Firishta's History (Gulshan-i Ibrāhīmī) 6.8.6

6.8.6

It is also said that in the latter end of his reign Mahmood, on hearing that a citizen of Nyshapoor possessed immense wealth, he commanded him to be called into his presence, and reproached him for being an idolater and an apostate from the faith. The citizen replied, "O King I am no idolater nor apostate, but I am possessed of wealth; take it, therefore, but do me not a double injustice, by robbing me of my money and of my good name." The King, having confiscated his whole property, gave him a certificate under the royal seal, of the purity of his religious tenets. According to the Tubkat Nasiry it appears that Mahmood was sceptical on certain religious points, and questioned the orthodoxy of the opinions of the learned, especially on the use of penances. He even professed his doubt of a future state, and did not hesitate to say, he questioned whether he was really the son of Subooktugeen. He dreamed, however, one night that he saw the Prophet standing before him, who addressed him thus: "O son of Ameer Nasir Subooktugeen, may God give thee honour in both worlds, as he has conferred it on man by his precepts!" So that the three points of his scepticism were removed by this short sentence.