He is one of the faithful men of this age, and is among the greatest of the spiritual representatives of Shaikh ‘Abdu-'-r-Razzāq of Jhanjhāna, a noted Shaikh, who was widely venerated by ecstatic mystics, and followed by those who had acquired learning and perfection.

The Mīr passed his eightieth year, and advanced well into his ninth decade, and throughout his precious life he never set foot outside his house once he had received authoritative permission to give religious instruction. He was resorted to by the great, and by all, both rich and poor. Many miracles are related of him, and whosoever was honoured by the Mīr's companionship, and in all sincerity enrolled himself among his disciples, obtained grace to avoid all forbidden things and wanton pastimes, to ally himself to the Fount of all grace, and to attain his true object. Among such was Muḥammad Ja‘far, the relative of Mīrzā Niāmu-'d-dīn Aḥmad, an orthodox youth, but polluted with debauchery. When he travelled from Lāhōr to take up the faujdārī* of the pargana of Shamsābād,* which was in the Mīrzā's jāgīr, and reached Lūdhiāna, he enrolled himself among Mīr Sayyid ‘Alī's disciples, and, by God's grace, repented of his sins, and, leaving aside all* things that should be shunned,* and everything that is forbidden, frequently begged the Mīr to offer up a prayer* that he might attain to the dignity of martyrdom. The Mīr offered up prayers in accordance with his request, and in the course of three or four months Muḥammad Ja‘far became so well known for his piety, abstinence, asceticism, and devotion, that he became an object of envy* to many of the pious, and he, who used with much pride and pomp, and with many attendants, to recite his night prayers, now drew water for his ceremonial ablutions without the help of any servant, and aroused nobody.

In a short time the Mīr's prayer was answered, and in a village ⁹⁵ in the pargana of Shamsābād Muḥammad Ja‘far attained to the dignity of martyrdom,* fighting manfully against the warlike infidels.

In that same year I waited on Mīr Sayyid ‘Alī, on the occasion on which I, in company with Mīrzā Nīāmu-'d-dīn Aḥmad, obtained leave to visit my beloved home. The conversation turned on the martyrdom of Ja‘far, and Mīr Sayyid ‘Alī said, “It is admissible for martyrs to satisfy their love of pleasure in this world as well (as in the next), as is certain from the follow­ing text which occurs in the glorious word of God:—‘Nay, rather, alive with their Lord they are provided for, rejoicing.’”* He then said, in this connection, “There was a newly married youth who met his death by martyrdom in this neighbourhood, and after his death he used to return always on Friday nights, in appearance the same as when he was alive, and pass the night with his wife in conjugal intercourse.” I said, “They say too that deceased martyrs are capable of begetting children in these circumstances, and it is well known that this is a fact. In the pargana town of Basāwar, which was my birthplace, an Afghān named Isḥāq suffered martyrdom but used to consort with his newly-married wife after his death, visiting her every Friday night. He ordered her to keep the matter secret, but shortly afterwards, when the woman became pregnant, she was accused of misconducting herself. On being much pressed she revealed the whole matter to her mother-in-law, Isḥāq's mother, and one Friday night showed her the form of her son. The mother cried out, calling her son by name, and tried to embrace him. The shape vanished, and from that day forth Isḥāq appeared no more. His mother dug a well and named it after him, and the well exists to this day. How can these things be?” Mīr Sayyid ‘Alī answered, “They are possible, and they are not contrary to reason.” Mīrzā Niāmu-'d-dīn Aḥmad said, “It may be that a jinn appeared in the outward form of the Martyr.” The Mīr said, “A jinn has not the power to appear in the semblance of the bodies of prophets, saints, pious men, and martyrs.”

The death of the Mīr occurred in the year H. 1002 (A.D. 1593-94), or H. 1003 (A.D. 1594-95). One of the learned men ⁹⁶ of the time found that the words, “The religious leader of man­kind,” * gave the date of his death. The Mīr's worthy son, Mīr Sayyid Maḥmūd, has succeeded him.