A SUMMARY OF THE LIFE OF THE SON OF ABDOOL MULIK.

Some historians say that the son was an oppressor: a few think he was such; but the greater number say, that of all the Bunee Oomaiyuh Khaliphs he was the most excellent, because he made the Jooma Musjid at Damascus, that is called the Bunee Oomaiyuh Musjid; and in the Goozeeduh history it appears that he spent 1,000 Dinars six times over on this Musjid, and that every day 1,000 men were employed on this building. At Medina he enlarged Mahomed’s Musjid, and in Jerusalem he built up anew the Musjid Aysa, and those who were blind he fed in charity; those who were holy men he selected from the crowds, arranging for their food. In the days of his Khaliphat many cities of Mawraun Mehr (beyond the river Oxus), and to Furghunah, and to the countries of Kabool and Mooltan, were conquered.

In the Mirat-ool-Jenan history it is written, that notwithstanding his oppression, he was a great reader of the Koran, as every third day he read it through, and in the month of Rumzan he read it through seven­teen times.

It is also written in the Goozeeduh history, that in the Khaliphat of the son of Abdool Mulik, on the Badeeuh road he made many reservoirs for water; in Damascus he built a hospital and a Karavanserai. He was the first inventor of these places; and amongst all the other things which he did, he pointed out the proper position of the Minars, from the tops of which the summons to prayer is called.

His death took place in the month of Jumad-ool-Awul, Hijree 96 (A. D. 714). He lived on earth forty-nine years; out of that he reigned nine years and eight months.