Firishta's History (Gulshan-i Ibrāhīmī) 59.3.1

59.3.1

Several instances occurred wherein fathers abandoned their children, sons their fathers, husbands their wives, and wives their husbands, and devoted themselves to worship and retirement from the world; it being a principle among the sect to divide in common among their brethren all they possessed or received in charity. In cases where members of the sect got nothing for two or three days, they have been known to fast, resigning themselves entirely to their fate without complaint. It was their practice to go armed, and in every instance where they saw any person doing what they conceived contrary to the holy law, they warned him to abstain; but if he persisted, they used to attack and put him or them to death. Many of the magistrates themselves, being Mehdvies, connived at these proceedings, and those who even did not approve, were afraid to check and to punish them. Sheikh Abdoolla, perceiving to what lengths the zeal of Sheikh Allayee had carried him, recommended him to go on pilgrimage to Mecca, by way of removing him for a time from the sect, and he accordingly left Byana with a retinue of three hundred and seventy followers. On his arrival at Khowaspoor, the famous Khowas Khan came out to meet him, and embraced his tenets; but shortly after, disgusted with the conduct of the Mehdvies, he gave them up.