History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290–1320 c7.s3.5

c7.s3.5

Although everybody in and outside the court could see that the Sultan talked about these projects out of sheer arrogance and stupidity, yet being afraid of his bad temper they could not but express their approval. Their hypocrisy led the king to imagine that his schemes were simple and practicable. In one of the drinking parties, however, in which the Sultan used to elaborate his awry schemes, Malik ‘Alāulmulk, ‘whose bulky person could not take the trouble of visiting the Sultan more than once a month’, also happened to be present. In course of conversation he fearlessly told the Sultan that religion was a matter of revelation from God, and could not be founded on the basis of human intellect or wisdom. He argued that world conquerors like Changīz had tried hard to propagate their creed by shedding the blood of Muslims at large, but they had failed to subvert the faith of Islam. Moreover, argued the Kotvāl, if the people heard that the king was thinking of encroaching upon their religious beliefs, they would, one and all, turn away from his allegiance, and tumult and sedition would arise on every side. As to the plans about world conquest ‘Alāulmulk expressed his admiration at the idea but added that conditions were not so favourable as they had been in the time of Alexander. The kingdom of Delhi did not have such a stable foundation as the Greece of Alexander. Again the Sultan did not have counsellors and intellectuals such as Aristotle, who would manage the affairs of the state during the absence of the sovereign.³⁴