History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c10.200

c10.200

The passage literally means: ‘On the very date when the word مہ = 45 (مہ = 40 + ہ = 5) was to be added to the year 700 (صد) in the month of sacred Rajab (سابق شعبان) returned from this journey.’ Elliot, it seems to me, has not correctly interpreted the passage in arriving at the year 745 A.H. The literal translation which he gives is defective inasmuch as he interprets the word مہ in the sense of one month which is not what the poet intends to convey. It is difficult to decide between these two conflicting authorities, particularly when no later writer gives us the correct date, but Barani seems to be more correct in saying that the Haji who left Dihli in 744 A.H. returned after two years with a *farman* from the Khalifah. As before, the Sultan walked on foot to receive the envoys, placed the *farman* and the robe on his head and ordered all the amirs of ten thousand of Mughalistan and Khorasan to honour the Khalifah’s patent. From the amirs of Hazarah and Sadah (one thousand and one hundred) and ladies of high rank he obtained acknowledgements of *biat* to the Khalifah and bestowed rich gifts upon them. After sometime when the Shaikh-al-Shayūkh departed for Egypt, the Sultan loaded him and his companions with valuable gifts. Another *farman* reached the Sultan in Broach and Kambayat in 747 A.H. whither he had gone to suppress the rebellions of the amirs Sadah.¹²⁵ Every time the *farmans* were received with great honour by the Sultan, and Barani expresses his astonishment at the abject humility and self-abasement shown by him. The name of the Khalifah was mentioned in everything which the Sultan saw or did, and an order was issued that those who came to the court to offer presents should first make obeisance to the *farman* of the Khalifah.