The Foundation of Muslim Rule in India: A History of the Establishment and Progress of the Turkish Sultanate of Delhi, 1206–1290 A.D. c5.24

c5.24

With Barani our original sources come to an end. Casual, but some times extremely illuminating references to political and social life are found in a series of contemporary writings which are professedly non-historical. Among them, the poetical works of Amir Khusrau, a contemporary of Barani, contain interesting side-lights on contemporary events and personages. Some of his qasidahs addressed to the leading men of the court are usually helpful. He was a favourite courtier of Prince Muhammad, the eldest son of Balban, after whose death he took service in the court of Kaiqubad. At the latter's request he composed the poem entitled Qiranus-Sadain, describing Kaiqubad's meeting with his father. In his preface to the poem entitled Ashiqa, he gives brief resumé, of the history of the sultans of Delhi upto Alauddin Khalji. Valuable informations respecting the working of the governmental machinery and also about some of the expeditions are found in his Ijaz-i-Khusravi, which, though admittedly written to exhibit his literary skill and ingenuity, yet embodies the substance of some actual letters and firmans. Of the same value and interest is another of his work named Matlaul-Anwar, which throws light on contemporary manners and society. His friend, Amir Hasan, compiled a record of the sayings of the celebrated saint, Nizamuddin, under each day and edited them with the title of Fawadul-Fawaid. Although the emphasis is mainly on the spiritual side of the talks, the anecdotes and stories related by the saint about his contemporaries are extremely interesting. Of similar interest are, (a) *Dalilul Arefin*, a collection of the sayings of Muinuddin Chishti, by his disciple, the faomus Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki; (b) the *Asrarul Auliya*, a memoir of Fariduddin Shakarunj, compiled by his disciple and son-in-law; (c) the *Rauzatul Aqtab*, an account of the teachings of Qutbuddin Kaki by Muhammad Bulaq; and (d) the *Rahatul Muhebbin*, a memoir of Nizamuddin Chishti by his devot ed disciple, the poet Amir Khusrau. Another work of a similar nature entitled *Rahatul Qulub*,—a collection of the sayings of Fariduddin Shakargunj by Nizamuddin Chishti, may also be mentioned. Later works dealing with the lives of the saints based on the above-mentioned compilations are (a) the *Miratul Abrar* by Husamuddin Manikpuri written about 1665; (b) the *Akhbarul Akhiar* by Abdul Haqq Dehlavi, completed in the reign of Jehangir; (c) *Siarul Arefin* by Hamid b. Fazlullah, written in 1535; and (d) the *Safinatul Auliya* by Jahan Ara, daughter of Shahjahan.