The Events of Mushtāqī 8: Mian Ma'ruf Farmuli.

8

He was a saintly, courageous, and generous man. From the time of Sultan Bahlol to that of Islam Shah, he fought in every battle-field, but always escaped without a wound. He would accept of no reward or present from any king, and would never eat food from the house of any Hindu. At the time that the Rana of Chitor invited Mian Husain Farmuli and other nobles to an entertainment, the Rana took a favourite dish, and stood offering it to Mian Ma'ruf, saying, "All the other nobles have honoured me by partaking of my viands, and have eaten; pray do you gratify me and do the same, by turning your hands towards this repast." He replied, "I never yet have eaten from the house of a Hindu." The Rana said, "Only be so kind as to accept the hospitality of your slave." He reiterated his refusal, " In the whole of my life I have not done such a thing, nor can I now consent to do so." Mian Husain, addressing him in the Afghan language, said, "Many things should be done for expediency's sake. To-day, there is an object in the concession; so put your hands into the dish." Mian Ma'ruf replied, "You are my superior, it is for you to gratify him." At last, when all the nobles vehemently pressed him to comply, he took up a little with two of his fingers and placed it in the corner of his napkin, promising that he would eat it. But when he departed thence, he opened the napkin and threw its contents upon the ground. So determined was he, when he had once taken a notion into his head.
In the action between Sher Shah and Mal Deo, he was wounded with a sword. At that time he was one hundred and seven years old. One of the anecdotes related of him on this occasion is illustrative of his usual self-denial. Sher Shah sent him 300,000 tankas as a recompense for the wound he had received. But he sent it back with the remark, that he had never accepted remuneration from the King, and still less could he do so now, as the infliction of a wound had been sustained solely in the cause of God.