Muntakhab al-lubab 192.1

192.1

[Text, vol. ii. p. 941.] Saiyid 'Abdu-llah Khan died on the last day of Zi-l hijja in this year (1134 A.H., 30th September, 1722 A.D.). It is said that he was poisoned. If so, it is extraordinary that I should have heard from the mouths of credible men the statement that when Muhammad Shah started on his march against Sultan Ibrahim and Saiyid 'Abdu-llah Khan, he vowed to God, that in the event of his gaining the victory and securing his throne, he would not kill or crush the Saiyid, however great his crimes might be. Nizamu-l Mulk also strove to smooth matters for the Saiyid; for whenever in conversation the two brothers were spoken of, he praised the excellent character of Saiyid 'Abdu-llah, and expressed his belief in the Saiyid's innocence of the death of Farrukh Siyar. He contended against those who condemned the brothers, and he had forbidden men to designate them in writing as Namak ba-haram and Haram-namak. God forbid that his counsel should have been given for poison! But God knows! In the course of this narrative, upon certain points the pen has been used to condemn the two brothers, martyrs of misfortune, and this cannot now be rectified; but in atonement I will now write a few words upon the excellence and beauty of character, the love of justice, and the liberality of both brothers.