Mystic Poet
One of the greatest poets of 11th/17th and 12th/18th century Mughal times, Mīrzā ʿAbd al-Qādir Bīdil developed the mystical leanings that shaped his life at a young age. He was once in the service of Prince Aʿẓam (son of Mughal ruler Awrangzīb, see Awrangzīb (ʿĀlamgīr I)) but resigned after the Prince asked him to compose a qaṣīda in his praise. Several years later, he was offered a high position by the Niẓām of Hyderabad but he respectfully refused, perhaps more satisfied with his writing and intermittent wanderings. Mīrzā ʿAbd al-Qādir Bīdil was a prolific writer, whose works mainly focused on mysticism, philosophy and Sufism. It is said he composed over ninety thousand verses, many of which appear in the manavī form. Mīrzā ʿAbd al-Qādir Bīdil’s death is considered to have occurred in 1133/1720–1.