month of Çafar he reached his usual dwelling-place. At this time messengers brought word that after the Khān Jahān had left Garhī, Dāūd had advanced from Tāndah to a place called Āg-Mahall, on one side of which is the river Ganges, and on the other side it joins the mountains. And that there he had taken up his position, and strengthened it with a trench, and fort, and was every day making sallies thence. And that Khwājah ‘Abd-ullah, grandson of Khwājah Ahrār (may God sanctify his glorious tomb!) had fallen after making repeated and vigorous attacks on the trench. And that on the other side Khān Kūjīk (?), the leader of the Afghāns had been slain. Upon this the Emperor wrote a farmān to Muzaffar Khān, commandant of Patnah and Bihār, ordering him to collect all the forces of that district and to proceed to the assistance of Khān Jahān.