Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 18.4
A Translation of the Seir Mutaqherin (Haji Mustafa) 18.4
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18.4.1
The Afghans having taken possession of Iran, and thrown everything into confusion, he retired with his parents and family to the holy tombs of Kerbela and Nedjef, and took up his abode there; but forced by poverty, he came from thence to Shahdjehan-abad, where he attached himself to Abul-mansur-qhan. From thence he sent money to his family, and had it brought to him in Hindostan; and meanwhile he was proposed to inspect the education of the young Mirza-djelal-eddin-haider since Shudjah-ed-doulah, son to that General. But as Abul-mansur-qhan came soon after to depart this life, and Sudjah-ed-doulah, turning giddy with the fumes of profligacy and absolute power, did not choose to listen to him any more, he quitted his Court, and retired to Azim-abad, where he was taken notice of by one of the Iranians of that city, who perceiving his poverty, made him accept a sum of money to be employed in trade on common risks. The man, little acquainted with merchandise, and little inclined to commerce, put the money in the hands of a third person, and took up his abode in the mausoleum of Saadet-qhan, father-in-law to Abul-mansur-qhan. Meanwhile his agent in trade came from Gorock-pur with a quantity of Sacu-timber; and as Radja Ram-narain, who in appearance shewed him much regard, but in fact hated him heartily, was then building a palace, he was requested to purchase the whole quantity of timber at the common price, and to pay the money at once.
18.4.2
Accordingly, the Radjah's officers went, measured the timber, set their mark upon it, and for a length of time left it there, without further notice. The poor man sent the Radja word, requesting him either to take up the timber and pay for it according to the terms agreed upon, or to release it intirely, that any other might purchase it. The Radja, proud of his power and superior rank, made a very strange and very improper answer; and it was in these terms: "I fear neither the West nor the East, as you seem to imagine; nor have I bought your timber, but out of compassion; and you had better think so yourself." The Sheh confounded at the message, answered in a note, that he had not been able to understand His Excellency's message, "but as to " what you have been pleased " added he, " to write of your " having no fears." Verses: " There is a certain being called God, which, you know, " Can assuage even the billows of a stormy sea." After this affair, poverty took the upper hand of that worthy man. Luckily that a little time after, Aaly-djah-mir-cassem-qhan having seated himself upon the Mesned of the sovereignty of Bengal, and established himself fully in the possession of the three provinces of Bengal, Bahar and Oressa, he was pleased to call me from Radja Ram-narain's service into his own, as we shall mention subsequently, and to put it in my power to procure him from that Prince a noble pension, which enabled him to repay his creditors.
18.4.3
However, he did not long enjoy that state of affluence; and in a couple of years more, his last hour being come, he was interred in that spot of ground which had been bought by Mir-cassem-qhan, and is close to the monument of Saadet-qhan's father. Doctor Abul-cassem, his disciple and friend, out of regard to his memory, and out of respect to his tomb, built himself a house close to it. It is true he was a Cashmirian indeed; but yet he proved to be a man of excellent qualifications. So that after having honourably and virtuously lived in that house for a number of years, he departed this life last year, that is, in the year 1193 of the Hedjra, and repaired to the mansions of the Divine forgiveness. He was buried close to his master and teacher, and left behind a character of a good-natured man, equally desirous of serving God, and of obliging his creatures; acquainted with the Arabic, with jurisprudence, with sacred law, and with its explanations and commentaries; and whose main scope after God's service, was to be useful to men, being himself a man of excellent qualifications. He died suddenly the 18th of Ramazan, as he was breaking his fast in the first part of the night, and he was universally regretted. May God receive him in the arms of His mercy! After so many deaths, none remains from amongst those virtuous men of former times, but two persons;
18.4.4
and it is for their sakes doubtless that blessings are still showered down upon earth from heaven: and it is these few who distribute still as much as they can afford, the sealed liquor of knowledge and science to the thirsty creatures of God. The first of these two is the glorious Seyd, that token of the beams of the Divinity, the discoverer of the subtilities and difficulties of the eternal science Seyd-mahmed-aaly, (the cooling waters of whose virtues and learning may God Almighty render perennial for my particular benefit, and as well as that of all the Believers). His father was a native of Iran; but himself was born in Haider-abad, one of the two capitals of Decan, where his father was no sooner arrived than his wife was brought to bed of a son. The father, intent on improving the mind of his child, carried him back to Iran, to have him educated there; and the boy being early initiated in the rudiments of knowledge, took such a liking to learning and to learned men, that in order to push his studies, he attached himself to the complete doctor and excellent teacher, our lord and teacher Mahmed-sadyc-sistani. He got his name inscribed amongst his disciples, and applied himself intensely to the business of sounding all the depths of knowledge, and of unfolding all the subtilities of science; nor did he ever part with that illustrious master, so long as he lived;
18.4.5
but continued to increase his acquisitions, until by intense application and gradual labour, he arrived at the utmost height of science; and now he is famed for universality of learning. In the science of theoretical and practical physic especially, he is reputed to have not his equal. With all his merit, and all his knowledge, he was in imitation of all the learned men, his predecessors, fond of retirement, and obscurity, passing his time in perusing the works of ancient masters; nor was he drawn out of his retirement, but by the evils that poured at once upon his country. His master died during the siege of Isfahan; and his father retired to the mansions of Divine mercy. Meanwhile, the country of Iran becoming a scene of oppression and troubles, and a variety of revolutions succeeding each other, he remembered his native country of India, and resolved to return thither. After his arrival in Bengal, he lived some days at Pūraniah; but in a little time he thought proper to quit that country, as Seif-qhan had some abruptness in his character, as well as some profligacy in his morals. From thence he repaired to Azim-abad, where he met Abdol-aaly-qhan, the poor man's paternal uncle, who thinking himself honoured by such a guest, received him generously, and undertook to support him with decency.
18.4.6
However, as occasions and opportunities to serve him did not offer, and he wished for an independent subsistence, he quitted Azim-abad, and repaired to Aūd and Lucknow, where he remained a long time; until he was invited over by Zin-eddin-ahmed-qhan, Governor of Azim-abad, who wrote him pressing letters on that subject. The worthy man, who took those invitations to be so many tokens of a return of good fortune, repaired to Azim-abad, where the Governor no sooner heard of his being near, than he sent some persons of note to bring him over; and he received him with the utmost distinction, making him several presents; for he thought it an honour to settle upon him a noble pension, as well as to oblige him in every thing in his power. This state of things lasted until that worthy Prince was murdered by Shimshir-qhan; at which time the Seyd's house was plundered, and himself reduced again to poverty; but hearing that Aaly-verdy-qhan was arrived at Mongher, he, like the Prophets of old, fled from a land of oppression, and took shelter in the Bengal Army, where the Viceroy looking upon his august arrival as something auspicious to himself, and as something that announced success and victory to his arms, received him with distinction, and settled a plentiful pension upon him, which was always regularly paid; nor did he ever abate anything from the kindnesses and attentions shewn him at first.
18.4.7
But the Seyd himself, fired with a desire of seeing the completion of Mussulmanism, and visiting the monument of the Prince of Men, and kissing the venerable threshold of the First of Pontiffs, (upon whom be grace for ever !) took a journey thither by sea, and having enjoyed the happiness for which he had panted so long, he returned to Bengal where he found the Viceroy dying, and Seradj-ed-doulah disposing of every thing. The new Prince, with a petulance that became his character of ignorance and profligacy, instead of continuing to use with distinction so worthy a man, offered him indignities ; he ordered him to quit the apartment where he lived in the palace, and this too without allowing him a moment's respite. The poor man confounded at the suddenness of the order, was at a loss how to account for it, and how to dispose of himself at so short a notice ; when he was succoured by Providence. Hassen-reza-qhan, son to one of Hadji-ahmed's daughters, hearing of that worthy man's being turned into the street, ran on foot to the spot ; and although not certain himself of his own fate, which his attachment to Nevazish-mahmed-qhan had rendered doubtful, and Seradj-ed-doula's levity and profligacy, precarious, he engaged the worthy man to take shelter in his own house ; and a few days after, he made him present of a dwelling and a spot of ground attaining to his own, where he took up his abode, and where he lives to this day ; it is on the water side.
18.4.8
It is observable that this nobleman, who was then the flambeau and light of his family, had exposed himself the lion's jaws by so noble an action. But the Divine Mercy, in return for it, protected him from the tyrant's resentment in a peculiar manner; else, what he had done was full of danger and peril ; for the tyrant heard of it, and Hassen-reza-qhan came to think so himself. Seradj-ed-doulah is now gone. He has disappeared from the face of the earth, after having received a full measure for what he had done ; but the memory of this noble action shall illustrate the page of history, and remain recorded for ever.