Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c44.s2.8

v4.c44.s2.8

Thus the first two months of 1789 wore on. At last he received a sharp letter from Shah Alam II telling him that if he did not extract Ghulām Qādir’s eyes, the Emperor would abdicate the throne and retire to Mecca in a beggar’s garb. Mahādji, with equal humanity and policy, had been so long pampering and humouring Ghulām Qādir in order to induce him to reveal the hiding-places of his Delhi loot ; but now that plan had to be given up. So, on 3rd March the Ruhela's eyes were dug out and sent in a casket to Shah Alam, whose revenge was gratified as the blind old man fumbled the contents of the casket and felt that his wronger had been paid back in his own coin. Islam is a by-product of Judaism. The Mosaic law of an eye for an eye was thus fulfilled. (Ibrat, iii. 296; DY. i. 378.)