The Legacy of Muslim Rule in India c9.s5.t2.12

c9.s5.t2.12

Alauddin greatly respected Nizamuddin Auliya for his supernatural powers and knack for correct predictions.¹¹⁴ But his son Sultan Qutbuddin Mubarak Khalji disliked him because of his political leanings. He even declared a reward of a thousand *tankahs* for one who would cut off Nizamuddins head. Once when they chanced to meet, the Sultan refused to acknowledge the salutations of the saint¹¹⁵ and even called Shaikh Ruknuddin from Multan to eclipse Nizamuddins popularity.¹¹⁶ After Qutbuddins death, Sultan Nasiruddin Khusrau ascended the throne at Delhi, but his authority was challenged by Ghazi Tughlaq. Khusrau Shah, to gain the support of the Shaikhs sent two or three lakhs of *tankahs* to each of them and five lakh *tankahs* to Nizamuddin Auliya. When Ghazi Tughlaq ascended the throne as Sultan Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq (1320 C.E.) he asked Nizamuddin to render the account of the amount he had received. The latter sent a reply, seemingly insolent, that the money belonged to the *Bait-ul-mal* (Public Treasury) and therefore he had given it to the poor. The Sultan took umbrage at the Shaikhs answer. The relations between the two were sore also because of the Sultans dislike of sama in which Nizamuddin freely indulged. In this scenario, Nizamuddin Auliya began to support Ghiyasuddins son, Muhammad Tughlaq, who aspired for the throne. When Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq went on an expedition to Bengal, Nizamuddin Auliya prophesied that the Sultan would never come back from there. When the news of his return was received in Delhi, a worried Prince Muhammad rushed to Nizamuddin with the tiding at which the Shaikh uttered the famous words, Delhi is still far off (*hanuz Delhi dur ast*).¹¹⁷ Nizamuddin Auliya was thus immersed in Delhi court politics, at least towards the end of his life (1320-25). But he was a Sufi. He had many disciples who were regular visitors to his *khanqah*. Such an one was Amir Khusrau.