Another of them was Kamāled-dīn Hussain Gāzergāhi, who, though not a Sūfi, affected Sūfi principles. Many who affected these Sūfi principles gathered about Sher Ali Beg, pretended to raptures and ecstasies, and studied the doctrines of the sect. Of all these this man had made the greatest progress in these mystical fancies,* which probably was the reason of the distinctions that he had received, as he showed no ability in anything else. He composed one work, the Majālis-ul-ushāk (the Assembly of Lovers), which he ascribes to Sultan Hussain Mirza. It is very dull, full of fiction, and of tasteless fiction, and contains passages so profane, that they subjected him to the imputation of infidelity. He has, for example, represented some of the prophets, and many saints, as engaged in amours, and has provided each of them with a lover and a friend. It was certainly a strangely absurd thing, after, in the preface, ascribing the work to Sultan Hussain Mirza as its author, in the body of the work to introduce odes and pieces of poetry known to be written by Kamāled-dīn Hussain, by saying that ‘they are by the writer of this work’. It was in consequence of the flattery of this same Kamāled-dīn Hussain that Zūlnūn Arghūn got the name of Hizaber-ullah (the Lion of God).
Wazirs.Of the Wazīrs of Sultan Hussain Mirza, one was Majd-ed-dīn Muhammed, the son of Khwājeh Pir Ahmed Khawāfi, who was the chief counsellor in the Diwān* of Shahrokh Mirza. Before his time, Sultan Hussain Mirza’s Diwān was conducted without regularity or method, and the greatest disorder and waste prevailed. The subjects suffered from exactions, and the soldiers were not satisfied. At the time when Majd-ed-dīn Muhammed held the office of Parwānchi* (or issuer of the royal firmāns), he went by the name of Mīrek; the Mirza happened on one occasion to want a little money, and sent for the officers of the Diwān, who told him that there was none, and that none could be got. Majd-ed-dīn, who was present, smiled; the Mirza asked him the reason, and retired with him; when Majd-ed-dīn told him his whole mind, and added, ‘If your majesty will make an agreement with me, by consenting to give me full power, and not to deviate from my plans, I will undertake, in a very short time, to make the subjects comfortable, the army satisfied, and the treasury full.’ The Mirza entered into the agreement with great willingness, placed the whole revenues of Khorasān entirely under his management, and gave him the unlimited direction of everything. Majd-ed-dīn, on his part, spared no pains nor labour, exerted his utmost ability, and in a short time made both the peasantry and soldiery contented and happy, while he, at the same time, replenished the treasury, and rendered the country flourishing and populous. He, however, conducted himself with envious hostility towards* Ali Sher Beg, and the Amirs who were in his interest, as well as towards all men who were in office; on which account all of them were ill disposed towards him, and their endeavours to ruin him finally effected his overthrow, and got him dismissed, when Nizām-ul-mulk was made Diwān in his place. In a short time, Nizām-ul-mulk was in his turn seized and put to death, when Khwājeh Afzal was brought from Irāk and appointed Diwān. At the time when I came to Kābul, Khwājeh Afzal had been made a Beg, and held the seal of the Diwān.
KhwājehAnother was Khwājeh Atā,* who although he was not, like those who have been mentioned, of the first rank nor Diwān, yet, in the whole extent of the Khorasān dominions, nothing was done without his advice. He was a man of piety, strictly observant of the accustomed prayers, and devoted to religious exercises. He was, besides, diligent in business. Such were the principal advisers and ministers of Sultan Hussain Mirza.
Theolo-The age of Sultan Hussain Mirza was certainly a wonderful age, and Khorasān, particularly the city of Heri, abounded with eminent men of unrivalled acquirements, each of whom made it his aim and ambition to carry to the highest perfection the art to which he devoted himself. Among these Jāmi. was the Moulāna Abdal Rahmān Jāmi,* to whom there was no person of that period who could be compared, whether in respect to profane or sacred science. His poems are well known. The merits of the Mulla are of too exalted a nature to admit of being described by me; but I have been anxious to bring the mention of his name, and an allusion to his excellencies, into these humble pages, for a good omen and a blessing.
Seif-ed-dīnAnother was the Sheikh-ul-Islām, Seif-ed-dīn Ahmed, who was descended of the stock of Mulla Saad-ed-dīn Taftazāni,* which for several generations had occupied the situation of Sheikh-ul-Islām in the kingdom of Khorasān. He was eminent for his knowledge, and particularly versed in the sciences of the Arabs,* and the sciences dependent on theology. He was a man of great piety, and devoted to religion. Though of the sect of Shāfi,* he cherished persons of every persuasion. It is said, that for nearly seventy years he had never omitted the appointed prayers in the public worship. Shah Ismāel, when he took Heri,* put him to death, and he was the last of his family.
MoulānaAnother was Moulāna Sheikh Hussain. Although he was in his greatest eminence and celebrity in the time of Sultan Abūsaīd Mirza, yet, as he continued to flourish in the reign of Sultan Hussain Mirza, he is mentioned here. He was profoundly skilled in philosophy, logic, rhetoric, and metaphysics. He had the faculty of extracting a great deal of meaning from a very few words, and of commenting with great subtlety on them. In the time of Sultan Abūsaīd Mirza, he enjoyed a high degree of influence and intimacy with that prince, and was consulted on all affairs of national importance. Nobody performed the office of Muhtesib* with more ability. In consequence of the great favour in which he had been with Sultan Abūsaīd Mirza, this incomparable person was but harshly treated in the time of Sultan Hussain Mirza.
MullaAnother was the Mulla-zādeh Mulla Osmān, who was from the village of Chirkh, which lies in the Tumān of Lohūger,* one of the Tumāns of Kābul. As, in the time of Ulugh Beg Mirza, when only fourteen years of age, he had commenced giving instructions as a teacher, he was denominated the Mother-born Mulla. When he was on his journey from Samarkand to Mekka, as he was passing through Heri, Sultan Hussain Mirza stopped him by the way, and detained him at his court. He was a man of most extensive knowledge. There was not in that age any one who equalled him in the extent of his acquirements. Many affirmed that he had attained the degree of ijtihād,* but he never pretended to it. It was he who said, ‘When a man has heard anything, how can he forget it?’ He had a most retentive memory.
JamāleddīnAnother was Mīr Jamāleddīn Muhaddis (or the traditionalist), who, in the science of tradition, was unequalled in all the country of Khorasān. He is of a very advanced age, and is still alive at the present date.
Mīr Mur-Another was Mīr Murtāz, who was well versed in the sciences of practical philosophy and of metaphysics. He received the name of Murtāz (the Ascetic) from the frequency of his fasting. He was madly fond of the game of chess; to such a degree, indeed, that when he met with two persons who understood the game, while he played with one of them, he used to lay hold of the skirts of the other’s clothes to prevent his going away.
Mulla Ma-Another of them was Mulla Masaūd, who was of Sherwān.
Another was Abdal Ghafūr of Lār, who was both the scholar and disciple of Moulāna Abdal Rahmān Jāmi. He had read many of the Mulla’s works, under his immediate guidance,* and wrote a sort of exposition or commentary on the Nafahāt* (or Breeze of Affection) of that author. He was extremely versed in the profane sciences, besides having made great proficiency in mystical knowledge. He was a remarkably unassuming and unceremonious man. If any person had but the name of a Mulla, he was never ashamed to take out a section of any work, and enter into discussion with him;* and if any derwīsh was mentioned to him as being in a particular place, he was never satisfied [A.D. 1506.] till he had sought him out and seen him. When I visited Khorasān, Mulla Abdal Ghafūr was sick; and when I went and circumambulated the Mulla’s shrine (Jāmi’s), I at the same time went and inquired after the health of Mulla Abdal Ghafūr. He was at that time in the Mulla’s* college. A few days afterwards he died of the disease of which he was then ill.
Mīr Atā-