THE full title of this valuable work is Matla'u-s Sa'dain wa Majma'u-l Bahrain, “The Rising of the two fortunate Planets (Jupiter and Venus), and the Junction of the two Seas,” composed by Kamálu-d dín 'Abdu-r Razzák bin Jalálu-d dín Is'hák as Samarkandí. The author of the Habibu-s Siyar thus speaks of 'Abdu-r Razzák.
“Kamálu-d dín 'Abdu-r Razzák was a son of Jalálu-d dín Is'hák, of Samarkand, and was born at Hirát on the 12th Sha'bán, A.H. 816 (6th November, 1413 A.D.). His father Is'hák resided at the Court of Sultán Sháh Rukh, in quality of Kází and Imám, and was sometimes consulted on points of law, and desired to read learned treatises in His Majesty's presence. 'Abdu-r Razzák, after his father's death, in the year 841 (A.D. 1437), wrote a comment on Azdu-d dín Yahyá's Treatise upon Arabic Prepositions and Pronouns, and dedicated it to Sultán Sháh Rukh, on which occasion he had the honour to kiss His Majesty's hand. In the latter part of that prince's reign, he went as his ambassador to the King of Bíjánagar, and experienced various extraordinary incidents and vicissitudes on that journey, but at length returned to Khurásán in safety. After the death of Sultán Sháh Rukh, he was successively admitted to the presence of Mírzá 'Abdu-l Latíf, Mírzá 'Abdu-llah, and Mírzá Abú-l Kásím; and in the first Jumád of 877 (October, 1472), under the reign of Sultán Abú Sa'íd, he was appointed superintendent of the khánkáh of Mírzá Sháh Rukh, where he continued to the time of his death, which happened in the latter Jumád of the year 887 (August, 1482).* Among the excellent productions of his pen is that useful work the Matla'u-s Sa'dain, which is in every one's hand, and is universally known; and in which he has given a general history of events from the time of Sultán Abú Sa'íd Bahádur Khán down to the assassination of Mírzá Sultán Abú Sa'íd Gurgán.”
[Mr. Morley in his Catalogue of the MSS. of the Royal Asiatic Society, uses the above biography, but makes the following additions: “In A.H. 850 (A.D. 1446), 'Abdu-r Razzák was sent on an embassy into Gílán, and had scarcely fulfilled his mission, when he was ordered to depart for Egypt, with the title of ambassador. The death of his master, however, prevented his journey.”
“In 856 (A.D. 1452), the Sultán Abú-l Kásím Bábar, passing through the town of Taft Yazd, had an interview with the celebrated historian Sharafu-d dín 'Alí Yazdí, and our author was present at the conference. Two years afterwards he became attached to the person of the Sultán Abú Sa'íd, who treated him with the greatest honour; and in A.H. 863 (A.D. 1458), when Sultán Husain Bahádur undertook an expedition into Jurján, our author, who had been sent on a mission into that part of the country, had an opportunity of witnessing most of the events of the war.”