The Book of Akbar 250.2

250.2

At last he became hopeless of the success of tricks and stratagems, and also came to despair of the help from Pir Muhammad Khan Uzbeg, which he in his short-sightedness looked for. Involuntarily he put his hands to the saddle strips (fitrāk) of obedience and submission. By means of this device he saved himself this time from the whirlpool of danger and brought the ship of safety from out the tumult of the waves to the shore of salvation. With this design, he made various supplications and cries for help. One day he fastened a letter to an arrow and shot it into the camp. Its purport was that he had not recognised the claims of his Majesty to reverence. “I have seen what I have seen, and now I repent of the past and wish that leave may be granted to me to circumambulate the Holy K‘aba so that I may be cleansed from the sin of rebellion and the anguish of ingratitude, and may become fit for proper service. My hope is that this boon may be granted to me through the intervention of Mir ‘Arab of Mecca.” The Mir was distinguished among all the devotees of the age for honesty and transparency and had applied himself to alchemy. His Majesty Jahanbani Jinnat-Ashiyani had a regard for him, and on this expedition he kept close to the royal stirrup and was adorning the army of prayer (lashkar-i-du‘ā). When the petition of supplication reached the royal hearing, he sent for the Mir and spoke to him about it. The Mir said that he would write an answer and send it into the fort.