His name is Masíhuddín Abulfath. Mauláná 'Abdurrazzáq, his father, was a learned and talented man, and held for a long time the post of Çádr of Gílán. When Gílán, in 974, came into the possession of Ṭahmásp, Ahmad Khán, ruler of the country was imprisoned, and 'Abdurrazzáq was tortured to death. Hakím Abulfath, with his distinguished brothers Hakím Humám (No. 205) and Hakím Núruddín,* left the country, and arrived, in the 20th year, in India (p. 175). They went to Court and were well received. Abulfath, in the 24th year, was made Çadr and Amín of Bengal. At the outbreak of the military revolt, he was captured with several other officers (vide Nos. 98 and 159); but he escaped from prison, and went again to Court. He rose higher and higher in Akbar's favour, and possessed an immense influence in state matters and on the emperor himself. Though only a commander of One Thousand, he is said to have had the power of a Vakíl.

As related above (p. 344), he accompanied Bír Baṛ on the expedition against the Yúsufzaís in Sawád and Bijor. On his return, he was reprimanded; for the emperor, correctly enough, ascribed the disastrous issue of the campaign to Abulfath's insubordinate conduct towards Zain Kokah (No. 34).

In the 34th year, (997), he went with the emperor to Kashmír, and from there to Zábulistán. On the march he fell sick, and died. According to Akbar's order, Khwájah Shamsuddín (No. 159) took his body to Hasan Abdál, and buried him in a vault which the Khwájah had made for himself (Tuzuk, p. 48). On his return, the emperor said a prayer at Abulfath's tomb.

The great poet 'Urfí of Shíráz (vide below, among the poets) is Abul Fath's encomiast. Faizí also has composed a fine marsiah, or elegy, on his death.

Abulfazl and Badáoní speak of the vast attainments of Abulfath. A rare copy of his Munshiát* is preserved in the Library of the As. Soc. Bengal (No. 780). He had a profound contempt for old Persian poets: thus he called Anwarí diminutively Anwariak; and of Khaqání he said, he would give him a box on the ears if he were to come to him, to rouse him from his sleepiness, and would send him to Abulfazl, who would give him another box, and both would then show him how to correct his verses (Badáoní III, 167).

Badáoní mentions Abulfath's influence as one of the chief reasons why Akbar abjured Islám (p. 175).

Abulfath had a son, Fathullah. He was killed by Jahángír, as he was an accomplice of Khusrau (Tuzuk, p. 58).

A grandosn of Abulfath is mentioned in the Pádisháhnámah (II, p. 739). His name is Fath Ziá; he was a Commander of Nine Hundred, 150 horse.

113. Shaikh Jama´l, son of Muhammad Bakhtyár.

His full name is Shaikh Jamál Bakhtyár, son of Shaikh Muhammad Bakhtyár. The Bakhtyár clan had possessions in Jalesar, near Dihlí.

Shaikh Jamál's sister held the post of superintendent in Akbar's harem, and pro­cured for her brother a command of One Thousand. Jamál's elevation excited much envy. One day, after taking some water, he felt suddenly ill. Rúp also, one of Akbar's servants, who had drunk of the same water, took immediately ill. Akbar had antidotes applied, and both recovered.

In the 25th year, he accompanied Ismá'íl Qulí Khán (No. 46) on his expedition against the rebel Niyábat Khán. Níyábat Khán was the son of Mír Háshim of Níshápúr; his name was 'Arab. Before his rebellion, he held Jhosí and Arail (Jalál­ábás) as jágír. In the fight, which took place near ‘Kantit, a dependency of Pannah,’* Shaikh Jamál was nearly killed, Niyábat Khán having pulled him from his horse.

In the 26th year, he marched with Prince Murád against Mírzá Muhammad Hakím of Kábul.

Shaikh Jamál drank a great deal of wine. One day, he brought such a smell of wine to the audience hall, that Akbar felt offended, and excluded him from Court. Jamál therefore squandered and destroyed the things he had with him, and assumed the garb of a jogí. This annoyed the emperor more, and Jamál was put into prison. Soon after, he was pardoned; but he continued his old vice, and brought delirium tremens on himself. In the 30th year, when Akbar set out for Zábulistán, Shaikh Jamál had to remain sick in Lúdhiánah. He died there in the same year (993).

Jamál has been mentioned above on p. 191.

114. Ja'far Kha´n, son of Qazáq Khán.

He is generally called in the histories Ja'far Khán Taklú, Taklú being the name of a Qizilbásh tribe.

His grandfather, Muhammad Khán Sharafuddín Oghlú Taklú, was at the time of Humáyún's flight governor of Harát and lallah* to Sulṭán Muhammad Mírzá, eldest son of Sháh Ṭahmasp i Çafawí. At the Sháh's order, he entertained Humáyún in the most hospitable manner. When he died, he was succeeded in office by his son Qazáq Khán. But Qazáq shewed so little loyalty, that Ṭahmásp, in 972, sent Ma'­çúm Beg i Çafawí against him. Qazáq fell ill, and when the Persians came to Harát, he died. Ma'çúm seized all his property.

Ja'far thinking himself no longer safe in Persia, emigrated to India, and was well received by Akbar. He distinguished himself in the war with Khán Zamán, and was made a Khán and a commander of One Thousand. From Badáoní (II, p. 161,) we see that he had a jágír in the Panjáb, and served under Husain Qulí Khán (No. 24) in the expedition to Nagarkoṭ.

According to the Ṭabaqát, Ja'far's father did not die a natural death, but was killed by the Persians.

Ja'far had been dead for some time in 1001.

115. Sha´h Fana´i´, son of Mír Najafí.

His name is not given in the Maásir and the Ṭabaqát. From the Akbarnámah (Lucknow Edition, II, 170, 172) we see that he served in the conquest of Málwah and took part in the battle near Sárangpúr (beginning of the 6th year; vide No. 120).

The poet Fanáí who is mentioned in Badáoní (III, 296), the Ṭabaqát, and the Mir-át ul 'A´lam, appears to be the same. He travelled a good deal, was in Makkah, and distinguished himself by personal courage in war. Akbar con­ferred on him the title of Khán. He was a Chaghtái Turk of noble descent. Once he said, in Akbar's presence, that no one surpassed him in the three C's,—chess, combat, composition, when the emperor replied that he had forgotten a fourth, viz. conceit. For some reason, he was imprisoned, and when set at liberty, it was found that he had become mad. He ran into the wilderness, and was no more heard of.

116. Asadullah Kha´n, of Tabríz.

His name is not given in the Maásir and the Ṭabaqát. An Asadullah Khán is mentioned in the Akbarnámah (end of the 12th year). He served under Khán Zamán (No. 13), and commanded the town of Zamániá (p. 320, l. 4 from below). After Khán Zamán's death, he wished to make over the town to Sulaimán, king of Bengal. But Mun'im (No. 11) sent a man to him to convince him of his foolishness, and took quickly possession of the town, so that the Afgháns under their leader, Khán Khánán Lodí, had to withdraw. This incident, however, brought the Afgháns into contact with Mun'im; and as they found him a tractable man, a meeting was arranged, which took place in the neighbourhood of Patna. This meeting was of importance, inas­much as Khán Khánán Lodí, on the part of Sulaimán, promised to read the Khuṭbah, and to strike coins in Akbar's name. Bengal therefore enjoyed peace till the death of Sulaimán in 980*.