Muntakhab al-tawarikh 78.46.9

78.46.9

At this time a document made its appearance, which bore the signatures and seals of Makhdum-ul-mulk, of Shaikh ‘Abd-un-nabi Sadr-us-sudur, of Qazi Jalal-ud-din of Multan, Qazi-l-quzat, of Sadr Jahan the mufti of the empire, of Shaikh Mubarak the deepest writer of the age, and of Ghazi Khan of Badakhshan, who stood unrivalled in the transcendental sciences. The subject-matter of the document was the settling of the absolute superiority of the Imam-i-‘Adil over the Mujtahid, and the investigation of the grounds of this superiority. In so doing they set right some doubtful traditions containing some disputed points, so that no one of them might any longer have it in his power to pretend ignorance of the difference between what is religious and what is political authority, but that he might stand self-convicted. And the discussion of this matter was carried on with great prolixity. Such questions were discussed as: “To whom is the title Mujtahid, and the word ijtihad applicable?” And, “whether it is the duty of the Imam-i-‘adil, who is versed in politics and holds a higher rank than the Mujtahid, to decide according to the requirements of the times and the wants of the age all legal questions on which there exists a difference of opinion.” At last, however, all signed the document, some willingly and the rest against their convictions. I shall copy the document verbatim; —