Sometimes again, it was Shaikh Tájuddín of Dihlí, who had to attend the emperor. This Shaikh is the son of Shaikh Zakariyá of Ajodhan. The principal 'Ulamás of the age call him Tájul'árifín, or crown of the Çúfís. He had learned under Shaikh Zamán of Pánípat, author of a commentary on the Lawáih, and of other very excellent works, was in Çúfism and pantheism second only to Shaikh Ibn 'Arabí, and had written a comprehensive commentary on the Nuzhat ularwáh. Like the preceding he was drawn up the wall of the castle. His Majesty listened whole nights to his Çúfic trifles. As the Shaikh was not overstrict* in acting according to our religious law, he spoke a great deal of the pantheistic presence, which idle Çúfís will talk about, and which generally leads them to denial of the law and open heresy. He also introduced polemic matters, as the ultimate salvation by faith of Pharaoh—God's curse be upon him!— which is mentioned in the Fuçúç ulhikam,* or the excellence of hope over fear,* and many other things to which men incline from weakness of disposition, unmindful of cogent reasons, or distinct religious commands, to the contrary. The Shaikh is therefore one of the principal culprits, who weakened His Majesty's faith in the orders of our religion. He also said that infidels would, of course, be kept for ever in hell, but it was not likely, nor could it be proved, that the punishment in hell was eternal. His explanations of some verses of the Qorán, or of the Tradition of our prophet, were often far-fetched. Besides, he mentioned that the phrase 'Insán i kámil (perfect man) referred to the ruler of the age, from which he inferred that the nature of a king was holy. In this way, he said many agreeable things to the emperor, rarely expressing the proper meaning, but rather the opposite of what he knew to be correct. Even the sijdah (prostration), which people mildly call zamínbos (kissing the ground,) he allowed to be due to the Insán i Kámil; he looked upon the respect due to the king as a religious command, and called the face of the king Ka'bah i Murádát, the sanctum of desires, and Qiblah i Háját, the cynosure of necessities. Such blasphemies* other people supported by quoting stories of no credit, and by referring to the practice followed by disciples of some heads of Indian sects. And after this, when.…*
Other great philosophical writers of the age also expressed opinions, for which there is no authority. Thus Shaikh Ya'qúb of Kashmír, a well known writer, and at present the greatest authority in religious matters, mentioned some opinions held by 'Ain ulquzát of Hamadán, that our prophet Muhammad was a personification of the divine name of Alhádí (the guide), and the devil was the personification of God's name of Almuzill (the tempter),* that both names, thus personified, had appeared in this world, and that both personifications were therefore necessary.
Mullá Muhammad of Yazd, too, was drawn up the wall of the castle, and uttered unworthy, loathsome abuse against the first three Khalífahs, called the whole Çahábah, their followers and next followers, and the saints of past ages, infidels and adulterers, slandered the Sunnís and the Ahl i Jamá'at,* and represented every sect, except the Shí'ah, as damned and leading men into damnation.
The differences among the 'Ulamás, of whom one called lawful what the other called unlawful, furnished His Majesty with another reason for apostacy. The emperor also believed that the 'Ulamás of his time were superior in dignity and rank to Imám i Ghazzálí and Imám i Rází,* and knowing from experience the flimsiness of his 'Ulamás, he judged those great men of the past by his contemporaries, and threw them aside.
Learned monks also came from Europe, who go by the name of Pádre.* They have an infallible head, called Pápá. He can change any religious ordinances as he may think advisable, and kings have to submit to his authority. These monks brought the gospel, and mentioned to the emperor their proofs for the Trinity. His Majesty firmly believed in the truth of the Christian religion, and wishing to spread the doctrines of Jesus, ordered Prince Murád* to take a few lessons in Christianity by way of auspiciousness, and charged Abulfazl to translate the Gospel. Instead of the usual Bismilláh-irrahmán-irrahím,* the following lines were used—
which means, ‘O thou whose name is gracious and blessed;’ and Shaikh Faizí added another half, in order to complete the verse
These accursed monks applied the description of cursed Satan, and of his qualities, to Muhammad, the best of all prophets—God's blessings rest on him and his whole house!—a thing which even devils would not do.
Bír Baṛ also impressed upon the emperor that the sun was the primary origin of every thing. The ripening of the grain on the fields, of fruits and vegetables, the illumination of the universe, and the lives of men, depended upon the Sun. Hence it was but proper to worship and reverence this luminary; and people in praying should face towards the place where he rises, instead of turning to the quarter where he sets. For similar reasons, said Bír Baṛ, should men pay regard to fire and water, stones, trees, and other forms of existence, even to cows and their dung, to the mark on the forehead and the Brahminical thread.
Philosophers and learned men who had been at Court, but were in disgrace, made themselves busy in bringing proofs. They said, the sun was ‘the greatest light,’ the source of benefit for the whole world, the nourisher of kings, and the origin of royal power.
This was also the cause why the Naurúz i Jalálí* was observed, on which day, since His Majesty's accession, a great feast was given. His Majesty also adopted different suits of clothes of seven different colours, each of which was worn on a particular day of the week in honor of the seven colours of the seven planets.
The emperor also learned from some Hindus formulæ, to reduce the influence of the sun to his subjection, and commenced to read them mornings and evenings as a religious exercise. He also believed that it was wrong to kill cows, which the Hindus worship; he looked upon cowdung as pure, interdicted the use of beef, and killed beautiful men (?) instead of cows. The doctors confirmed the emperor in his opinion, and told him, it was written in their books that beef was productive of all sorts of diseases, and was very indigestible.
Fire-worshippers also had come from Nausárí in Gujrát, and proved to His Majesty the truth of Zoroaster's doctrines. They called fire-worship ‘the great worship,’ and impressed the emperor so favorably, that he learned from them the religious terms and rites of the old Pársís, and ordered Abulfazl to make arrangements, that sacred fire should be kept burning at court by day and by night, according to the custom of the ancient Persian kings, in whose fire-temples it had been continually burning; for fire was one of the manifestations of God, and ‘a ray of His rays.’
His Majesty, from his youth, had also been accustomed to celebrate the Hom (a kind of fire-worship), from his affection towards the Hindu princesses of his Harem.