THIS common title of Muntakhabu-t Tawáríkh has been bestowed upon his General History by Hasan bin Muhammad al-Khákí al-Shírází, who came to India in the time of Akbar, and obtained different offices under the government. He tells us that from his early youth he imbibed a great taste for historical literature, which was so much increased on his arrival in India, “the abode of security,” that he determined to write a work, which should embrace in one volume an account of the Prophets, Saints, Sultáns, Philosophers, Poets, and Wazírs. He has certainly fulfilled his intention as far as comprehensiveness goes, for he includes in it all the known Dynasties of Asia; but the separate biographies, except of the Prophets and Sultáns, seem to have been overlooked. The compilation is of little use to the Indian historian.
His authorities are many and good; some of them not to be found without difficulty in these days. He mentions the Rauzatu-s Safá, Habíbu-s Siyar, Mujmal Fasíhí, Ibn Khallikán, Jahán-kusháí, Táríkh-i Rashídí of Mirzá Haidar Kashmírí, Akbar-náma, Táríkh-i Nizámí, Táríkh-i Fíroz-sháhí of Zíá Barní, Tabakát-i Násirí, Táríkh-i Binákití, Jahán-árá, and Táríkh-i Abú-l Fazl Baihakí. He states that he commenced the work before the close of Akbar's reign, and completed it in the fifth year of Jahángír's, A.H. 1019 (A.D. 1610-11), in which year, as he tells us at the close of his history, he was appointed díwán of Patna.
Elphinstone quotes a book bearing this title, which he says was written in 1004 H., and is probably the same work as this. Briggs also quotes it in some of his notes to the subordinate dynasties. [The account which Elphinstone gives of the death of Bírbal, and for which he refers to this work, is in exact accordance with that translated from Núru-l Hakk at page 191. They were probably derived from a common source.]*
The work consists of various detached histories, not divided, with the usual display of minute accuracy, into Books, Chapters, and Sections.