From the New Year's day of the twenty-fifth year of his reign [988], His Majesty openly worshipped the sun and the fire by prostrations; and the courtiers were ordered to rise, when the candles and lamps were lighted in the palace. On the festival of the eighth day of Virgo, he put on the mark on the forehead, like a Hindu, and appeared in the Audience Hall, when several Brahmins tied, by way of auspiciousness, a string with jewels on it round his hands, whilst the grandees countenanced these proceedings by bringing, according to their circumstances, pearls and jewels as presents. The custom of Rák'hí (or tying pieces of clothes round the wrists as amulets) became quite common.

When orders, in opposition to the Islám, were quoted by people of other religions, they were looked upon by His Majesty as convincing, whilst Hinduism is in reality a religion, in which every order is nonsense. The Originator of our belief, the Arabian Saints, all were said to be adulterers, and highway robbers, and all the Muhammadans were declared worthy of reproof, till at length His Majesty belonged to those of whom the Qorán says (Sur. 61, 8:) “They seek to extinguish God's light with their mouths: but God will perfect his light, though the infidels be averse thereto.” In fact matters went so far, that proofs were no longer required when any­thing connected with the Islám was to be abolished.”

In this year [987], His Majesty was anxious to unite in his person the powers of the state and those of the Church; for he could not bear to be subordinate to any one. As he had heard that the prophet, his lawful successors, and some of the most powerful kings, as Amír Tímúr Çáhibqirán, and Mírzá Ulugh Beg i Gurgán, and several others, had themselves read the Khuṭbah (the Friday prayer), he resolved to do the same, apparently in order to imitate their example, but in reality to appear in public as the Mujtahid of the age. Accordingly, on Friday, the first Jumáda-lawwal 987, in the Jámi' Masjid of Fathpúr, which he had built near the palace, His Majesty commenced to read the Khuṭbah. But all at once he stammered and trembled, and though assisted by others, he could scarcely read three verses of a poem, which Shaikh Faizí had composed, came quickly down from the pulpit, and handed over the duties of the Imám (leader of the prayer) to Háfiz Muhammad Amín, the Court Khaṭíb. These are the verses—

“As it was quite customary in those days to speak ill of the doctrine and orders of the Qorán, and as Hindu wretches and Hinduizing Muham­madans openly reviled our prophet, irreligious writers left out in the prefaces to their books the customary praise of the prophet, and after say­ing something to the praise of God, wrote eulogies of the emperor instead.* It was impossible even to mention the name of the prophet, because these liars (as Abulfazl, Faizí, &c.) did not like it. This wicked innovation gave general offence, and sowed the seed of evil throughout the country;* but notwithstanding this, a lot of low and mean fellows put piously on their necks the collar of the Divine Faith, and called themselves disciples, either from fear, or hope of promotion, though they thought it impossible to say our creed.”

“In the same year [987], a document made its appearance, which bore the signatures and seals of Makhdúm ulmulk, of Shaikh 'Abdunnabí, çadruççudúr, of Qází Jaláluddín of Multán, Qázílquzát, of Çadr Jahán, the muftí of the empire, of Shaikh Mubárik, the deepest writer of the age, and of Ghází Khán of Badakhshán, who stood unrivalled in the various sciences. >The object of the document was to settle the superiority of the Imám i 'ádil (just leader) over the Mujtahid, which was proved by a reference to an ill-supported authority. The whole matter is a question, regarding which people differ in opinion; but the document was to do away with the possibility of disagreeing about laws, whether political or religious, and was to bind the lawyers in spite of themselves. But before the instrument was signed, a long discussion took place as to the meaning of ijtihád, and as to whom the term Mujtahid was applicable, and whether it really was the duty of a just Imám who, from his acquaintance with politics, holds a higher rank than the Mujtahid, to decide, according to the requirements of the times, and the wants of the age, all such legal questions on which there existed a difference of opinion. At last, however, all signed the document, some willingly, others against their convictions.

I shall copy the document verbatim.

‘Whereas Hindústán has now become the centre of security and peace, and the land of justice and beneficence, a large number of people, especially learned men and lawyers, have immigrated and chosen this country for their home. Now we, the principal 'Ulamás, who are not only well versed in the several departments of the law and in the principles of jurisprudence, and well-acquainted with the edicts which rest on reason or testimony, but are also known for our piety and honest intentions, have duly considered the deep meaning, first, of the verse of the Qorán (Sur. IV, 62,) “Obey God, and obey the prophet, and those who have authority among you,” and secondly, of the genuine tradition, “Surely, the man who is dearest to God on the day of judgment, is the Imám i 'A´dil: whosoever obeys the Amír, obeys Me; and whosoever rebels against him, rebels against Me,” and thirdly, of several other proofs based on reasoning or testimony; and we have agreed that the rank of a Sulṭán i 'A´dil (a just ruler) is higher in the eyes of God than the rank of a Mujtahid. Further we declare that the king of the Islám, Amír of the Faithful, shadow of God in the world, Abul Fath Jaláluddín Muhammad Akbar Pádisháh i ghází, whose kingdom God perpetuate, is a most just, a most wise, and a most God-fearing king. Should therefore, in future, a religious question come up, regarding which the opinions of the Mujtahids are at variance, and His Majesty, in his penetrating understanding and clear wisdom, be inclined to adopt, for the benefit of the nation and as a political expedient, any of the conflicting opinions which exist on that point, and issue a decree to that effect, we do hereby agree that such a decree shall be binding on us and on the whole nation.

Further, we declare that, should His Majesty think fit to issue a new order, we and the nation shall likewise be bound by it, provided always that such an order be not only in accordance with some verse of the Qorán, but also of real benefit for the nation; and further, that any opposition on the part of the subjects to such an order as passed by His Majesty, shall involve damnation in the world to come, and loss of religion and property in this life.

This document has been written with honest intentions, for the glory of God, and the propagation of the Islám, and is signed by us, the principal 'Ulamás and lawyers, in the month of Rajab of the year 987 of the Hijrah.’

The draft of this document when presented to the emperor, was in the handwriting of Shaikh Mubárik. The others had signed it against their will, but the Shaikh had added at the bottom that he had most willingly signed his name; for this was a matter, which, for several years, he had been anxiously looking forward to.