[THE author of this history of Sháh Jahán was Muhammad Sádik, who was Wáki'-navís in attendance upon Prince Sháh Jahán in his campaign against the Ráná during the life of Jahángír. He afterwards received the title of Sádik Khán. The work embraces the reign of Sháh Jahán “from his accession to the throne unto the termination of the confinement into which he fell through the stupidity of Dárá Shukoh.” A copy of the work in the British Museum ends with the deposition of Sháh Jahán, but the author adds that the deposed monarch lived eight years in captivity. Sir H. Elliot's MS. goes on without any break to the end of the reign of Aurangzeb; but to have written all this, Sádik Khán must have lived over a century. The history of the reign of Aurangzeb turns out to be the same as that of the Muntakhabu-l Lubáb of Kháfí Khán, with some slight variations, not greater perhaps than Col. Lees found in various MSS. of that work.*
The history is of moderate extent, and is written in a simple style. Similarity or identity in many passages shows that Kháfí Khán used the work for his history of the reign of Sháh Jahán. There is also among Sir H. M. Elliot's MSS. one called Tabakát-i Sháh-Jahání, written by the same author. This consists of notices of the great and distinguished men of the reign of Sháh Jahán. The names are numerous, but the notices are short.]