Storia do Mogor 93.2

93.2

Aurangzeb now found himself restored to perfect health, with the exception of his tongue. This might be called a proof that the illness was a warning sent by God to make him kind to His people. It was as if an angel had come from heaven to speak with him. He now began to announce to those who came to give him congratulations on his restoration to health, that God had first sent this illness and then given him back his health to let him see that, although He had raised him to authority, He could take away his life whenever He pleased, or give him health at will. Through this illness he had come to the knowledge that the followers of Muhammad were the beloved of God. He held it as certain that this illness fell upon him, so that at the beginning of his reign he should not demand the same great revenues that his predecessors had imposed upon Mahomedans. This is the reason why he decided to relieve true believers from the payment of revenue, and by this incentive open a door for all Hindus to embrace the faith of the prophet Muhammad, the beloved of God. To this intent he sent forth an order to all the kingdoms, provinces and cities, that the Mahomedans were freed from taxation and under no obligation to pay anything to the crown, except the duty on tobacco, which he afterwards remitted owing to a case which happened, as I shall relate (II. 133).