Mahomed Momin was a prince of as great beauty as the sun. At the commencement of his manhood, the young tree of his life fell by the sharp breeze of death. This is an abstract of the statement.
When, being displeased with his father Sultan Hoosain, Meerza Budeen-ooz-Zuman turned the bridle of his intentions towards Kandahar, Mahomed Momin Meerza was at Asterabad. On his father departing for Kandahar, he sent word to his son, that he had better accompany him. The prince replied that “it is not proper in you to turn your face from the house of the Sultanut, and to go beneath the shade of servants.” Hearing this, Budeen-ooz-Zuman greatly praised his son’s wisdom, and sending to him some of his most trusty men, he warned him, that his uncles were seeking his death, that he must not be deceived by what they said; that if his grandfather called him, he should obey the summons, and go to him, but that if any came against him without the orders of his grandfather, he should oppose them.
Moozuffur Hoosain Meerza approached Asterabad, hearing of which Mahomed Momin wished to go and meet him, and, having made over the country to him, to depart himself for some other place. At that time a letter reached him from his father, filled in this way:— “On no account loosen the bridle of your strength from your hands. Collect your sepoys, and place your foot on the battle-field.” Upon this, Mahomed Momin, having assembled his forces, went forth from Asterabad, turning his horse’s bridle in the direction of battle. At that time Moozuffur, with a large army, also came to the plain of battle, where the beating of Nugarahs and the blowing of horns commenced on both sides. In the twinkling of an eye, arrows and bullets fell like rain, and brave men of both sides, mixing together, fought in such a manner, that it appeared as if the signs of the last day had arrived. Mahomed Momin threw many of the valiant men of the opposite side to the ground of death; but at that time, from the displeasure of heaven, the girths of the saddle of his horse broke, and he fell from the saddle to the earth. At that moment a sepoy, one of the enemy, ran to slay him, when Meerza Moozuffur Hoosain, seeing this, he himself reached the spot before him, and clasping his nephew in his arms, he kissed him, and taking him with him, he went to Asterabad, where he put silver chains upon him. After some days, Moozuffur Hoosain sent Mahomed Momin to Herat, in charge of the brother of his mother (maternal uncle), Ameer Mahomed Burnodug Burlas. In the month of Sufur 903 (A. D. 1497) he arrived there, and placing him in the fort as a prisoner, he turned his face towards the king, whom he found, or in whose presence he arrived, on the banks of the Ab Moorghan, when he made known to him the above circumstances. At that time Khodaijuh Begee Begum, the mother of Moozuffur Hoosain, was present, and it came into her mind that the destruction of Mahomed Momin would give immortality to her son; so the intent of her heart was in this way— to cast this young tree of the king’s garden to the ground by the hot wind of severity; so she associated herself with Khwaja Nizam-ool-Moolk, who at that time held in his hands all the king’s country and property. One night, when the king had been drinking deeply of wine, she got his order to kill the prince; and having obtained this, she quickly sent upon this errand Yar Ali Bukshee, and Abdool Wahid, a Chobdar, with ten other men of trust. The following day the king, recollecting his orders of the previous night, sent a swift courier after these, writing a Firman to them: “By no means cause harm to the cooler of my eyes!” But those bad men, by the direction of the Begum, had gone with great haste, arriving at the place where Mahomed Momin was confined. The prince, on their coming, arose, asking after their health; when those of bad fortune, not thinking of the future, killed this youth, who had not his equal in the whole kingdom. They went that night towards the banks of the Ab Moorghan, but had only proceeded a short way, when the courier, with the Firman which was to preserve the prince, overtook them. But fate had done its business; and except lamenting, there was nothing else to be done. In the morning, Ameer Sarban Joonaid, who was in the city, collected many men to place the winding-sheet, and to give him burial, placing him in the large college of Herat.
When the news of the martyrdom of his excellent son reached Meerza Budeen-ooz-Zuman, he was much grieved, and, with the intention of avenging him, he gave orders to collect troops.