The Foundation of Muslim Rule in India: A History of the Establishment and Progress of the Turkish Sultanate of Delhi, 1206–1290 A.D. c5.25

c5.25

Among proper histories written in the 14th and 15th centuries, the versified history, entitled *Futuhus-Salatin* by an author having the pen name of Isami, and completed in 1348, supplies a great deal of interesting though unconfirmed details. It has recently been edited by A. M. Husain. Although one finds it difficult to share the editor's enthusiasm for the work, its usefulness can not be denied. It is contemporary with Barani's work, and, but for its concession to the needs of poetry, should claim equal attention. It still awaits proper evaluation specially in the portions relating to the 13th century. The *Kitabur-Rahlah* of the famous Moorish traveller, Ibn Battutah, completed towards the middle of the 14th century is not so valuable for our period as it is for Tughluq history, since its references to the earlier history of the Sultanate are evidently bazaar stories and are not only unconfirmed but in some places demonstrably wrong. The *Tarikh-i-Mubarakshahi* of Yahia b. Ahmed b. Abdullah Sirhindi, completed in 1434, although mainly based on the works mentioned above, gives some additional information for which however no authority is cited. Of the histories compiled during the Mughal period, mention must be made of the *Tabaqat-i Akbari* by Nizamuddin Bakhshi, the *Muntakhabut-Twarikh* of Abdul Qadir Budaoni, and the *Gulshan-i-Ibrahimi*, commonly known as the *Tarikh-i-Ferishta*, by Muhammad Qasim b. Hindu Khan, dedicated to Ibrahim Adil Shah of Bijapur. While the first two works are merely reproductions of the primary authorities discussed above, Ferishta utilised other sources. Only in a few instances have his statements been found incorrect; he is certainly accurate and more scientific in his treatment of facts than others of his line though he is prone to a little imaginitive. In any case, he does not deserve Raverty's uncharitable remarks. Of even greater value is another history of the Mughal period named *Zafar-le-walihi*, by Haji Dabir written in Arabic towards the end of Jehangir's reign. The work is ostensibly a history of Gujrat but it traces the course of Muslim history from the earliest times in India, and has been edited by Denison Ross with the title of *An Arabic History of Gujrat*. In so far as the 13th century is concerned, it is, however, only a carefully abridged translation of the earlier accounts though a few other unnamed authors also seem to have been consulted.