Eternal praise is due to the Almighty, who, through his special favour, said to Adam, Verily we have made thee our vicegerent over the earth;—
He, who fixed the nest of the Phœnix (Ankay) with expanded wings of victory of the everlasting dominion of his Majesty (Timūr) on the pinnacle of the lofty mountain of Kāf, commanding the world;—
Boundless thanks be also to the Omnipotent, who has exalted above all the sovereigns of the world the dignity of the Khelāfet and the family of the Prophet, in order to disseminate the glorious religion of Muhammed, and renovate the luminous law of Mustafā;—
Glory to the Creator, who, having formed the circumference of the heavens, with all the elements, around the axis of the earth, established the circle of supreme sovereignty in the blessed person of his Majesty, confirming the sacred verse of the Korān,
“A just monarch is the Shadow of God, and the guardian of his kingdoms.”
The unworthy and sinful Abū Talib al Hussyny represents to those who stand at the foot of the royal throne, that during my residence in the two sacred cities of Mecca and Medina, I saw in the library of Jāfer, Governor (Hākim) of Yemen, a book, in the Tūrky language, dictated (mulfuzāt) by his Majesty, who now dwells in paradise, Timūr Sahib Kerāny, may God pardon him all his offences, in which are inserted all the occurrences of his life from seven to seventy-one years, and in which he narrates the means by which he had subdued so many countries, and had become the sovereign of so many dominions, in hopes that this book may become an exemplar for posterity, and the cause of promoting religion.
But as the work was written in the Tūrky language interspersed with Arabic, and therefore difficult to be understood, I have translated it from Tūrky into easy Persian, that it may be useful to Princes in administering their affairs and in preserving their authority. Ministers and Generals may also derive great benefit from the perusal of it in conducting the business of Government.
May the Almighty God preserve and protect his Imperial Majesty Sahib Kerany Sany* (Shāh Jehān) from all the vicissitudes and evils of life, and keep extended over the heads of mankind the Shadow of his Sovereignty and Justice through the (intercession) of the Arabian Prophet, his illustrious descendants, and his beneficent companions.—The Text will be found in Appendix No. I.