Abul Fazl

“ By this time Akbar held the Ulama in small esteem. He was growing sceptical of their religion. He had listened to the history of the caliphate; he yearned toward Ali and his family; he became in heart a Shiah. Already he may have doubted Mahomet and the Koran. Still he was outwardly a Mussulman. His object now was to overthrow the Ulama altogether; to become himself the supreme spiritual head, the pope or caliph of Islam. Abul Fazl was laboring to invest him with the same authority. He mooted the question one Thursday evening. He raised a storm of opposition ”

“ They were carried on in a large pavilion; it was built for the purpose in the royal garden at Fathpur Sikri. All the learned men at Agra were invited to attend. The Padishah and all the grandees of the empire were present. Abul Fazl acted as a kind of director. He started questions; he expounded his master's policy of toleration. Akbar preserved his dignity as padishah. ”

“ The Akbar Nameh, or Book of Akbar, as Abul Fazl’s chief literary work, written in Persian, is called, consists of two parts—the first being a complete history of Akbar’s reign and the second, entitled Ain-i-Akbari, or Institutes of Akbar, being an account of the religious and political constitution and administration of the empire. The style is singularly elegant, and the contents of the second part possess a unique and lasting interest. ”

“ Discounting to the full the open flattery of Abul-fazl's Akbarnâmâh, the source from which most information is derived, giving good measure to Budâoni's grudging criticisms, the unbiassed readers of Akbar's life cannot avoid the conviction that in dealing with him, they are dealing with a man of imagination, of genius. ”

“ Again, Akbar, one of the greatest kings that ever lived, followed in practice the principle thus expressed by his minister, Abul Fazl: "Persecution after all defeats its own ends; it obliges men to conceal their opinions, but produces no change in them." [6] Noble sentiments surely, and such as we should expect from followers of Christ rather than of Mohammed!
[1] Tradition attributes even stronger approval of Holy Wars to Mohammed than can be found in the Koran,—e.g., "The sword is the key of Paradise and Hell. ”

“ It is known that Akbar took a great interest in painting. Abul Fazl, in the "Ain-i-Akbari," states that "His Majesty from the earliest youth has shown a great predilection for the art, and gives it every encouragement, as he looks upon it as a means both of study and amusement. Hence the art flourishes, and many painters have obtained great reputations. The works of all painters are weekly laid before his Majesty by the Daroghas and the clerks; he confers rewards according to the excellence of workmanship, or increases their monthly salaries. ”

“ The people of India no doubt owed much of the good they enjoyed under the long reign of Akbar to this most excellent woman, who inspired not only her husband but the most able Muhammadan minister that India has ever had, with feelings of universal benevolence. It was from her that this great minister, Abūl Fazl, derived the spirit that dictated the following passages in his admirable work, the Aīn-i-Akbarī; 'Every sect becomes infatuated with its particular doctrines ”

“ Other places may be warm; hot winds blowing over tracts of sand may drive us under the shelter of a wetted skreen; but at Peshour, the atmosphere, in the summer solstice, becomes almost inflammable."—G. Forster, ed. 1808, ii. 57.
1863.—"Its present name we owe to Akbar, whose fondness for innovation led him to change the ancient Parashâwara, of which he did not know the meaning, to Peshâwar, or the 'frontier town.' Abul Fazl gives both names."—Cunningham, Arch. ”

“ You have not lightly assumed this disguise, and braved the danger of discovery! You know all, and have come to save me—to bless me? Is it not so?"
Abul Fazil could not see his brother's uplifted countenance, flushed with the hectic of feverish impatience, or his imploring eyes, that floated in tears; but his tones were sufficiently expressive.
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"Poor boy!" he said, compassionately, "I should have foreseen this. But calm these transports, my brother! nothing is denied to the sultan's power, and nothing will he deny thee." ”

“ With the help of three such accomplished Knights of the Pen," added Akbar, with a smile, "our deeds may be sometimes remembered in this land when we are dead and gone."
"Ay, in other lands too, or I am much mistaken, sire," said the Khan-Khanan. "The fame of the gifted Abul Fazel is not confined to the land of Hind. I have not seen the sword of Akbar, wrote your Majesty's royal brother of Persia, but Abul Fazel's pen strikes fear in one's mind. The fame of that pen will survive when we are laid in our graves." ”

“ Al-Rashid, hearing this, said, "This is not the man I seek." They then departed, and knocked at the door of Fudhayl. As they arrived, the latter was reciting the following verse of the Koran: "Do those who have done evil imagine that we shall set them on the same level with those who have done well?" Koran (Sura xlv., v. 20) . The Caliph had no sooner heard this verse than he said, "If it is good advice we are seeking, here is enough for us." Then they knocked at the door. "Who is there?" asked Fudhayl. "The Prince of the Faithful," Fazl answered. "What do you want?" ”

“ If the King hears about this he will be so angry that perhaps he will have you killed. You are only the son of a poor man; and do not vex the King, for he has been very good, and sent us a present of a thousand rupees yesterday.”
Abul, however, would not listen, but kept on insisting that he was King, so at last the King had him locked up in prison, declaring that he must be mad. ”

“ He describes it in his “Reports,” vol. iv. p. 124, and gives a plan (Plate xiii.) .
2 Abú-l Fazl (called Allami) was a son of Shaikh Mubarak, son of Shaikh Khizr, who came from Sind. Mubarak was one of the most learned men of his day, and inclined to be a free-thinker. Abú-l Fazl, his second son, was born on January 14th, 1551. He was a devoted student, and his range of reading was very extensive. His elder brother, Faizi, had been invited to the court of Akbar in the twelfth year of that sovereign’s reign, and by his means Abú-l Fazl was introduced in 1568, when in his seventeenth year. ”

“ So I went out from the twain and returned to Abdallah, with straitened breast and mind perplexed and heavy of heart, and repeated to him what they had said. Quoth he, “Thou wouldst do well to abide with us this day, that we may see what Allah Almighty will decree.” So I sat with him awhile, when lo! up came my servant, who said to me, “O my lord, there are at our door many laden mules, and with them a man, who says he is the agent of Al-Fazl and Ja’afar bin Yahya.” Quoth Abdallah, “I trust that relief is come to thee: rise up and go see what is the matter.” ”

“ It is said that he was fifty years in compiling it, and that when the Wazîr, Sahib-ibn-Abbâd (who was looked upon as the wonder of his age for wisdom and learning) , received it, he found that he could dispense with the thirty camel-loads of books on literary subjects which he was in the habit of taking with him when travelling or changing residence; the "Kitâb-el-Aghâny" being sufficient for him. Abul-Fáraj wrote many other works, and composed much poetry. ”

“ As they passed on, Birbal paused a moment beside Abulfazl to whisper in his ear:
"The Bârha hawks are in. Hast news of them?"
The Diwan nodded: "The King sees them at audience to-day to consider----"
Birbal interrupted with a bitter laugh: "Before God, Abul," he said, with his habitual shrug of the shoulders, "when the Most-Excellent thinks of himself as Head of the Church and Defender of the Faith, he is too excellent for this world. Better sure a little injustice than that the King should back on himself. It is not time for weakness. ”

“ Fear thou nought at our hand, nay, only but fair dealing."
And the hero Abu Zeyd called to his servant loudly :
"Forth, O Abul Komsan, nor let thy footsteps linger."
And the slave said, "Yes and yes, O thou beloved of the Arabs."
And he, "Go with this lady and build her a pavilion,
With breadths of perfumed silk, and bid prepare all dainties
That she may eat of the best, and serve her in due honour.
For well it is in life to be of all things generous,
Ere we are called away to death's unjoyful dwellings,
Even of the shoulder meat, that the guests may rise up praising." ”

“ This an Akbar will not fear. But there is another danger that Kulluka referred to, which cannot be put so lightly on one side: the danger that a name once given, whether it be Allah or another, may become a personality to the uncultured, and be regarded as a personal representation, distinct from the Immortal Being; and then, naturally, all is at an end with your object—the unity of the Deity. And what will you have introduced, and what perhaps will you have made?”
“But, Faizi,” asked Abú-l Fazl, “what would you do to make the people wiser and more reasonable? ”

“ He washed and dressed and went with his Vizier to hold court. While there, he said to his courtiers: “There is a man living in a certain house, and his name is Abul, I want you to take to his mother a bag of a thousand rupees. ”

“ While search was being made for the kullal, Fazil's thoughts reverted painfully to his father and sister. He could not leave Bulwunt without exposing himself to further suspicion; but he might at least send news of his safety, and his application to the Duffadar for a messenger was promptly acceded to.
"Surely, Khan," was the prompt reply, "I could hardly refuse your going yourself, if you asked; but it is better you stayed. Men's tongues are bad, and I am only a humble man. Verily I will send my own son Ashruf, and he will do the errand carefully. ”

“ The palace was early astir that morning, and little knots of men waited gossiping in corridor and vestibule.
"It is not politic," sighed Abulfazl, "the common folk well ask who is God's vice-regent on earth if a King's order is no order."
'"Tis the devil's own foolery," spoke up Birbal roughly, bitterly, "the long beards wag loosely already, and if Akbar gives them a field they will take a barn."
And in truth a certain ill-defined smirk sate on the concealed lips of the learned doctors of the law who stood in a bevy near the door. ”

“ And lo, thou art here to-day in the midst of these thy great ones.
And I one man alone. Yet if thou stand in- debted,
Take thy due of the lion's blood and all that are with thee.
Now is their time to strike. Let none hold back to spare me."
But Fadel the Agheyli spoke, and thus aloud he addressed him,
" Welcome to thee, O prince, O thou the right arm of Amer."
And he rose up and embraced him and made him sit at his right hand.
And Abu Zeyd made known the hiding-place of the grey mare.
And the Arabs pressed around, and the poets sang of his praises. ”

“ Shaikh-jee! What ails the King at times to give such handle to his enemies?"
"It is his sense of strength," replied Abulfazl calmly. "He feels like a God, and of a truth he is one." The Prime Minister's flattery had grown to be part of himself; he really thought of Akbar as he wrote about him.
"Perchance!" growled Birbal, "but he lives among men, and men know how to trick their gods. I can think of no more promises; if thou dost, guard against failure, for my leisure may be scant." ”

“ An open, dare-devil, good-humoured countenance, with bright merry eyes, which, as he spoke, seemed to close up till two bright sparks only were visible; and a wide bow-shaped mouth, about which fun, and perhaps some mischief, played in perpetual smiles, conveyed an impression of recklessness of danger, as a lithe rapidity of movement did of extreme activity of body, and perhaps endurance.
"A brave youth, doubtless, Duffadar Sahib," said Fazil; "his eye speaks for him; a boy to be proud of. How sayst thou, lad? Wilt thou do an errand for the son of Afzool Khan?" ”

“ The Wazir pondered the Persian's words and approved of their wisdom; so he carried her to his palace, where he appointed her private rooms, and allowed her every day whatever she wanted of meat and drink and so forth. And on this wise she abode a while. Now the Wazir Al-Fazl had a son like the full moon when sheeniest dight, with face radiant in light, cheeks ruddy-bright, and a mole like a dot of ambergris on a downy site; as said of him the poet and said full right,
"A moon which blights you [FN#12] if you dare behold ”

“ Is Mecca city of thy God, Moslem of righteous deed?
But search your inner selves, my friends, the God of earth and air,
The Moslems' and the Hindus’ God—He ever dwelleth there!"
"Noble sentiment that, Abul Fazel. Our learned men write more ornate words, but appeal not to the heart like the Poet of the People. Have there been many such in the land?"
"In the land of the Punjab, sire, there lived, a hundred years ago, a great spiritual teacher called Nanak, who was inspired by the same object; and Musalmans and Hindus join that sect and call themselves Sikhs. ”

“ But the new vazir, who was also named Abul-Hasan, persuaded the king that the exchequer could not afford this large outlay, and kept the poet waiting so long for his money, that at last he was glad to get away with only one hundred pieces of gold. These two vazirs recall Asaf, the good vazir of King Solomon, who deserves the title "Light upon light," 21 and Haman, the evil vazir of Pharaoh, who turned his he,art against Moses, and brought many plagues upon the kingdom of Egypt.
How all creatures cry to God for sustenance. ”