[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) › 79.9 # Muntakhab al-tawarikh 79.9 Muntakhabu-t-tawārīkh (Ranking, Lowe, Haig) 79.9 - **Language:** English ### [79.9.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh~en-ranking-lowe-haig.79.9.1) “Through the eating of the flesh of camels and lizards The Arabs have made such progress, That they now wish to get hold of the kingdom of Persia. Fie upon Fate! Fie upon Fate!” And so any verse which involved something of dubious tendency favouring his sect he heard gladly from the doctors, and considered it a great point in his favour, such as the verse from the Sajahrak (?) in which the loss of the Prophet’s teeth in an action against infidels is alluded to. In the same way every command and doctrine of the Islam, whether special or general, as the prophetship, the harmony of the Islam with reason, the doctrines of Ru’yat, Taklif and Takwin, the details of the day of resurrection and judgment, all were doubted and ridiculed. And if any one did object to this mode of arguing, his answer was not accepted. But it is well-known how little chance a man has, who cites proofs against one who will reject them, especially when his opponent has the power of life and death in his hands; for equality of condition is a sine qua non in arguing: — “A man whom you cannot convince by the Qur’an and the Tradition, Can only be replied to by not replying to him.” Many families plunged into these discussions, but perhaps ‘discussions’ is not the correct name; we should call them ‘meetings for arrogance and defamation.’ People who sold their religion were busy to collect all kinds of exploded errors, and brought them to His Majesty, as if they were so many rarities. Thus Latif (p. 308) ### [79.9.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh~en-ranking-lowe-haig.79.9.2) Khwajah, who came of a noble family in Turkistan, made a frivolous remark on a passage in Tirmizi’s Shamail, and asked how in the world the neck of the Prophet could be compared to the neck of an idol. Other remarks were passed on the “straying camel.” Some again expressed their astonishment, that the Prophet in the beginning of his career plundered the caravans of the Quraish; that he had fourteen wives; that any married woman was no longer to belong to her husband, if the Prophet (peace be upon him!) thought her agreeable. And many other things which it would take too long to recount:— “The woes caused by thy tresses, and cheek, to explain Would require a long night, and moon-light.” At night, when there were social assemblies, His Majesty told forty courtiers to sit down as ‘the Forty,’ and every one might say or ask what he liked. If anyone brought up a question connected with law or religion, they said: “You had better ask the Mullas about it, as we only settle things which appeal to man’s reason.” But it is impossible for me to relate the blasphemous remarks which they made about the Companions of the Prophet (God be merciful to them!), when the historical books happened to be read out, especially such as contained the reigns of the first three Khalifahs, and the quarrel about Fadak, the war of the Coffin &c. would that I were deaf! The Shi’ahs, of course, gained the day, and the Sunnis were defeated; the good were in fear, and the wicked were secure. ### [79.9.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh~en-ranking-lowe-haig.79.9.3) Every day a new order was given, and a new aspersion or a new doubt came up; and His Majesty saw in the discomfiture of one party a proof of his own infallibility, entirely forgetting the proverb that, a man may be hoisted with his own petard! And so those who were before in favour now fell out of favour, and those who were before out of favour came into favour, those who had been near, became afar, and those who had been afar became near. Praise be to Him ! who ruleth absolutely in his kingdom as it pleaseth him. And the common people with as little sense as brute beasts repeated continually nothing but “ Allah Akbar .” This caused great commotion. Mulla Sheri at this time composed a qit‘ah of ten verses, of which the following are some :— “ Until in each age there arise some overwhelming calamity, Disturbance in the street of events will be a householder. By the punishment of the debt-exacting sword on heretics The obligation of the head will be paid by the bond of the neck. The collar of the lying philosopher will be torn, And devotion clothed in rags will have its piety established. It is utter confusion of brain, if a fool take into his head, That love of the Prophet can ever be banished from mankind. I cannot help smiling at that couplet, which so glibly Will be recited at the tables of the rich, caught up by the beggar : The king this year has laid claim to be a Prophet , After the lapse of a year , please God he will become God ! ” ### [79.9.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh~en-ranking-lowe-haig.79.9.4) At the new year’s feasts His Majesty inveigled many of the Ullama and the pious, nay even the Qazis and Muftis of the realm into the ravine of toast-drinking : — “ Love for thee brings news from the world of madness, It brings pious people to wine-bibbing. Thy memory, O Love, what a masterly potion it is, For it makes us forget all that we have learnt.” At last the Mujtahids \[of the Divine Faith\], especially \[Faizi, who called himself\] the king of poets, called out : “ Here is a bumper to the confusion of the lawyers ! ” On the last day of this feast, when the sun enters the nineteenth degree of Aries (a day called Sharafus h-sharaf and considered particularly holy by His Majesty) the grandees were promoted, or received new jágírs, or horses or dresses of honour, according to the rules of hospitality, or in proportion to the presents they brought. At this place Shaham Khan Jalair arrived from Bengal, and Rajah Bhagwan Das from Lahor. During the absence of A'zam Khan and the other Amirs, who had come to the metropolis from Hajipur, one Khalisah by name, a servant of Ma'sum Khan Kabuli, together with Tarkhan Diwanah, and Surkh Badakhshi, raised a rebellion in Bihar. And Muhammad Sadiq Khan, together with Muhibb 'Ali Khan defeated them in an engagement, and slew Khalisah. ### [79.9.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh~en-ranking-lowe-haig.79.9.5) In this year the prince Sultan Salim went to Ajmir to meet Gulbadan Begum, and Salimah Sultan Begum, who had returned from the pilgrimage. On this occasion they paid a gratuitous visit to the shrine of the saint Mu'in-ud-din, and left their gifts there. At this time Muhammad Sadiq Khan came from Bihar, and was quickly ordered off again, in conjunction with A'zam Khan, to repulse Ma'sum Kabuli. And Shah Quli Khan Muharram, and Shaikh Ibrahim Chishti, and other Amirs, who had not gone in the army to Kabul, were appointed to assist Sadiq Khan. At this time Shah Abu Turab, and I'timad Khan Gujrati, who had been together on a journey to Hijaz, returned, and brought with them a stone of very great weight, which required a very strong-bodied elephant to lift it. A foot-print was clearly to be seen on it, and Shah Abu Turab declared it to be the impression of the foot of the Prophet (God bless him and his family and give them peace!):— “On the tablet at the head of our grave, We have engraved thy image. Until the day of the resurrection Our head and thy foot are together.” The Emperor went a distance of four coshes to meet it, and commanded the Amirs to carry it by turns a few steps, and in this manner they brought it to the city. On the nineteenth of the month Sha'ban \* \* \* the weighing of the eldest prince took place. ### [79.9.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh~en-ranking-lowe-haig.79.9.6) In this year, or the year after, Shaikh ‘Abd-un-nabi, and Makhdum-ul-mulk, who had received the decree of eternal banishment, hearing the news of Mirza Muhammad Hakim’s insurrections, came from Makkah to Gujrat, and set their hearts on their former positions of authority, forgetful of the saying, ‘The fleeting does not return’ : — “The world is wide, O my child, Thou art our corner, our corner. Like the locust from the field of the king, Thou art our ear of corn, our ear.” Makhdum-ul-mulk died at Ahmadabad, and in the year nine hundred and ninety Qazi ‘Ali was sent from Fathpur to ascertain what property he had left. When he came to Lahor, he found such vast treasures as defied the key of conjecture to open their lock. Several ingots of gold were discovered in his sepulchre, where he had caused them to be buried as corpses. And the wealth which lay open to the eye of the world was such as none but the Creator (glorious is His Majesty !) could ascertain. All these ingots of gold, together with his books, which were as precious to him as ingots, were placed in the public treasury. His sons after being some time on the rack of distress fell at last into the most abject poverty. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh~en-ranking-lowe-haig.79.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.muntakhab-al-tawarikh~en-ranking-lowe-haig.79.9) · Pramāṇa