Ḫayr al-Dīn Muḥammad Ilāhābādī d. ca. 1243/1827

Historian

Ḫayr al-Dīn Muḥammad Ilāhābādī was born in Allāhābād and served as a teacher at his own madrasa there. When the madrasa lost funding because of political circumstances, he found employment under British officers of the East India Company, working on their behalf in various capacities. After a short respite in his hometown and a return to teaching, Ilāhābādī served under two judges at Jawnpūr (“the practice of appointing British judges and registrars was introduced in 1209/1794-5”). He wrote numerous works spanning different genres, however, most deal with the history of South Asia or collections of anecdotes by past kings. He died ca. 1243/1827.

Works

ʿIbrat-nāmah     Book of Warning [Elliot&Dowson, v. VIII, chapter CXIX]

Extends to 1206/1791.

While ʿIbrat-nāmah contains some information on the history of the Mughals, the work is largely a history of the rule of Šāh ʿĀlam II, who reigned from 1173/1759 to 1221/1806. The work extends to 1206/1791.

Jawnpūr-nāmah     The Book of Jawnpūr

Composed in 1211/1796.

Jawnpūr-nāmah is a work on the history of the city of Jawnpūr (currently located in the region of Uttar Pradesh in Northern India.) The work is divided into two parts. The first part is a general history of the city extending to `ʿAlī Qadir Khan’s defeat by Mughal Emperor Akbar in 974/1566-67. The second part of Jawnpūr-nāmah describes the antiquities, buildings and topography of Jawnpūr.

Taẕkiraħ al-ʿulamāʾ     The Memorial of Religious Scholars

Completed 1216/1801.

Taẕkiraħ al-ʿulamāʾ is a work containing the biographies of 28 scholars associated with the city Jawnpūr, including that of the author himself..