Muntakhab al-tawarikh 78.41.6

78.41.6

And this gross fellow Sharif had also written a regular conflict of absurdities, which he named “First glimpses of the Truth,” in which he blindly follows Mir ‘Abdulawwal. This book is written (P. 248) in loose, deceptive aphorisms, each beginning with the word mifarmāyand: it is a regular poser, and a mass of ridiculous silly nonsense. But in spite of this folly, in accordance with the saying: ‘Verily God the King brings people to people,’ he so carried things before him, and knew so well how to turn to his own account the spirit of the age and mankind, that he is now a Commander of One Thousand, and one of the apostles of His Majesty’s religion in Bengal, possessor of the four degrees of Faith, and in his turn summoning faithful disciples to these degrees. An account of these degrees will be given later on:— “Regard not the reprobation or approval of the common people, For their business is always either to pray or to purr. Common people believe in a Cow as a God, And do not believe in Noah as a prophet.” We make our complaint unto God on account of this world: if ever it does good, it immediately repents; and if it does evil, it goes on in its evil course. The following just suits his case:— “I was last year a star of the lowest dimension, This year I am the Pole-star of religion. If I last out another year, I shall be the Pole-star of the religion of ‘Alí.”