Let us*
return praise to the Forgiver, for that he holds as
his friends the repentant, and such as have cleansed themselves
from their sins; and let us return thanksgiving to Him who
shows the right road to sinners, and bestows favours on such as
ask his blessing;*
and let us give praises to the best of created
Beings, Muhammed, and to his family who are pure, and
his friends*
who are pure; and blessed be the mirror-like
minds of men of understanding, which are the place in
which the affairs of the world are seen in their true light,
and which are the treasury of the pearls that adorn the
forms of truth and right, and will be the receivers of
the figures of the brilliant jewels of this truth*—
that the
human constitution, from the mode of its creation, is prone
to desire the gratification of earthly passions, though the
renunciation of such desires is inseparably connected with
the favour of God and celestial aid. Human passions are
not far removed from evil desires; and I feel that my mind
is not pure, since it certainly draws me towards evil. And
this abstinence from wickedness is a boon not to be gained,
but by the mercy of the most merciful King.*—
Yet such
is the graciousness of God, that he gives it to every one that
asks it; And God is the author of mighty kindness.*
The
purpose of writing these lines, and of enouncing these truths
is, that from the frailty of human nature, in compliance
with the usage of kings, the seductions of royalty, and the
custom of men of rank, both kings and soldiers, during the
times of early youth, many forbidden acts and unlawful
deeds have been obstinately committed; and after a few
days, repentance and sorrow having ensued, these forbidden
acts have in succession been renounced, and the door of
relapse shut on such criminal transgressions by unfeigned
repentance. But the renunciation of wine, which is the
most indispensable of all renunciations, and the most
important of all these resolutions of amendment, remained
hid behind a veil, since every act has its due season,*
and did
not show itself until, in this blessed and auspicious hour,
when, exerting all our energies, and*
binding on the badge
of a holy war,*
we sat down, along with the armies whose
sign is the Faith, over against the pagans in warfare*;
having
heard from secret inspiration, and from the warnings of
a voice that cannot err, the blessed tidings of A. L. M.*
or of,*
O ye that have received the faith, and whose hearts bend
down at the mention of God,*
for the purpose of plucking up*
the roots of sin, we knocked with all our might at the door of
penitence; and the pointer of the way assisting,*
in conformity
to the saying, He who knocks at the door, and persists
in knocking, shall be admitted, opened the door of his mercy:
and we have directed this holy warfare to commence with
the Grand Warfare, the War against our Evil Passions.
In short after saying with the tongue of truth and sincerity,
O, my Creator! we have subjected our passions; fix us on
thy side, for*
I have written on the tablets of my heart, that
now, for the first time, I have indeed become a Musulman,*
I have blazoned abroad the desire to renounce wine, which
was formerly hid in the treasury of my heart. And the
servants, victory-adorned, in obedience to the commands
which terminate in blessing, have, for the glory of religion,
dashed upon the ground of contempt and ruin, and broken
in pieces, the goblets, and cups, and all the utensils and
vessels of silver and of gold, which, resembling in their
number and splendour the stars of the lofty sky, were
the ornaments of the Assembly of Wickedness,*
and were
like unto those idols which, God willing, we shall quickly
be aided in breaking to pieces*;
and every fragment was
thrown to a needy or helpless one. And by the blessing of
this repentance which draws near unto remission of sins,
many of those near the presence, as the custom is*
that
courtiers follow the usage and fashion*
of the prince, in that
same meeting were exalted by the glory of repentance,
and entirely renounced the use of strong drinks; and still,
crowds of those who are subjected to us, hourly find their
blessing and exaltation in this self-denial. And hopes are
entertained, according to the saying, He who shows the road
to goodness is as the doer of good,*
that the blessing of these
acts will terminate in the good fortune and greatness of the
Nawāb whose undertakings are successful, the emperor*:
And that from the happy influence of these good deeds
victory and success may day by day increase*;
and after
the conclusion of this enterprise, and the fulfilment of this
wish, that the firmān which the world obeys may receive
such perfect execution, that, in the regions protected by
our sway, God keeping watch to protect them from all evil and
all enmity,*
there may not be a creature who shall indulge in
the use of intoxicating liquor, or employ himself in procuring,
or in making spirits, or in selling them; or who shall
purchase them, or keep them, or carry them out or bring
them in. Abstain from intoxication: perhaps you may be
justified*;
and there is a blessing on this self-conquest.*
And as an offering made on occasion of this sincere repentance,*
the sea of royal bounty has risen, and displayed the
waves of liberality, which is the source of the populousness*
of
the world, and of the glory of the sons of men. And a firmān
has issued, renouncing, as far as concerns the Musulmans,
the tamgha of all our dominions, the amount of which
exceeds all limits and calculation; for although, in the
time of former sultans, the usage was to levy it, yet the
practice was opposite to the constitutions of the laws
delivered by the holy prophets*;
and orders have been
given, that in no city, or town, or road, or street, or passage,
or port, should the tamgha be received or levied; and that
there shall be no delay or*
deviation in the execution of
these commands. And if any one alters these commands
after having heard them, then, of a truth, the crime of such
act shall fall on that person who shall change these commands;*
the duty of the soldiers*
who are shielded under
the royal favour, whether Tūrks or Tājiks, or Arabs or
Ajems,*
or Hindus or Persians, of subjects civil or military,
and of all the followers of every religion,*
and of all the tribes
of the sons of men, is, that being strengthened and filled
with hope by this sustaining generosity, they may employ
themselves in the praises of the mightiness of Him who
exists for ever; and may never deviate from the injunctions
of the mandate whose termination is in good*;
but adhering
to their duty, according to the firmān that has been published,
fulfil its intention.*
And as soon as it reaches the
seal, that the great, the exalted, the lofty, obey it. Written
by the High Command. May the great God exalt this Firmān,
Feb. 26,
1527.
and the Almighty always protect its inviolability.*
Dated the
24th of the first Jumāda, in the year 933.
At this time, as I have already observed, in consequence
of preceding events, a general consternation and alarm prevailed
Alarm in
Bābur’s
army.
among great and small. There was not a single person
who uttered a manly word, nor an individual who delivered
a courageous opinion. The Wazīrs, whose duty it was to
give good counsel, and the Amīrs, who enjoyed the wealth
of kingdoms, neither spoke bravely, nor was their counsel
or deportment such as became men of firmness.*
During the
whole course of this expedition Khalīfeh conducted himself
admirably, and was unremitting and indefatigable in his
endeavours to put everything in the best order. At length,
observing the universal discouragement of my troops, and
their total want of spirit, I formed my plan. I called an
assembly of all the Amīrs and officers, and addressed them,—‘Noblemen
His speech
to his
officers.
and soldiers! Every man that comes into
the world is subject to dissolution. When we are passed
away and gone, God only survives, unchangeable. Whoever
comes to the feast of life must, before it is over, drink from
the cup of death. He who arrives at the inn of mortality
must one day inevitably take his departure from that house
of sorrow—the world. How much better is it to die with
honour than to live with infamy!