Tarikh-i saʿadat-i jawid 4: Nawab Zakariya Khan, son of Nawab 'Abdu-s Samad Khan.
Sa'ádat-i Jáwed, of Harnám Singh (Elliot & Dowson, extracts) 4
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Nawab Zakariya Khan, son of Nawab 'Abdu-s Samad Khan.
4.1
Zakariya Khan was for many years Governor of Lahore. He had married the daughter of Kamru-d din Khan. He was a just, harmless and honourable nobleman, and as he found the people of Lahore to be similarly disposed, their company was very agreeable to him. In those days the bigoted Mullas of Lahore used to dispute with the Hindus on religious points, and persecuted them; but the Khan always tried to adjust their quarrels amicably. A Mughal was enamoured of the wife of a Khattri, and cast a longing look upon her; but the modest woman refused to receive his advances. The Mughal hit upon the expedient of making an accomplice of the wife of the washerman whom she employed, and gave her a large sum of money. The washerman's wife wrapped up a costly veil and trowsers, such as are generally worn by a Muhammadan bride, in the other clothes belonging to the Khattri's wife, and took them to her in the evening. About the same time, the Mughal celebrated in his own house his nuptials with a slave-girl who lived with him, in the presence of some Muhammadans of his neighbourhood; and, as is done on the occasion of marriages, sweetmeats, etc., were sent in large quantities to the neighbours and friends. The next day, with a number of wicked characters, he went to the house of the Khattri, and declared, that during the night, the Khattri's wife had come to his house of her own free will, and having embraced the Muhammadan faith, had been married to him.
4.2
The relatives of the woman were much surprised at this, and asked her what the truth was. She said that she had never seen the Mughal, who asserted, by way of proof, that the marriage clothes which she had worn last night must be in the house; and when they searched, true enough, there was found a suit of such apparel as is worn, according to Muhammadan custom, at the time of marriage. Great were the consternation and grief of her relatives, and the poor woman in her shame resolved to die. At last, the matter was brought before the Khan, and about a hundred Muhammadans of the neighbourhood of the Mughal, who had eaten the sweetmeats, declared that on the previous night the Mughal had in reality celebrated his nuptials. The Kazi of Lahore decreed that a Hindu woman, who had espoused the Muhammadan faith, and had entered into marriage with a Muhammadan, could not be allowed to apostatize again. The Khan was much surprised, and deferred his decision to the next day. In the night-time, he disguised himself in the habit of a fakir, and first went to the house of the woman. There he saw some other fakirs sitting in a corner, conversing with each other in this wise. "Friends, we have observed this woman for a long time, and have never found her conduct other than modest and continent. How could it be that she went to the Mughal and was married to him? God knows what deception has been practised."
4.3
The Khan, having heard this, went to the quarter in which the Mughal was residing, and there heard some people saying, "This Mughal is a fornicator, liar, and impostor. We never saw the wife of the Khattri coming to his house; how then was she married to him?" The Khan returned to his house, and the next morning, having called the washerman's wife, put her to torture, when she confessed that the Mughal had given her money to place that bridal apparel amongst the woman's clothes. The Khan put both the Mughal and the washerman's wife to death. Many stories like this of the justice of the said Khan were related in Lahore. May God forgive him for his sins! Lala Lakhpat Rai and Jaspat Rai, both Khattris of Lahore, were secretaries and counsellors of Zakariya Khan, and entrusted with the conduct of all his affairs. Although they both had received the title of Raja, yet they did not themselves assume that appellation. When Nadir Shah, after his plunder of Dehli, returned to his native country, he ordered that all the people of Lahore should be taken away prisoners. Lala Lakhpat Rai made him a present of three lacs of rupees, which were accepted; and having thus caused the freedom of about five hundred thousand people, male and female, of the Hindu and Muhammadan persuasions, he left a good name behind him in this world.