The Nāṣirī Generations 1: THE AUTHOR’S PREFACE AND DEDICATION.

1

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate !
Thus sayeth Abu-’Umar-i-’Usman, son of Muhammad-al-Minhaj-al-Jurjani, that, when, through the blessing of Almighty God, the diadem and throne of the dominion of Hindustan became graced by [encircling] the blessed head, and adorned by [being pressed by] the august foot of that Lord of the World, Nasir-ud-Dunya wa ud-Din, Abu-l-Muzaffar-i-Mahmud Shah, son of the Sultan, I-yal-timish — May his reign long continue! — and the Khutbah and coin became embellished with his titles and his name, and, during the reign of which august sovereign, the justice-seat of the Kazi-ship of the empire of Hindustan was consigned to this loyal servant, on a certain occasion, in the tribunal of law and justice, a book came under his observation which the learned and worthy of former times had compiled for the edification of the select and distinguished of posterity. This had been taken from the annals of the Prophets and Khalifahs — On whom be peace ! — together with their genealogies, and the histories of the reigns of great Maliks [kings] of bygone times — The splendour of the Almighty illumine their tombs !— -and had been written down in tabulated forms, and abbreviated after the manner of an epitome, in the time of the Sultans of the dynasty of Nasir-ud-Din, Sabuk-Tigin — The Almighty guard their last resting-place! — from every flower-garden a flower; from every sea a drop, they had brought together [in this book]. After mentioning the Prophets, and giving their genealogies, and that of the Khalifahs of the Bani-Ummiyah and Bani-’Abbas, the Maliks of ’Ajam, and the Akasirah, they rested content with an account of the family of the august Sultan, Mahmud-i-Sabuk-Tigin-i-Ghazi — On whom be peace! — and abstained from any mention of other great Maliks, or the dynasties or annals of the Sultans of the past.
This frail one desired, therefore, that this meagre History should be filled up from first to last, from beginning to end, with an account of the whole of the Maliks and Sultans of Islam, both of ’Arab and of ’Ajam, and that a candle out of every dynasty should be enkindled in this assembly, and that, to the head of every race, a cap might be stitched, by the relation of events and occurrences and illustrious actions. Therefore, an account is recorded here, of the Tubba-yawa’ of Yaman, and the Himyar Maliks; and, after mention of the Khalifahs, an account of the Tahiris, Suffaris, Samanis, the dynasty of Buwiah, the Saljuks, Rumis, Shansabanis, and the Sultans of that family who were sovereigns of Ghur, Ghaznin, and Hind, the Khwarazm-Shahis, the Kurd Maliks who are Sultans of Sham, and the Mu’izziah Maliks and Sultans, who became Badshahs on the thrones of Ghaznin and of Hind, up to the present time, which is the reign of the heir to the diadem and throne of the dominions of the I-yal-timishi dynasty and house,
Sultan-ul-Mu’azzam, Sultan-us-Salatin Fi-l-’Alamin, NASIR-UD-DUNYA WA-UD-DIN, ABU-L-MUZAFFAR-I-MAHMUD SHAH, Yamin-i-Khalifah U’llah, Kasim-i-Amir-ul-Muminin — Khuld U’llah Saltanatahu and this History is reduced to writing, and adorned with his august titles and name, and is entitled the Tabakat-i-Nasirl
It is his implicit hope, through the perfect grace of the Creator, the Most High and Holy, that, when this book shall be honoured by the blessed sight of this Badshah, the Asylum of the World, it may meet with the felicity of his approbation; and that from the zenith of the firmament of benefaction, and the summit of the sphere of favour, a ray of the royal grace may shine upon this frail one; and, after his removal from this temporary dwelling, from its readers may a kind invocation endure; and, should they become cognizant of any error or omission, may they veil it with the skirt of the robe of forgiveness, since whatever was to be found in trustworthy chronicles is herein recorded.