[Text, vol. ii. p. 198.] In 982 Abú-l Fazl, now styled 'Allámí or “very learned,” came a second time to Court. He set the world in flames, and “lighted up the lamp of the Sabáhís,”—a proverbial way of saying he lighted his lamp by daylight. In accord with the saying, “He who contends gains his object,” he set himself in opposition to all sects, and bound the girdle of reform about his loins. He presented a commentary on the Áyatu-l kursí, which treated on the nice points and subtleties of the Kurán. People say that his father wrote it, but he presented it, and got much praise. The words “tafsír-i Akbarí” give the date of its composition. The Emperor received him graciously, and (in order to humiliate the arrogance of the proud mullás) looked upon him more favourably than he did upon me. The reason of Abú-l Fázl's antagonism and rancour was that at the time of the persecution and massacre of heretics like Mír Habshí and others, Shaikh Abdú-n Nabí, Makhdúmu-l Mulk, and the learned in general took counsel together, and with one accord they represented that Shaikh Mubárak Mahdawí also was a heretic, who was lost himself, and led others to perdition. Having got tacit permission to repress and remove him, they sent officers to apprehend him; but as the Shaikh had absconded with his sons, they broke the pulpit of his mosque. He then sought the protection of Shaikh Salím Chishtí in Fathpúr, who was then at the height of his prosperity and eminence. Shaikh Salím sent him something for his expenses, and recommended him to leave the country, and fly to Gujarát. As he obtained nothing in this quarter, he went to Mirzá 'Azíz Koka, who represented to the King, that Shaikh Mubárak was a learned and indigent man, that his children were clever, that he held no land in in'ám, and inquired what was the advantage of persecuting a worthy man. So the Emperor gave up the intention of hurting him, and in a short time everything went on to his heart's content. Shaikh Abú-l Fazl ingratiated himself with His Majesty by his unremitting devotion to the King's service, by his temporizing disposition, by his duplicity, by his study of the King's temper and sentiments, and by his boundless flattery. When he at last obtained the opportunity, he took his revenge upon that sect whose works and efforts have met with so little reward. He was the cause not only of the destruction of these old labourers, but of the disasters which fell upon all God's wise and holy servants, upon the infirm and upon orphans, by the resumption of their allowances in money and rent-free lands. * * When trouble and misery fell upon them, he used frequently to quote this quatrain:—
“I have set fire to my barn with my own hands,
As I am the incendiary, how can I complain of my enemy?
No one is my enemy but myself,
Woe is me! I have torn my garment with my own hands.”
If any one, while remonstrating, cited the precepts of religious men, he would say in reply, that the precept quoted was the composition of such and such a grocer, such and such a cobbler, such and such a currier, for he thought proper to reject all the wise sayings of Muhammadan Shaikhs and Doctors.
[Text, vol. ii. p. 200.] [In the year 983 the buildings of the 'ibádat-khána were completed. The cause of their erection was this. In the course of the last few years the Emperor had gained in succession many great and remarkable victories, and his dominion had grown in extent from day to day. Not an enemy was left in the world. He had taken a liking for the society of ascetics and the disciples of the celebrated Mu'íniyyah (God rest his soul!). He spent much time in discussing the Word of God and the sayings of the Prophet; and he devoted his attention to questions of Súfism, science, philosophy, law and other matters. He passed whole nights in meditation upon God and upon the modes of addressing him as yá hú and yá hádí. Reverence for the great Giver filled his heart. In order to show his gratitude for some of his blessings, he would sit many a morning alone in prayer and mortification upon the stone bench of an old cell which lay near the palace in a lonely spot. Thus engaged in meditation, he gathered the bliss of the early hours of dawn. * * *
Having completed the building (of the 'ibádat-khána), he made a large hall in each of the four divisions of it. He also finished the construction of the tank called anúptaláo. He called the building 'ibádat-khána, and by degrees it became at last a ??.* On Fridays after prayers he would go from the new khánkáh of the Shaikhu-l Islám, and hold a meeting in this building. Shaikhs, learned and pious men, and a few of his own companions and attendants, were the only people who were invited. Discussions were carried on upon all kinds of instructive and useful topics. * * * Every Sabbath evening he invited saiyids, shaikhs, doctors and nobles. But ill feeling arose in the company about the seats and order of precedence, so His Majesty ordered that the nobles should sit on the east side, the saiyids on the west, the 'ulamá on the south, and the shaikhs on the north. His Majesty would go from time to time to these various parties, and converse with them and ascertain their thoughts. Quantities of perfume were used, and large sums of money were distributed as rewards of merit and ability among the worthy people who obtained an entry through the favour of the Emperor's attendants. Many fine books which had belonged to 'Itimád Khán Gujarátí, and had been acquired in the conquest of Gujarát, were placed in the royal library, but were subsequently brought out and distributed by the Emperor among learned and pious men. Among the rest he gave me a book called Anwáru-l mashkút.* * * One night the vein of the neck of the 'ulamá of the age swelled up, and a great outcry and tumult arose. This annoyed His Majesty, and he said to me (Badáúní), “In future report any one of the assembly whom you find speaking improperly, and I will have him turned out.” I said quietly to Ásaf Khán, “According to this, a good many would be expelled.” His Majesty asked what I had said. When I told him, he was much amused, and repeated my saying to those who were near him.
He used to summon Makhdúmu-l Mulk Mauláná 'Abdu-lla Sultánpúrí to that assembly in order to annoy him; and he set up to argue against him Hájí Ibráhím and Shaikh Abú-l Fazl, then a new arrival, but now the prime leader of the New Religion and Faith, or rather the infallible guide and expositor de omnibus rebus et quibusdam aliis. His Majesty used to interrupt the Mauláná at every statement, and at a hint from him his companions also would interfere with interjections and observations, and would tell queer stories about the Mauláná, and exemplified in his person the verse of the Kurán, “And some of you shall have life prolonged to a miserable age.”]
[Text, vol. ii. p. 203.] One night (during the year 983), Khán Jahán mentioned that Makhdúmu-l Mulk had given an opinion that in those days it was not a religious duty to go on a pilgrimage, and that it was even sinful to do so. When he was asked his reasons, he replied, that there were only two ways to Mecca, one by 'Irák, the other by Gujarát. By the former, a man must hear abusive language from the Kazilbáshes (Persian Shi'as); by the latter, he must, before he embarks at sea, suffer the indignity of entering into an engagement with the Firingís, which engagement was headed and stamped with portraits of the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ (upon whom be peace!), and so is tinctured with idol worship.* Therefore both ways should be prohibited.
Another device of Makhdúmu-l Mulk's was the trick by which he avoided payment of the legal alms due upon his wealth.* At the end of each year he used to make over all his property to his wife, but before the year had run out he took it all back again. It was said that he practised some other tricks, of which even the Israelites would have been ashamed. Stories were told, one after another, about his meanness and shabbiness, and baseness and worldliness, and oppression, all which vices were exhibited towards holy and deserving men, especially those of the Panjáb, and which one by one came to light, verifying the saying, “There is a day when secrets shall be disclosed.” They told also other stories founded upon his villany, sordid disposition, and contemptible conduct, and they ended by deciding that he ought to be shipped off by force to Mecca. When he was asked if he thought the pilgrimage a duty for himself, he replied in the negative. About this time, Makhdúmu-l Mulk began to fall into discredit, and Shaikh 'Abdu-n Nabí* succeeded him in the good graces of the King.